THE STRUGGLE FOR SUPREMACY. CHAPTER VIII. A Youth and His Mission. The inter-colonial wars were but forerunners of a struggle that was inevitable. When the claims of France, Spain, and England to territory in the New World were established, a general ignorance prevailed concerning the interior and extent of the American continent. Subsequent explorations brought a more extended knowledge. It was soon evident that these claims conflicted. Colonial jealousy and territorial disputes were thus engendered. The claims of France to the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers conflicted with several grants made by England to her colonies, of territory extending from ocean to ocean. As the eastern portion of Virginia became populated, the settlement of her territory west of the Alleghanies came to be considered. The period following King George's War was one of great activity. The OHIO COMPANY, consisting of Virginia and Maryland gentlemen, was organized (1748), and to this company was granted a large tract of land in the region known as the GREAT WOODS, lying between the Kanawha and Monongahela Rivers. The company immediately proceeded to develop it, and sent out surveyors preparatory to making settlements. The French, however, had already begun to occupy the region with troops. They manifested their hostility by seizing and imprisoning, in their fort at PRESQUE ISLE, on Lake Erie, three English traders. GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE, of Virginia, determined to send a formal protest against French intrusion upon Virginia territory, and he selected for the mission MAJOR GEORGE WASHINGTON, a young man, destined to leave an indelible impress on his country's history. Though Washington was then but twenty-one years of age, he had already become distinguished for those qualities of courage, ability, and judgment that were afterwards to render him famous. Washington set out from Williamsburg, and joined by a backwoodsman, named GIST, proceeded through the unbroken wilderness to the French fort, LE BUF, on fifteen miles south of Lake Erie. Here he was politely re ceived by the French com mandant. Din widdie's mes sage was deliv ered, but the WASHINGTON AND THE FRENCH COMMANDANT. declined to withdraw. French firmly of Washington's Return. Washington returned by way VENANGO, the French fort at the mouth of French Creek. His journey was made in the dead of winter, and was marked by many dangerous incidents. While crossing a river on a rude raft, he was precipitated into its icy flood, and narrowly escaped drowning. He was shot at by an ambushed sav age, The report that Washington brought back, aroused the Virginians to activity. The Assembly immediately provided for the raising of an army, and Washington, now colonel, set off with two companies (April, 1754). Upon his journey to the French he had noted a desirable location for a fort at the junction of the Alleghany and Monongahela Rivers, and to build one he dispatched a detachment in advance. This detachment was driven off but again escaped. His horse having given out, he was compelled to perform much of the return journey on foot. He arrived at Williamsburg after eleven weeks. having been gone by the French, who completed the fort and called it Du QUESNE. Washington, informed of the proximity of the French by HALF-KING, a friendly Indian, threw up entrenchments, and advancing, surprised a force under JUMONVILLE, killed their leader, and took nearly all prisoners. Learning that reinforcements were approaching from Fort Du Quesne, he fell back to his entrenchments, which he strengthened and called Fort Necessity. Franklin's Plan of Union. The British government saw the necessity of concerted action on the part of the English colonies in the approaching struggle, and recommended a union for common defence. Delegates met at Albany, N. Y. (1754), entered into a league with the Iroquois Indians, and considered a plan of union, drawn up by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, one of America's greatest thinkers. The plan was favored by all the delegates except those from Connecticut; but, when submitted to the king and to the various colonial assemblies for ratification, it was rejected by both and, curiously enough, for the same reason. The plan provided for the organization of a general government over all the colonies, consisting of a PRESIDENT-GENERAL, appointed by the crown, and a GRAND COUNCIL, chosen by the Colonial Assemblies. King and colonists each thought the other would have too much power should the centralization of authority as proposed go into effect. Thus early did England behold a danger in the united action of her dependencies, and the colonists evince a reluctance to delegate governmental power to authorities without the borders of each respective colony. The French soon appeared with a superior force before Fort Necessity, and, his ammunition having given out, Washington decided to accept the honorable terms of surrender offered him. The Virginians were permitted to withdraw with all their effects, and, unmolested, they marched back to Virginia. QUESTIONS. Of what were the intercolonial wars forerunners? What do you know of the conflicting claims of the French and English? What was the