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vainly endeavoring to check the flight of his men. At length a bullet passed through his right arm, and lodged itself in his lungs, inflicting a mortal wound.

23. The rout now became complete. Out of eighty-six officers, twenty-six had been killed, and thirty-six wounded. The rank and file lost upwards of seven hundred. The Virginia corps suffered most, one company had been almost annihilated-another had lost all its officers, even to the corporal.

24. The victorious force of the enemy consisted only of thirty Frenchmen and three or four hundred Indians, of whom seven Indians and four Frenchmen were killed.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1755-1758-FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR CONTINUEDTerror and Desolation · Plantations laid WastePanic-Expedition against Fort Duquesne--Grant's Bravado and Defeat--Gallantry of Marylanders — Abandonment of the Fort by the French.

1. A period of terror and desolation ensued— the settlements were attacked and broken up. The

Questions.-23. Describe the rout? 24. What did the victorious force consist of? 1. What is said in this section?

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outposts were driven in, and some of the smaller posts captured, and their garrisons massacred.The panic spread even to the bay shore. Many of the inhabitants from the interior fled to Baltimore. Preparations were made by the citizens of that town to embark their women and children on board of vessels, preparatory to a flight to Virginia; while some of the Virginians even believed there was no safety short of England itself.

2. As soon as the disastrous intelligence of Braddock's destruction reached Annapolis, Governor Sharpe set out for Frederick; the militia were called out, and volunteers were raised.

3. In this disastrous year, more than twenty plantations were laid waste, and their occupants massacred or carried into captivity. In November, it was reported that a body of French and Indians were within thirty miles of Baltimore, and immediately two thousand men assembled to meet their advance.

4. Even the people of Annapolis, far removed as they were from the frontiers, caught the infection, and began to fortify their town. The excitement was allayed by the return of several volunteers from the West, who reported affairs as in a better condition.

Questions.-1. How far did the panic extend? 2. Gov. Sharpe's movements? 3. What is said of the ravages of the Indians? 4. What of Annapolis?

5. Fort Cumberland being so far from the frontier, was found to afford no protection. Governor Sharpe, therefore, selected a site for a new fort, near the present town of Hancock, to be called Fort Frederick, which was ready for the reception of troops by the middle of August, 1756.

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RUINS OF FORT FREDERICK.

6. Provision having thus been made, the confidence of the people to the westward was somewhat restored. But the petty warfare of posts and defensive expeditions, while it exhausted the force. of the colony, could produce no permanent results.

7. The neighboring colonies of Virginia and Pennsylvania, at length, with that of Maryland, became convinced that the only way to protect

Questions.-5. What new site for a fort was selected? 6. What is said in this section? 7. Of what were the colonies now convinced?

ACTIVE MEASURES.

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their frontiers was by expelling the enemy from their stronghold.

8. It was hoped by the colonies that active and energetic measures would now be taken. Virginia, which was most interested, had one regiment in the field. The forces of Maryland amounted to five hundred men, aided by Indian allies, under Col. Dagworthy.

9. In September, 1758, an advanced body having proceeded about ten miles beyond Laurel Hill, Major Grant, with a body of more than eight hundred men, consisting of three hundred and thirty Highlanders, one hundred royal Americans, one hundred and seventy-six Virginians, ninety-five Maryland, one hundred and twelve Pennsylvania, and thirteen Carolina troops was detached to reconnoitre.

10. In the night, unobserved by the French, Grant took a post upon a hill about eighty rods from Fort Duquesne, and in the morning, by way of bravado, beat the reveille, and sounded the bagpipes in several places.

11. As soon as the English were discovered, the Indians sallied out from the fort, and having reached a height that overlooked Grant's position, surrounded him and commenced the attack.

Questions.-8. What forces were now in the field? 9. What is said of Grant? 10. What further? 11. What did the Indians do?

12. The Highlanders, suffering from the deadly fire, at length gave way. The Maryland troops, joined by the Carolinians, took cover in bushes and behind trees, and keeping the enemy at bay, sustained the action. The Virginians were two miles behind guarding the baggage; as soon as the action began they hastened up to the assistance of Grant, but were unable to maintain their' ground. The English were defeated with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three killed, and fortytwo wounded.

13. The Marylanders behaved with great gallantry, and, although they suffered severely, succeeded in covering the retreat of the remainder of the troops. Out of ninety-five men, their loss was twenty-three privates and one officer.

14. The main body was still toiling on its way, and did not reach the scene of the conflict until a month after the battle. It was determined to defer any attack until the next campaign. But the enemy were not so slow The troops from the fort, with the Indians, to the number of one thousand men, attacked the English on the 12th of October. After a hard fight, they were repulsed. Prather, of Maryland, was killed.

Lieut.

Questions.-12. What the Highlanders? Who kept the enemy at bay? What about the Virginians? 13. How did the Marylanders behave? 14. What about the main body? Who attacked it? Result?

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