The making of the Ohio Valley states, 1660-1837 . s an open wood, grown up with bushesor rank grass, in which the j)ath was soon lost. All wassilent, save the drowsy hum of bees among the wildbloom, or the tapping of a stray woodpecker on some de-caying, but still stately, monarch of the forest. Thesefamiliar sounds covdd hardly prefigure, even to a soldiersears, the whizzing of bullets or the strokes of a toma-hawk. The French, at Duquesne, had been put in a prettyfright ever since they knew what force was approachingthem. Their counsels were divided. Some were forsticking by the fort, some f
The making of the Ohio Valley states, 1660-1837 . s an open wood, grown up with bushesor rank grass, in which the j)ath was soon lost. All wassilent, save the drowsy hum of bees among the wildbloom, or the tapping of a stray woodpecker on some de-caying, but still stately, monarch of the forest. Thesefamiliar sounds covdd hardly prefigure, even to a soldiersears, the whizzing of bullets or the strokes of a toma-hawk. The French, at Duquesne, had been put in a prettyfright ever since they knew what force was approachingthem. Their counsels were divided. Some were forsticking by the fort, some for leaving it, some of thebolder sort for making a sally. Among those who urgedthis course, not with any hope of victory indeed, but tostrike one good blow for it, was a dashing young soldiercalled Beaujeu, who finally prevailed upon the command- THE TRAGEDY OF FORT DUQUESNE 67 ant to let him go. Beaujeu, therefore, instantly led out amixed force of French regulars, Canadians, and savages,nine hundred in all, meaning to ambuscade the ford, and 1. BEAUJEU LEADS THE ENEMY ON. if possible stop the English there. But before he couldreach it Gage was met, drawn up across the road. Each party saw the other at the same instant. Euro- 68 THE TRAGEDY OF FORT DUQUESNE pean against savage tactics were now put to decisivetrial. Beaujeu waved liis hat for his men to run to cover,while Gage, thinking he was going to be overwhelmed bya rush, first ordered his grenadiers to fix bayonets, andthen, quickly undeceived by the bullets now coming thickand fast, to return the fire, which they did with a will. Almost at this first volley, Beaujeu fell dead, and thosenearest him were scattered in confusion, but others wereconstantly coming up to take their places, so that theenemy were soon giving Gage two shots for his one. Gages men stood this well for a time, cheering andfiring away at what they could see, or Avhenever a puff ofsmoke revealed an enemy. Above the rattle of musketrythere rose such une
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