Ohio Company? What grant was made to it? Why did Dinwiddie dispatch a messenger to the French? Who was this messenger? Who accompanied him? How was he received? What was the result of his mission? What do you know of his return journey? What effect had the report brought back by Washington upon the Virginians? Name four French forts in the disputed territory. Who was sent out against the French? Tell what you know of Washington's campaign? What do you know of Franklin's plan of union? To whom was it unsatisfactory? Why? CHAPTER IX. The Old French War. Thus far, the contest had been between Virginia and the invaders of the Ohio territory but it was soon seen that general war was about to ensue. The mother countries rallied to the support of their respective colonies. SIR EDWARD BRAD Expulsion of Acadians. When Acadie was added to the English possessions in America, the Acadians were permitted to remain. They were a quiet, frugal, industrious people, and their settlements had greatly increased. They had persistently declined to take the oath of allegiance to England, and in the war now pend-, ing claimed neutrality. Their sympathies, however, were with their | countrymen, and when this sympathy took the form of occasional aid and encouragement it became a matter of offence to the English. COLONEL MONCKTON with three thousand troops from Boston took possession of the Acadian forts about the Bay of Fundy, and upon pretense that the neutrality of the Acadians was false, that some of them had acted treacherously, and that to drive them into Canada would only strengthen the enemy, it was determined to remove them from the territory and distribute them among the English colonies. The removal of a part of them was accomplished in a manner unduly harsh, families being separated, and villages and farm buildings burned. More than three thousand were torn from their homes, forced on board British vessels, and carried away. Many escaped to the wilderness and were sheltered by the Indians. At one point, under BOISHEBERT, a gallant and effective resistance was made. Of those carried off many reached the French settlements on the lower Mississippi and remained permanently. Some few in time made their way back to their old homes. DOCK, with two regiments, was sent to Virginia (January, 1755) to take charge of military operations as commander-in-chief, and the war, known as the FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, formally opened. The governors of five colonies. met in council, and three distinct campaigns were planned. One of these was against FORT NIAGARA, another against CROWN POINT and the third against FORT DU QUESNE. The expedition against Fort Du Quesne ended in disastrous failure. The one against the French fort at the mouth of the Niagara River was abandoned as soon as GENERAL SHIRLEY, the leader of the expedition, heard of the Du Quesne failure. The expedition against Crown Point met with better success. When the French learned of the contemplated advance upon this point, BARON DIESKAU, a brave German officer in the service of France, hastened to its defense. The English forces consisted of illequipped and inexperienced men from New York and New England. They were led by SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON, a man whose great influence with Indians caused a number of Mohawks, under their chief, HENDRICK, to join the expedition. The opposing forces met at the head of LAKE GEORGE. An advance party of the English, under COLONEL WILL Braddock's Defeat. The expedition against Fort Du Quesne was undertaken by the commander-in-chief in person. The selection of Braddock was a most unfortunate one, possessed as he was of inordinate vanity, stubbornness and over-confidence in his own prowess and that of his British troops. His campaign preparations were very elaborate, and were based upon the most approved of European military usages. No arguments could convince him of the futility of regular military tactics against a foe that lurked in ambush and fought scattered behind trees and rocks. The advance into the enemy's country was made from Fort Cumberland, Maryland, with drums beating, BRADDOCK AND CAPTAIN JACK. IAMS, was defeated, and, following up his advantage, the victorious Dieskau attacked the main body. Early in the engagement that ensued Johnson was wounded and the command fell to GENERAL LYMAN. The French were defeated, and Dieskau, severely wounded, flags flying, perfect alignments and beautiful display. Progress was slow, for the roads had to be built so that the imposing array could pass on unbroken. Washington, with about one thousand colonial troops from Virginia, Maryland and New York, had joined the expedition. He was serving as aide-de-camp to the general. Little heeded were the cautions that past experience caused him to tender, A celebrated woodsman, named CAPTAIN JACK, offering to lead the advance with his rangers, so as to guard against surprise, met with a haughty refusal from the English general. Precautions were for inexperienced colonial troops, but British regulars were invincible. The result was as might have been anticipated. The movements of the English were watched all along by Indian scouts, and their progress reported to DE CONTRECŒUR, the |