"Sam": or The history of mystery./ By C. W. Webber.

" SAM: " OR, THE HISTORY OF IMYSTERY.
The Virginia troops, on their march to the frontier,
encountered abundance of difficulties. Very little disposition
was shown to facilitate their progress. It was only by
impressment that means could be obtained to transport the
baggage and stores. By slow and toilsome steps, the troops
made their way to Will's Creek, on the Potomac, where they
were met by alarming intelligence. The French, under
Contrecceur, had descended in force from Venango, and,
having sent off Dinwiddie's soldiers, who were building a
fort at the head of the Ohio, they had themselves seized that
important spot and commenced a fort, which they called Du
Quesne, after the Governor-General.
A detachment under Washington hastily sent forward to
reconnoiter, just before reaching Redstone, at a place called
the Great Meadows, encountered a French party, which
Washington attacked by surprise, and whose commander,
Jumonville, was killed - the first blood shed in this war.
By Frye's death, the chief command devolved on Washington. He was soon joined by the rest of the troops, and,
having erected a stockade at the Great Meadows, called Fort
Necessity, pushed on toward Du Quesne. The approach of a
much superior force under 1I. de Villier, brother of Jumonville, obliged him to fall back to Fort Necessity. His troops
were fatigued, discouraged, and short of provisions; and,
after a day's fighting, he agreed to give up the fort, and
to retire with his arms and baggage. Washington did not
know French; his interpreter-, a Dutchman, was ignorant or
treacherous, and the articles of capitulation were made to
contain an express acknowledgment of the "assassination"
of Jumonville. Having retired to Will's Creek, Washington's
troops assisted in the erection of Fort Cumberland, which now
became the westernmost English post.
At the same time, with his orders to Virginia and Pennsylvania, Holderness had addressed a circular letter to all the
colonies, proposing a convention at Albany of committees
from the several colonial Assemblies, to renew the treaty
with the Six Nations, whose friendship at this crisis, was of
great importance. Agreeably to his recommendation, New
York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the four New England
colonies, appointed committees. While Washington was
operating toward the Monongahela, this convention met,
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