i or
Monacatoocha, and conducted Washington to the tracks which he had
discovered. Upon these he put two of his Indians. They followed them
up like hounds, and brought back word that they had traced them to a
low bottom surrounded by rocks and trees, where the French were
encamped, having built a few cabins for shelter from the rain.

A plan was now concerted to come upon them by surprise; Washington
with his men on the right; the half-king with his warriors on the
left; all as silently as possible. Washington was the first upon the
ground. As he advanced from among the rocks and trees at the head of
his men, the French caught sight of him and ran to their arms. A sharp
firing instantly took place, and was kept up on both sides for about
fifteen minutes. Washington and his party were most exposed and
received all the enemy's fire. The French at length, having lost
several of their number, gave way and ran. They were soon overtaken;
twenty-one were captured, and but one escaped, a Canadian, who carried
the tidings of the affair to the fort on the Ohio. The Indians would
have massacred the prisoners had not Washington prevented them. Ten of
the French had fallen in the skirmish, and one been wounded.
Washington's loss was one killed and three wounded. He had been in the
hottest fire, and, having for the first time heard balls whistle about
him, considered his escape miraculous. Jumonville, the French leader,
had been shot through the head at the first fire.

Of the twenty-one prisoners the two most important were an officer of
some consequence named Drouillon, and the subtle and redoubtable La
Force. As Washington considered the latter an arch mischief-maker, he
was rejoiced to have him is his power. The prisoners were conducted to
the camp at the Great Meadows, and sent on the following day (29th),
under a strong escort to Governor Dinwiddie, then at Winchester.
Washington had treated them with great courtesy; had furnished
Drouillon and La Force with clothing from his own scanty stock, and,
at their request, given them letters to the governor, bespeaking for
them "the respect and favor due to their character and personal
merit."

The situation of Washington was now extremely perilous. Contrecoeur,
it was said, had nearly a thousand men with him at the fort, beside
Indian allies; and reinforcements were on the way to join him. The
messengers sent by Jumonville, previous to the late affair, must have
apprised him of t