Washington returned to the camp at the Great Meadows; and, expecting soon to be attacked, sent for reinforcements to Colonel Fry, who was lying dangerously ill at Wills Creek.  Then he set his men to work at an entrenchment, which he named Fort Necessity, and which must have been of the slightest, as they finished it within three days.[153] The Half-King now joined him, along with the female potentate known as Queen Alequippa, and some thirty Indian families.  A few days after, Gist came from Wills Creek with news that Fry was dead.  Washington succeeded to the command of the regiment, the remaining three companies of which presently appeared and joined their comrades, raising the whole number to three hundred.  Next arrived the independent company from South Carolina; and the Great Meadows became an animated scene, with the wigwams of the Indians, the camp-sheds of the rough Virginians, the cattle grazing on the tall grass or drinking at the lazy brook that traversed it; the surrounding heights and forests; and over all, four miles away the lofty green ridge of Laurel Hill.

[Footnote 153:  Journal of Washington in Precis des Faits.]

The presence of the company of regulars was a doubtful advantage.  Captain Mackay, its commander, holding his commission from the King, thought himself above any officer commissioned by the Governor.  There was great courtesy between him and Washington; but Mackay would take no orders, nor even the countersign, from the colonel of volunteers.  Nor would his men work, except for an additional shilling a day.  To give this was impossible, both from want of money, and from the discontent it would have bred in the Virginians, who worked for nothing besides their daily pay of eightpence.  Washington, already a leader of men, possessed himself in a patience extremely difficult to his passionate temper; but the position was untenable, and the presence of the military drones demoralized his soldiers.  Therefore, leaving Mackay at the Meadows, he advanced towards Gist’s settlement, cutting a wagon road as he went.

On reaching the settlement the camp was formed and an entrenchment thrown up.  Deserters had brought news that strong reinforcements were expected at Fort Duquesne, and friendly Indians repeatedly warned Washington that he would soon be attacked by overwhelming numbers.  Forty Indians from the Ohio came to the camp, and several days were spent in councils with them; but they proved for the most part to be spies of the French.  The Half-King stood fast by the English, and sent out three of his young warriors as scouts.  Reports of attack thickened.  Mackay and his men were sent for, and they arrived on the twenty-eighth of June.  A council of war was held at Gist’s house; and as the camp was commanded by neighboring heights, it was resolved to fall back.  The horses were so few that the Virginians had to carry much of the baggage on their backs, and drag nine swivels