that this man had had his whole family massacred by the Indians, and had spent years in revenging himself, sometimes alone, and sometimes with a party, for he was both esteemed and trusted on the border-lands of Pennsylvania. Both Croghan and I were much disappointed.
Amid the difficulties caused by European need of useless luxuries and by the absence in officers and men of what Mr. Franklin called "pliability in the hands of new circumstances," I was getting useful lessons and was made to see that when a commander cannot get what he wants he must make the most of what little he has. Indeed, the delay in getting waggons he could have done without was, in the end, a calamity to the general.
The army, over two thousand strong, followed routes over and through the Alleghanies which I had used in 1754, and which could easily have been bettered by free use of trained scouts and our own axe-men sent on ahead.
There was much sickness, and the regulars suffered in many ways by reason of ignorance and want of knowing how better to take care of themselves. They com-
