s would be most
likely to march his army, to watch their motions and harrass them as
much as possible; determining if they could not thus force him to
abandon the idea of attacking Du Quesne during that campaign, they
would evacuate the fort and retire into Canada.

When Major Grant with his men had been ordered on to Du Quesne, the
main army had been left at Raystown, where it continued for some time;
an advance was however posted at fort Ligonier. Between this vanguard
and the detachment from Du Quesne there was a partial engagement,
which resulted in the loss of some of the Maryland troops. Fort
Ligonier was then closely watched by the French and Indians, and
several of the sentinels were killed, before the point from which the
fires were directed, was discovered; it was at length ascertained that
parties of the enemy would creep under the bank of the Loyal Hanna
till they could obtain a position from which to do execution. Some
soldiers were then stationed to guard this point, who succeeded in
killing two Indians, and in wounding and making prisoner of one
Frenchman. From him the English obtained information that the greater
part of the Indians had left Du Quesne, and that the fort was
defenceless: the army then moved forward and taking possession of its
ruins established thereon Fort Pitt.[13] The country around began
immediately to be settled, and several other forts were erected to
protect emigrants, and to keep the Indians in awe.

Previous to this an attempt had been made by David Tygart and a Mr.
Files to establish themselves on an upper branch of the Monongahela
river.[14] They had been for some time frontier's men, and were
familiar with the scenes usually exhibited on remote and unprotected
borders; and nothing daunted by the cruel murders and savage
enormities, which they had previously witnessed, were induced by some
cause, most probably the uninterrupted enjoyment of the forest in the
pursuit of game, to venture still farther into the wilderness. About
the year 1754 these two men with their families arrived on the east
fork of the Monongahela, and after examining the country, selected
positions for their future residence. Files chose a spot on the river,
at the mouth of a creek which still bears his name, where Beverly, the
county seat of Randolph has been since established. Tygart settled a
few miles farther up and also on the river. The valley in which they
had thus taken up their abode, has been sin