The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

100 LIFE OF WASHINGTON. [1758.
frequent scouting in them, my men are at least as well
acquainted with all the passes and difficulties, as any
troops that will be employed." The request was now
complied with. He received General Forbes's orders
to march with his regiment; and at Loyal Hanna
he was placed at the head of a division, or brigade,
amounting to one thousand men, who were to move
in front of the main army, and to act as pioneers in
clearing the road, keeping out scouts and patrolling
guards to prevent a surprise, and throwing up intrenchments at proper stations as a security to the
deposits of provisions. While in this command, he
had the temporary rank of brigadier.
The month of November had set in, before General
Forbes, with the artillery and main body of the army,
arrived at Loyal Hanna. The road was extremely bad,
and difficulties without number interposed at every
step to cause delays, discouragement, and suffering.
The season of frost had come, and the summits of the
hills were whitened with snow. It was no wonder that
the spirits of the soldiers should flag, scantily clothed
and fed, as they were, and encountering hardships
from want, exposure, and incessant labor. More than
fifty miles, through pathless and rugged wilds, still
intervened between the army and Fort Duquesne. A
council of war was held, and it was decided to be unadvisable, if not impracticable, to prosecute the campaign any further till the next season, and that a winter
encampment among the mountains, or a retreat to the
frontier settlements, was the only alternative that remained. Thus far all the anticipations of Washington
had been realized.
A mere accident, however, which happened just at
this crisis, turned the scale of fortune, and brought
hope out of despair. Three prisoners were taken, who