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第35章

the autobiography of ben franklin(本富兰克林自传)-第35章


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was not sufficient to satisfy; and some began to sue me。 General Shirley at 

length      relieved     me     from     this    terrible    situation     by    appointing 

commissioners         to  examine      the   claims;   and    ordering     payment。     They 

amounted to near twenty thousand pound; which to pay would have ruined 

me。 

     Before we had the news of this defeat; the two Doctors Bond came to 

me with a subscription paper for raising money to defray the expense of a 

grand firework; which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoicing on receipt 

of the news of our taking Fort Duquesne。 I looked grave; and said it would; 

I thought; be time enough to prepare for the rejoicing when we knew we 

should     have    occasion    to  rejoice。   They   seem'd     surpris'd   that  I  did   not 

immediately comply with their proposal。 〃Why the dl!〃 says one of them; 

〃you surely don't suppose that the fort will not be taken?〃 〃I don't know 

that it will not be taken; but I know that the events of war are subject to 

great     uncertainty。〃     I  gave    them     the   reasons    of   my    doubting;      the 

subscription was dropt; and the projectors thereby missed the mortification 

they would have undergone if the firework had been prepared。 Dr。 Bond; 

on   some   other   occasion   afterward;   said   that   he   did   not   like   Franklin's 

forebodings。 

     Governor   Morris;   who   had   continually   worried   the   Assembly   with 

message   after   message   before the   defeat   of   Braddock; to   beat   them  into 

the making of acts to raise money for the defense of the province; without 

taxing;   among   others;   the   proprietary   estates;   and   had   rejected   all   their 

bills for not having such an exempting clause; now redoubled his attacks 

with   more   hope   of   success;   the   danger   and   necessity   being   greater。  The 

Assembly; however; continu'd firm; believing they had justice on their side; 

and   that   it   would   be   giving   up   an   essential   right   if   they   suffered   the 

governor to amend their money…bills。 In one of the last; indeed; which was 

for granting fifty thousand pounds; his propos'd amendment was only of a 

single word。 The bill expressed 〃that all estates; real and personal; were to 

be taxed; those of the proprietaries not excepted。〃 His amendment was; for 

not   read   only:   a   small;   but   very   material   alteration。   However;   when   the 

news   of   this   disaster   reached   England;   our   friends   there;   whom   we   had 

taken   care   to   furnish   with   all   the Assembly's   answers   to   the   governor's 



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messages; rais'd a clamor against the proprietaries for their meanness and 

injustice in giving their governor such instructions; some going so far as to 

say that; by obstructing the defense of their province; they forfeited their 

right to it。 They were intimidated by this; and sent orders to their receiver… 

general   to   add   five   thousand   pounds   of   their   money   to   whatever   sum 

might be given by the Assembly for such purpose。 

     This; being notified to the House; was accepted in lieu of their share of 

a general tax; and a new bill was form'd; with an exempting clause; which 

passed accordingly。 By this act I was appointed one of the commissioners 

for disposing of the   money; sixty  thousand   pounds。 I had been   active in 

modelling   the   bill   and   procuring   its   passage;  and   had;  at   the   same   time; 

drawn a bill for establishing and disciplining of a voluntary militia; which 

I carried thro' the House without much difficulty; as care was taken in it to 

leave the Quakers at their liberty。 To promote the association necessary to 

form   the   militia;   I   wrote   a   dialogue;   stating   and   answering   all   the 

objections I could think of to such a militia; which was printed; and had; 

as I thought; great effect。 

            This   dialogue    and    the  militia   act  are   in  the   〃Gentleman's 

Magazine〃 for February and March; 1756。 'Marg。 note。' 

     While the several companies in the city and country were forming and 

learning their   exercise; the   governor prevail'd with   me   to   take   charge of 

our North…western frontier; which was infested by the enemy; and provide 

for the defense of the inhabitants by raising troops and building a line of 

forts。   I   undertook   this   military   business;   tho'   I   did   not   conceive   myself 

well qualified   for   it。  He   gave   me   a   commission   with   full   powers;   and   a 

parcel of blank commissions for officers; to be given to whom I thought fit。 

I   had   but   little   difficulty   in   raising   men;   having   soon   five   hundred   and 

sixty under my command。 My son; who had in the preceding war been an 

officer   in   the   army   rais'd   against   Canada;   was   my   aid…de…camp;   and   of 

great use to me。 The Indians had burned Gnadenhut; a village settled by 

the Moravians; and massacred the inhabitants; but the place was thought a 

good situation for one of the forts。 

     In order to march thither; I assembled the companies at Bethlehem; the 

chief establishment of those people。 I was surprised to find it in so good a 



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posture     of   defense;     the   destruction     of  Gnadenhut       had    made     them 

