Extract of a letter from Will's Creek, July 10, 1755

From The Public Advertiser. August 27, 1755. [reprinted in Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Vol. XXIII. No. 3. (1899). 314-315.]

August 27, 1755. The Public Advertiser. [A British Newspaper]

Extract of a letter from Willās Creek, July 10, 1755.

Dear Sir, I send you the following melancholy account.

On the 6th of July, General Braddock near Frazer settlement, six miles to the south of Fort du Quesne on the Monogahela river, came up with the French army of 1500 regulars and 600 irregulars drawn out of their lines, they having made choice of a very advantageous ground and intrenched in a masterly manner; General Braddock with Sir Peter Halketās regiment of 700 and Col. Dunbarās of 700, with 1200 Virginians, Mary-landers and Carolinians, and 100 Indians, advanced against them.

Before our men could get within musket shot of the French, the Indians in ambuscade surprised our army by firing singly at the General and other particular Officers, and as soon as Colonels Gage and Burton had begun the attack, which was very fierce, the Indians immediately gave the war-hoop, and rising from the thickets, discovered themselves, when the advanced guard being between three fires gave way, and was rallied by their officers, gave one fire, and then retreated in the greatest confusion imaginable, till they had thrown Dunbarās regiment into disorder, their officers with a great deal of trouble, after having run several times through, rallied them a second time, when they stood a fire from the French, and without returning it retired in great disorder with Dunbarās regiment, and left their officers a sacrifice to the enemy, and out of sixty of them but five escaped, being either killed or wounded. The Virginians Etc, engaged afterwards closely for three hours, but were obliged to retire. General Braddock after having five horses shot under him, was wounded in the lungs, and died on the fourth day after the battle at Willās Creek. Among the slain are reckoned Sir Peter Halket and his two sons, Capt. Morris, Capt. Cholmondley, Secretary Shirley, in all about 14 officers, and near 600 men missing; amongst the wounded are Colonel Gage and Burton mortally wounded; Col. Sinclair, and Capt. Orme. The General declarād that never did officers behave better, nor private men worse, this being the second time of their sacrificing their officers, being the same regiment that deserted Sir Peter at the battle of Preston-pans under Sir John Cope. Our army lost all its baggage, provisions, &c. and had these two regiments stood the ground, it would very probably have put an end to the contest in America.