military display, every
soldier well clad and equipped, instead of being ragged and poorly
armed, he said, "This is the grandest spectacle I ever beheld."

As another has said, "Not the shabby, discouraging, inglorious war of
men without hats and shoes, kettles and bayonets, but the military array
of a young officer's brightest dreams: a host in gallant uniforms, with
nodding plumes, the clang of inspiring music, and the dazzling splendor
of banners flaunting in the sun. Victory was a thing of course. The want
of proper equipment had occasioned defeat and mortification. The
presence of everything that a soldier's heart could wish or his fancy
devise was sure to bring triumph that would extinguish all memory of
former failure."

General Braddock was an experienced officer, but he knew nothing of
Indian warfare. Evidently he regarded the French as his chief
antagonists, and supposed that an easy victory could be won. His
conversation with Benjamin Franklin, who visited him, as
postmaster-general, to make arrangements for the transmission of the
mails to and from the army, reveals much of the general's character.

"Not a long campaign, I think," he remarked to Franklin.

"Nevertheless a hard one," answered Franklin. "In such a country as
this, campaigning is attended with serious difficulties."

"But difficulties lessen before experienced officers and soldiers,"
responded Braddock.

"Can you give me any idea of your intended progress?" inquired Franklin,
for the purpose of drawing him out, and learning what were his real
ideas of the country.

"After taking Fort Duquesne," Braddock replied, "I am to proceed to
Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season will allow,
and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain me above three or
four days; and then I can see nothing to obstruct my march to Niagara."

"I supposed that it would require a longer time than that to reduce Fort
Duquesne," said Washington. "The French have had ample time to
strengthen their fortification."

"That may be, but I do not apprehend much difficulty in accomplishing my
object there," was the general's confident reply.

"To be sure, sir," continued Franklin, "if you arrive well before
Duquesne with these fine troops, so well provided with artillery,
the fort, though completely fortified and assisted with a very strong
garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I
apprehend of obstruction to you