apprehend danger。 The principal buildings were defended by a stockade; 

they had purchased a quantity of arms and ammunition from New York; 

and     had   even    plac'd   quantities    of  small    paving    stones    between     the 

windows of their high stone houses; for their women to throw down upon 

the heads of any Indians that should attempt to force into them。 The armed 

brethren; too; kept watch; and reliev'd as methodically as in any garrison 

town。 In conversation with the bishop; Spangenberg; I mention'd this my 

surprise; for; knowing they had obtained an act of Parliament exempting 

them     from    military   duties   in  the   colonies;    I  had  suppos'd     they   were 

conscientiously  scrupulous   of   bearing   arms。   He   answer'd   me   that   it   was 

not    one   of  their  established     principles;    but  that;  at  the   time   of  their 

obtaining   that   act;   it   was   thought   to   be   a   principle   with   many   of   their 

people。 On this occasion; however; they; to their surprise; found it adopted 

by but a few。 It seems they were either deceiv'd in themselves; or deceiv'd 

the    Parliament;      but   common       sense;   aided    by    present    danger;    will 

sometimes be too strong for whimsical opinions。 

     It was the beginning of January when we set out upon this business of 

building      forts。   I  sent   one    detachment       toward     the   Minisink;     with 

instructions to erect one for the security of that upper part of the country; 

and another to the lower part; with similar instructions; and I concluded to 

go myself with the rest of my force to Gnadenhut; where a fort was tho't 

more immediately necessary。 The Moravians procur'd me five waggons for 

our tools; stores; baggage; etc。 

     Just before   we left Bethlehem;   eleven   farmers; who had   been driven 

from their plantations by the Indians; came to me requesting a supply of 

firearms;  that   they  might   go   back   and   fetch   off their   cattle。  I gave   them 

each   a   gun   with   suitable   ammunition。   We   had   not   march'd   many   miles 

before   it   began   to   rain;   and   it   continued   raining   all   day;   there   were   no 

habitations on the road to shelter us; till we arriv'd near night at the house 

of a German; where; and in his barn; we were all huddled together; as wet 

as water could make us。 It was well we were not attack'd in our march; for 

our arms were of the most ordinary sort; and our men could not keep their 

gun locks dry。 The Indians are dextrous in contrivances for that purpose; 



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which   we   had   not。   They   met   that   day   the   eleven   poor   farmers   above 

mentioned; and killed ten of them。 The one who escap'd inform'd that his 

and his companions' guns would not go off; the priming being wet with the 

rain。 

     The   next   day   being   fair;   we   continu'd   our   march;   and   arriv'd   at   the 

desolated Gnadenhut。 There   was   a saw…mill   near;  round   which   were   left 

several piles of boards; with which we soon hutted ourselves; an operation 

the more necessary at that inclement season; as we had no tents。 Our first 

work was to bury more effectually the dead we found there; who had been 

half interr'd by the country people。 

     The     next    morning      our   fort   was     plann'd    and    mark'd     out;   the 

circumference   measuring   four   hundred   and   fifty…five   feet;   which   would 

require as many palisades to be made of trees; one with another; of a foot 

diameter each。 Our axes; of which we had seventy; were immediately set 

to work to cut down trees; and; our men being dextrous in the use of them; 

great despatch was made。 Seeing the trees fall so fast; I had the curiosity to 

look at my watch when two men began to cut at a pine; in six minutes they 

had it upon the ground; and I found it of fourteen inches diameter。 Each 

pine made three palisades of eighteen feet long; pointed at one end。 While 

these were preparing; our other men dug a trench all round; of three feet 

deep;   in   which   the   palisades   were   to   be   planted;   and;   our   waggons;   the 

bodys being taken off; and the fore and hind wheels separated by taking 

out the pin which united the two parts of the perch; we had ten carriages; 

with two horses each; to bring the palisades from the woods to the spot。 

When   they  were   set   up;   our  carpenters   built   a  stage  of   boards   all   round 

within; about six feet high; for the men to stand on when to fire thro' the 

loopholes。   We   had   one   swivel   gun;   which   we   mounted   on   one   of   the 

angles; and   fir'd it as   soon as   fix'd; to   let the Indians   know; if   any  were 

within   hearing;   that   we   had   such   pieces;   and   thus   our   fort;   if   such  a 

magnificent name may be given to so miserable a stockade; was finish'd in 

a week;  though it   rain'd   so   hard   every  other   day  that the   men   could not 

work。 

     This gave me occasion to observe; that; when men are employ'd; they 

are best content'd; for on the days they worke

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