ry to take with the army in going through such a wilderness as lay
between him and fort Du Quesne. He had sent all about the country to
procure wagons, but few could be obtained.

In the mean time the Assembly at Philadelphia made arrangements for
Franklin to go to Maryland to meet General Braddock on his way, and give
him any aid which it might be in his power to render. They were the more
inclined to do this from the fact that for some time there had been a good
deal of disagreement and contention between the colony of Pennsylvania and
the government in England, and they had heard that General Braddock was
much prejudiced against the Assembly on that account. They accordingly
dispatched Franklin as their agent, to proceed to the camp and assure
General Braddock of the desire of the Assembly to co-operate with him by
every means in their power.

Franklin found when he reached the camp, that the general was in great
trouble and perplexity for want of wagons, and he immediately undertook to
procure them for him. He accordingly took a commission from the general
for this purpose, and went at once to Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, and
there issued circulars which he sent to all the farmers in the country,
inviting them to bring their wagons to Lancaster, and offering them
advantageous terms for the hire of them. These measures were perfectly
successful. The wagons came in, in great numbers, and an abundant supply
was speedily obtained. This success was owing partly to Franklin's
sagacity in knowing exactly where to send for wagons, and what sort of
inducements to offer to the farmers to make them willing to bring them
out, and partly to the universal respect and confidence that was felt
toward him personally, which led the farmers to come forward readily at
_his_ call and on _his_ promise, when they would have been suspicious and
distrustful of any offers which Braddock could have made them through any
of the English officers under his command. A train of one hundred and
fifty wagons, and two hundred and fifty carrying horses were very soon on
their way to the camp.

Encouraged by the success of these measures, Franklin conceived of another
plan to promote the comfort and welfare of Braddock's army. He procured a
grant of money from the Assembly to be applied to purchasing stores for
the subaltern officers, who, as he had learned, were very scantily
supplied with the articles necessary for their comfort. With this money he