addock;
but by the time he had dragged his unwieldy length over two or three
mountains, and had made but a few miles in many days, it began to dawn
on his mind by slow degrees, that a campaign in an American wilderness
was a very different thing from what it was in the cultivated regions
of Europe, where nearly every meadow, field, or wood, could tell of a
Christian and civilized battle there fought, and where the fine roads
and bridges made the march of an army a mere holiday jaunt as compared
to this rough service. The difficulties that beset him seeming to
thicken around him at every step, he was at last so sorely put to it
and perplexed as to be obliged to turn to the young provincial
colonel for that advice which he, in his blind self-confidence, had
but a short while before disdained.

Too well bred to seem surprised at this unbending of the haughty old
general, although he really was not a little, Washington readily, yet
with all becoming modesty, did as he was desired, in a clear, brief,
and soldierly manner. He gave it as his opinion, that their best plan
would be to divide the army into two parts,--the smaller division,
under command of Col. Dunbar, to form the rear, and bring up the heavy
guns and baggage-wagons; the larger division, under the command of
Braddock, to form the advance, and taking with it but two pieces of
light artillery, and no more baggage than could be conveniently
carried on pack-horses, push rapidly on to Fort Duquesne, and surprise
the garrison before they could receive timely warning of their danger,
or be re-enforced by the troops from Canada, which would have arrived
ere then, had not the summer drought prevented. To some extent, this
prudent advice was followed; and, to give it the force of example,
Washington reduced his baggage to a few little necessaries that he
could easily carry in a small portmanteau strapped to his back, and
gave his fine charger to be used as a pack-horse. His brother
provincial officers, accustomed as they were to dealing with the
difficulties and inconveniences of a backwoods life, in a ready,
off-hand fashion, followed his example with the greatest willingness
and good-humor. Notwithstanding this, however, there were still two
hundred pack-horses loaded with the private baggage of the English
officers, who were unwilling, even in that hour of pressing need, to
make this little sacrifice of their present comfort to the common
good. So tender did they seem