The Life of John Marshall, Volume 1: Frontiersman, soldier, lawmaker, 1755-1788. Albert J. Beveridge

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of the Constitution of the United States.

      Beard: Econ. O. J. D. See Beard, Charles A. Economic Origins of Jeffersonian Democracy.

      Bruce: Econ. See Bruce, Philip Alexander. Economic History of Virginia in the Seventeeth Century.

      Bruce: Inst. See Bruce, Philip Alexander. Institutional History of Virginia in the Seventeeth Century.

      Cor. Rev.: Sparks. See Sparks, Jared. Correspondence of the Revolution.

      Eckenrode: R. V. See Eckenrode, H. J. The Revolution in Virginia.

      Eckenrode: S. of C. and S. See Eckenrode, H. J. Separation of Church and State in Virginia.

      Jefferson's Writings: Washington. See Jefferson, Thomas. Writings. Edited by H. A. Washington.

      Monroe's Writings: Hamilton. See Monroe, James. Writings. Edited by Stanislaus Murray Hamilton.

      Old Family Letters. See Adams, John. Old Family Letters. Edited by Alexander Biddle.

      Wertenbaker: P. and P. See Wertenbaker, Thomas J. Patrician and Plebeian in Virginia; or the Origin and Development of the Social Classes of the Old Dominion.

      Wertenbaker: V. U. S. See Wertenbaker, Thomas J. Virginia Under the Stuarts, 1607-1688.

      Works: Adams. See Adams, John. Works. Edited by Charles Francis Adams.

      Works: Ford. See Jefferson, Thomas. Works. Federal Edition. Edited by Paul Leicester Ford.

      Works: Hamilton. See Hamilton, Alexander. Works. Edited by John C. Hamilton.

      Works: Lodge. See Hamilton, Alexander. Works. Federal Edition. Edited by Henry Cabot Lodge.

      Writings: Conway. See Paine, Thomas. Writings. Edited by Moncure Daniel Conway.

      Writings: Ford. See Washington, George. Writings. Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford.

      Writings: Hunt. See Madison, James. Writings. Edited by Gaillard Hunt.

      Writings: Smyth. See Franklin, Benjamin. Writings. Edited by Albert Henry Smyth.

      Writings: Sparks. See Washington, George. Writings. Edited by Jared Sparks.

      CHAPTER I

      ANCESTRY AND ENVIRONMENT

      Often do the spirits of great events stride on before the events and in to-day already walks to-morrow. (Schiller.)

      I was born an American; I will live an American; I shall die an American. (Webster.)

      "The British are beaten! The British are beaten!" From cabin to cabin, from settlement to settlement crept, through the slow distances, this report of terror. The astounding news that Braddock was defeated finally reached the big plantations on the tidewater, and then spread dismay and astonishment throughout the colonies.

      The painted warriors and the uniformed soldiers of the French-Indian alliance had been growing bolder and bolder, their ravages ever more daring and bloody.1 Already the fear of them had checked the thin wave of pioneer advance; and it seemed to the settlers that their hereditary enemies from across the water might succeed in confining British dominion in America to the narrow strip between the ocean and the mountains. For the royal colonial authorities had not been able to cope with their foes.2

      But there was always the reserve power of Great Britain to defend her possessions. If only the home Government would send an army of British veterans, the colonists felt that, as a matter of course, the French and Indians would be routed, the immigrants made safe, and the way cleared for their ever-swelling thousands to take up and people the lands beyond the Alleghanies.

      So when at last, in 1755, the redoubtable Braddock and his red-coated regiments landed in Virginia, they were hailed as deliverers. There would be an end, everybody said, to the reign of terror which the atrocities of the French and Indians had created all along the border. For were not the British grenadiers invincible? Was not Edward Braddock an experienced commander, whose bravery was the toast of his fellow officers?3 So the colonists had been told, and so they believed.

      They forgave the rudeness of their British champions; and Braddock marched away into the wilderness carrying with him the unquestioning confidence of the people.4 It was hardly thought necessary for any Virginia fighting men to accompany him; and that haughty, passionate young Virginia soldier, George Washington (then only twenty-three years of age, but already the chief military figure of the Old Dominion), and his Virginia rangers were invited to accompany Braddock more because they knew the country better than for any real aid in battle that was expected of them. "I have been importuned," testifies Washington, "to make this campaign by General Braddock, … conceiving … that the … knowledge I have … of the country, Indians, &c. … might be useful to him."5

      So through the ancient and unbroken forests Braddock made his slow and painful way.6 Weeks passed; then months.7 But there was no impatience, because everybody knew what would happen when his scarlet columns should finally meet and throw themselves upon the enemy. Yet this meeting, when it came, proved to be one of the lesser tragedies of history, and had a deep and fateful effect upon American public opinion and upon the life and future of the American people.8

      Time has not dulled the vivid picture of that disaster. The golden sunshine of that July day; the pleasant murmur of the waters of the Monongahela; the silent and somber forests; the steady tramp, tramp of the British to the inspiriting music of their regimental bands playing the martial airs of England; the bright uniforms of the advancing columns giving to the background of stream and forest a touch of splendor; and then the ambush and surprise; the war-whoops of savage foes that could not be seen; the hail of invisible death, no pellet of which went astray; the pathetic volleys which the doomed British troops fired at hidden antagonists; the panic; the rout; the pursuit; the slaughter; the crushing, humiliating defeat!9

      Most of the British officers were killed or wounded as they vainly tried to halt the stampede.10 Braddock himself received a mortal hurt.11 Raging with battle lust, furious at what he felt was the stupidity and cowardice of the British regulars,12 the youthful Washington rode among the fear-frenzied Englishmen, striving to save the day. Two horses were shot under him. Four bullets rent his uniform.13 But, crazed with fright, the Royal soldiers were beyond human control.

      Only the Virginia rangers kept their heads and their courage. Obeying the shouted orders of their young commander, they threw themselves between the terror-stricken British and the savage victors; and, fighting behind trees and rocks, were an ever-moving rampart of fire that saved the flying remnants of the English troops. But for Washington and his rangers, Braddock's whole force would have been annihilated.14 Colonel Dunbar and his fifteen hundred British regulars, who had been left a short distance behind as a reserve, made off to Philadelphia as fast as their panic-winged feet could carry them.15

      So everywhere went up the cry, "The British are beaten!" At first rumor had it that the whole force was destroyed, and that Washington had been killed in action.16 But soon another word followed hard upon this error – the word that the boyish Virginia captain and his rangers had fought with coolness, skill, and courage; that they alone had prevented the extinction of the British regulars; that they alone had come out of the conflict

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