heart rending yell, and poured down a constant and
most deadly fire. Before General Braddock received his wound, he gave
orders for the whole line to countermarch and form a phalanx on the
bottom, so as to cover their retreat across the river. When the main
column was wheeled, Grant's and Lewis' companies had proceeded so far
in advance, that a large body of the enemy rushed down from both sides
of the ravine, and intercepted them. A most deadly contest ensued.
Those who intercepted Grant and Lewis, could not pass down the defile,
as the main body of Braddock's army was there, and it would have been
rushing into the midst of it, to inevitable destruction--the sides of
the ravine were too steep and rocky to admit of a retreat up them, and
their only hope of escape lay in cutting down those two companies and
passing [55] out at the head of the ravine. A dreadful slaughter was
the consequence. Opposed in close fight, and with no prospect of
security, but by joining the main army in the bottom, the companies of
Grant and Lewis literally cut their way through to the mouth of the
ravine. Many of Lewis's men were killed and wounded, and not more than
half of Grant's lived to reach the river bank. Almost the only loss
the enemy sustained was in this conflict.

The unfortunate result of the campaign of 1755, gave to the French a
complete ascendency over the Indians on the Ohio. In consequence of
this there was a general distress on the frontier settlements of
Virginia. The incursions of the Indians became more frequent and were
extended so far, that apprehensions existed of an irruption into the
country east of the Blue ridge.[9] This state of things continued
until the capture of Fort du Quesne in 1758, by Gen. Forbes.

In the regiment commanded by Washington in the army of 1758, Andrew
Lewis was a Major. With this gentleman, Gen. Washington had become
acquainted during the campaign of 1754, and had formed of him, as a
military man, the highest expectations; his conduct at the defeat of
Major Grant, realized those expectations, and acquired for him a
reputation for prudence and courage which he sustained unimpaired,
during a long life of public service.[10]

Gen. Lewis was in person upwards of six feet high, finely proportioned,
of uncommon strength and great activity. His countenance was stern and
rather forbidding--his deportment distant and reserved; this rendered
his person more awful than engaging. When he was at Fort St