briefer form by Washington himself in a letter to the Virginian
Governor, and by the French commander of Fort Duquesne in his
official report.

WINTHROP SARGENT

With a commendable discretion--the utmost, perhaps, that he was capable
of--Braddock had concluded his arrangements for passing what he regarded
as the only perilous place between his army and the fort, which he
designed to reach early on the 10th. Had the proposition, started and
abandoned by St. Clair, to push forward that very night a strong
detachment to invest it before morning, been actually made to him, it is
very probable he would have discountenanced it. As in all human
likelihood it would have been crowned with success, it is as well for
the general's reputation that the suggestion aborted.

What precautionary steps his education and capacity could suggest were
here taken by Braddock. Before three o'clock on the morning of the 9th
Gage was sent forth with a chosen band to secure both crossings of the
river, and to hold the farther shore of the second ford till the rest of
the army should come up. At four, St. Clair, with a working party,
followed to make the roads. At 6 A.M. the general set out, and, having
advantageously posted about four hundred men upon the adjacent heights,
made, with all the wagons and baggage, the first crossing of the
Monongahela. Marching thence in order of battle toward the second ford,
he received intelligence that Gage had occupied the shore, according to
orders, and that the route was clear. The only enemy he had seen was a
score of savages, who fled without awaiting his approach. By eleven
o'clock the army reached the second ford; but it was not until after one
that the declivities of the banks were made ready for the artillery and
wagons, when the whole array, by a little before two o'clock, was safely
passed over. Not doubting that from some point on the stream the enemy's
scouts were observing his operations, Braddock was resolved to strongly
impress them with the numbers and condition of his forces; and
accordingly the troops were ordered to appear as for a dress-parade. In
after-life Washington was accustomed to observe that he had never seen
elsewhere so beautiful a sight as was exhibited during this passage of
the Monongahela. Every man was attired in his best uniform; the
burnished arms shone bright as silver in the glistening rays of the
noonday sun, as, with colors waving proudly above their he