Page:Historic highways of America (Volume 4).djvu/190

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186
BRADDOCK'S ROAD

"Here it may be well enough to clear up an obscurity which enters into many narratives of these early events, from confusing the names of the Little Meadows and Great Meadows, Little Crossings and Great Crossings, which are all distinct localities.

"The Little Meadows have been described as at the foot of Meadow Moutain; it is well to note that the Great Meadows are about thirty-one miles further west, and near the east foot of Laurel Hill.

"By the Little Crossings is meant the Ford of Casselman's River, a tributary of the Youghiogheny; and by the Great Crossings, the passage of the Youghiogheny itself. The Little Crossing is two miles west of the Little Meadows, and the Great Crossing seventeen miles further west.

"The conclusion of the council was to push on with a picked force of 1200 men and 12 pieces of cannon; and the line of march, now more compact was resumed on the 19th. Passing over ground to the south of the Little Crossings, and of the village of Grantsville, which it skirted, the army spent the night of the 21st at the Bear Camp, a locality I have not been able