CHAPTER III.

Fresh Hostilities of the Indians-Attempts to Supersede Washington-Anonymous Libels-Washington wishes to Resign-Prevented by his Friends-Establishes a Line of Forts-Harassing Nature of his Duties-Attends a Convention at Philadelphia-His Sickness and Retirement to Mount Vernon-Progress of the War-Frederick the Great-Washington's first Acquaintance with Mrs. Custis-Advance of the Army to Fort Du Quesne-Washington required to cut a New Road-His Forebodings likely to prove true-Capture of the Fort-Election of Washington to the House of Burgesses-His Marriage-Life at Mount VernonCollision with a Poacher-Settles the Soldiers' Claims-Expedition to the Western Wilderness to examine the Wild Lands-Admirable Preparation for his Future Career.

WASHINGTON repaired to head-quarters at Winchester. But few troops, however, were there, the greater part being stationed in the different forts on the frontier.

The savages, emboldened by the long inaction of the whites, began to hover in dark and threatening war clouds. around the settlements. The more remote ones being abandoned, the Indians pushed forward to those beyond the Blue Ridge, and swooped down around the very head-quarters of the commander-in-chief. Scouting parties were driven in-forts boldly attacked, and officers killed. The woods seemed alive with the lurking foe-men were shot down in the field, and women and children found massacred on the floors of their own dwellings. From every direction came tales of horror and thrilling accounts of suffering and torture. Spreading terror along the whole frontier, the savages penetrated to within a few miles of Winchester, killing officers and men. With but few soldiers under his command, Washington could not be omnipresent, while it would not answer to withdraw any of the garrisons, for large numbers of the settlers were gathered in every fort. Growing bolder by success, the savages seriously threatened the forts themselves, and Washington expected every day

to hear of their fall and the massacre of all within.

With

a heart swelling with indignation and pity, he entreated the assembly to send him help. To add to his anguish, complaints continually reached him of the gross misconduct. of some of his officers, and murmurs against him began to rise in various quarters. An anonymous writer published in a newspaper all the floating and exaggerated rumors respecting the officers, and though not daring to charge the blame directly on Washington, he yet plainly hinted that a leader should be held responsible for the irregularities of his subordinates. A faction of Scotchmen had been formed, whose purpose was to get rid of the present commander-inchief, and place colonel Innies in his place. Disgusted, and, for the time, depressed, by the apathy of the government, his own fettered condition, the false accusations made by anonymous writers, and above all, by the sufferings of the inhabitants, which he had not the power to relieve, Washington wished to resign his commission. In a letter to the governor, after depicting the deplorable condition of things, he says: "I am too little acquainted, sir, with pathetic language, to attempt a description of the people's distresses, though I have a generous soul, sensible of wrongs and swelling for redress. I see their situation, know their danger, and participate in their sufferings, without having it in my power to give them further relief than uncertain promises." These things, together with the unmerited abuse heaped upon the officers, and thus, indirectly upon himself, make him regret the day he accepted his commission; while the prayers and tears of men and women, begging for that relief he cannot afford, and the increasing reports of Indian murders and cruelty, which will be laid to his charge, as commander-in-chief, fill up the cup of bitterness which he is compelled to drink, and he exclaims: "The supplicating tears of the womer, and moving petitions of the men, melt me into such deadly sorrow, that I solemnly declare, if I

know my own mind, I could offer myself a willing sacrifice to the butchering enemy, provided that would contribute to the people's ease." It was enough to move a heart of stone, to see that young man, only twenty-four years of age, burning to rescue the defenseless inhabitants, and panting for action; standing with idle hands and fettered feet, surrounded with gray-haired fathers and weeping orphans, whom the Indians had bereft of friends, his ears constantly stunned with tales of horrid murder, praying in bitterness of spirit, that he might be offered up a sacrifice, to effect that which an inefficient government will not permit him to do.

His friends in the council and assembly, were alarmed at the intimation that he wished to resign, and appealed to his patriotism and pride to dissuade him from so fatal a purpose. They declared no one believed the libels that appeared in print, and soon the author of them would be detected. A letter from Loudon, probably had more effect than any other remonstrance. The sagacious patriot told Washington that his resignation was probably the very result his libeler was after, so that he himself might take his place. He knew this would tell on the high, sensitive spirit of Washington, and he wound up with, "No sir, rather le Braddock's bed be your aim, than any thing might discolor those laurels which I promise myself are kept in store for you."

The plot being discovered, its authors were covered with disgrace, and Washington retained his command. His position, however, continued to be a most trying one. The officious governor, no content with taking care of matters at home, using his power to augment, pay, clothe and feed the army, was constantly intermeddling with its movements, perplexing and harassing Washington beyond measure with his absurd orders.

The summer and autumn [1756] were passed in building