X. "THE DUTCHE ADVERTISEMENT" AND THE

FRONTIER FORTS

1754-1756

COMMENT. Franklin's account of Braddock's ill-fated expedition is pretty nearly confined to his own part in furnishing horses and wagons and in forwarding supplies. Historically, it is supplementary to the more familiar story of the military expedition. Braddock took his route through Virginia and Maryland along the course of the Potomac River to Fort Cumberland, the place of rendevouz -a route that had been urged by Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia and by members of the newly formed Ohio Company who wished thus to develop the Virginia route to the Ohio Valley. Few roads had been made in this territory, and such as existed became impassable in rainy seasons; the colonists, living on large plantations, used water routes entirely in trading and traveling. Braddock's troops could follow the course of the river only to Fort Cumberland, and beyond that point no roads led through the difficult and hilly country in the direction they must go. The folly of taking this route might have been apparent to the general. In Pennsylvania, on the contrary, roads led out from Philadelphia in every direction, connecting settlement with settlement. The Dutch farmers had brought with them wagons, a knowledge of road-making, and saw-mills; hence the settlers, pushing westward, built roads and bridged streams wherever they went. Braddock might have learned of these roads from Evans' map of the middle colonies made at about this time, which he possessed, and from traders and provincials who were familiar with the country. The expedition must, indeed, have failed had it not been for Franklin's device to secure the wagons, and even that would have been ineffective if he had

not personally given a pledge that the farmers should be repaid for losses. Poor Richard they all knew, but experience had made the colonists suspicious of the promises of English officials. In the outcome, it would seem that Franklin narrowly escaped bankruptcy; for the general who had promised to recoup him was killed, and it is difficult to collect pay from a distant government for horses that have been lost. This threatened disaster, however, was averted by Braddock's successor, General Shirley, with whom Franklin had formed a friendship on the occasion of the Albany convention and later in Boston. Shirley was shrewd enough to understand the importance of securing the coöperation of the most influential citizen of Pennsylvania and of his paper. He was also dependent on Franklin's aid in arranging special mail service for expedi tions.

In the military expedition to build forts on the Delaware which Franklin himself commanded, we see him acting in a new capacity, but he is still the shrewd, practical, self-made man, with his scientific habit of careful attention to details. He built forts and managed his men without displaying the least interest in military affairs as such.

These military affairs, though relatively unimportant in Franklin's career, are given much space in the Autobiography because of their importance in colonial history. It pleased the old man who had recently signed the famous treaty of peace to remember the beginnings of his own part in public affairs.

D.

Franklin's Outline. My commission to defend the frontier counties. Raise Men and build Forts. Militia Law of my drawing. Made Colonel. Parade of my Officers. Offence to Proprietor. Assistance to Boston Ambassadors. Journey with Shirley, &c. Meet with Braddock. Assistance to him. To the Officers of his Army. Furnish him with Forage. His concessions to me and character of

me.

War being in a manner commenced with France, the government of Massachusetts Bay projected an attack upon Crown Point, and sent Mr. Quincy to Pennsylvania, and Mr. Pownall, afterward Governor Pownall, to New York, to solicit assistance. As I was in the Assembly, knew its temper, and was Mr. Quincy's countryman, he applied to me for my influence and assistance. I dictated his address to them, which was well received. They voted an aid of ten thousand pounds, to be laid out in provisions. But the governor refusing his assent to their bill (which included this with other sums granted for the use of the crown), unless a clause were inserted exempting the proprietary estate from bearing any part of the tax that would be necessary, the Assembly, though very desirous of making their grant to New England effectual, were at a loss how to accomplish it. Mr. Quincy labored hard with the governor to obtain his assent, but he was obstinate.

I then suggested a method of doing the business without the governor, by orders on the trustees of the Loan Office, which, by law, the Assembly had the right of drawing. There was, indeed, little or no money at that time in the office, and therefore I proposed that the orders should be payable in a year, and to bear an interest of five per cent. With these orders I supposed the provisions might easily be purchased. The Assembly, with very little hesitation, adopted the proposal. The orders were immediately printed, and I was one of the committee directed to sign and dispose of them. The fund for paying them was the interest of all the paper currency then extant in the province upon loan, together

with the revenue arising from the excise, which being known to be more than sufficient, they obtained instant credit, and were not only received in payment for the provisions, but many moneyed people, who had cash. lying by them, vested it in those orders, which they found advantageous, as they bore interest while upon hand, and might on any occasion be used as money, so that they were eagerly all bought up, and in a few weeks none of them were to be seen. Thus this important affair was by my means completed. Mr. Quincy returned thanks to the Assembly in a handsome memorial, went home highly pleased with the success of his embassy, and ever after bore for me the most cordial and affectionate friendship.

The British government, not choosing to permit the union of the colonies as proposed at Albany, and to trust that union with their defence, lest they should thereby grow too military and feel their own strength, suspicions and jealousies at this time being entertained of them, sent over General Braddock with two regiments of regular English troops for that purpose. He landed at Alexandria,1 in Virginia, and thence marched to Fredericktown, in Maryland, where he halted for carriages. Our Assembly apprehending, from some information, that he had conceived violent prejudices against them, as averse to the service, wished me to wait upon him, not as from them, but as postmaster-general, under the guise of proposing to settle with him the mode of conducting with most celerity and certainty the despatches between him and the governors of the several provinces, with whom

1 Braddock himself had landed at Hampton in Virginia, in February; in April, he went to the camp at Alexandria where, as commander-in-chief for the Colonies, he had summoned a council of governors from all the Provinces to meet him.

he must necessarily have continual correspondence, and of which they proposed to pay the expense. My son accompanied me on this journey.

We found the general at Fredericktown, waiting impatiently for the return of those he had sent through the back parts of Maryland and Virginia to collect wagons. I stayed with him several days, dined with him daily, and had full opportunity of removing all his prejudices, by the information of what the Assembly had before his arrival actually done, and were still willing to do, to facilitate his operations. When I was about to depart, the returns of wagons to be obtained were brought in, by which it appeared that they amounted only to twenty-five, and not all of those were in serviceable condition. The general and all the officers were surprised, declared the expedition was then at an end, being impossible, and exclaimed against the ministers for ignorantly landing them in a country destitute of the means of conveying their stores, baggage, etc., not less than one hundred and fifty wagons being necessary.

I happened to say I thought it was a pity they had not been landed rather in Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his wagon. The general eagerly laid hold of my words, and said, "Then you, sir, who are a man of interest there, can probably procure them for us; and I beg you will undertake it." I asked what terms were to be offered the owners of the wagons; and I was desired to put on paper the terms that appeared to me necessary. This I did, and they were agreed to, and a commission and instructions accordingly prepared immediately. What those terms were will appear in the