The library

I spent a pleasent afternoon in the local library reading up on my Washington...sadly (although, I may add, not surprisingly) the library didn't have Bulletproof on its computers. As it is relatively inexpenive I've ordered a copy.

My readings of Washington today mainly confirm my gut reaction. The battle referred to was a complete debacle, but at least one one author places much of the blame on Washington himself. Indeed, Washington states in his diary that General Braddock split his forces on Washington's counsel....so the disaster that the Almighty spared him from was in some ways of Washington's making. (source: George Washington: A Life by Willard Randall, Henry Holt & Co. New York, 1997 pp 189)

I read through two expurgated versions of Washington's diaries and he makes no mention of the incident of meeting an Indian Chief that I've been able to find although he does mention the four bullet holes in his coat...although I don't think there's any independent verification, I'm prepared to cede that point. Washington mentions in a letter to his mother having two horses shot out from underneath him, and other reports say that General Braddock had six horses shot out from underneath him.

Between the diaries and half a dozen biographies I could find no mention of the alleged incident.

In my internet search I've found a lot of different versions that are out there, but more or less the same. Not surprisingly the casualty rates enumerated vary wildly, frmo Washington being the only surviving officer to being one of only five uninjured officers...in this case I can't blame them too much for the inconsistancy as the historical record is remarkably spotty.

The different versions on the internet also contain a wide variety of innaccuracies. In many the Indian chief says that "I am a chief and ruler over my tribes. My influence extends to the waters of the great lakes and to the far blue mountains." I suppose he could have been exaggerating, but again, I can find no record of any chief of that magnitude being at the battle. Also, one internet cite said that Washington sent the letter saying he had four bullet holes to his brother...since Lawrence died three years before the battle, we can assume that his brother's reaction was rather mild. Additionally, and this is a pet peeve of mine, the Indian Chief keeps referring to "lowering their rifles". Rifles were rarely used in the era.

Okay, that's about that until I get the book, but unless something crops up I'd say there's a stake in the heart of this one. There are just too many things that are typical of a UL here. It's based on some facts that are easily verifiable, but the meat of the matter is strangely devoid of documentation. Tellingly, many websites tell us that this story was routinely told to schoolboys 80 years ago, but has been dropped, one is left to assume, by the godless educators. While I'm not prepared to wholly discount it based on that, I sure would like to find a shred of evidence other than a religious tract.