George Washington's Journal Account of Trip From Fort Cumberland to Big Meadows, 1784

Last Update: Oct. 25, 2011

From the George Washington Papers Collection of the Library of Congress.

10th. 1784 Set off a little after 5 O'clock altho' the morning was very unpromissing. Finding from the rains that had fallen, and description of the Roads, part of which between the old Town this place (old Fort Cumberland)1 we had passed, that the progress of my Baggage would be tedeous, I resolved (it being Necessary) to leave it to follow; and proceed on myself to Gilbert Simpson's, to prepare for the Sale which I had advertised of my moiety of the property in co-partnership with him and to make arrangements for my trip to the Kanhawa, if the temper & disposition of the Indians should render it advisable to proceed. Accordingly, leaving Doctr. Craik, his Son, and my Nephew with it, I set out with one Servant only. Dined at a Mr. Gwins at the Fork of the Roads leading to Winchester and the old Town, distant from the latter abt. 20 Miles2 & lodged at Tumbersons at the little Meadows 15 Miles further.3 The Road from the Old Town to Fort Cumberland we found tolerably good, as it also was from the latter to Gwins, except the Mountain which was pretty long (tho' not steep) in the assent and discent;4 but from Gwins to Tumberson's it is intolerably bad--there being many steep pinches of the Mountain--deep & miry places and very stony ground to pass over. After leaving the Waters of Wills Creek which extends up the Mountain (Alligany) two or three Miles as the road goes, we fell next on those of George's Creek, which are small--after them upon Savage River which are more considerable; tho' from the present appearance of them, does not seem capable of Navigation.5

FOOTNOTES (LOC)
1 Abandoned since 1765, the fort lay in ruins. The town of Cumberland, Md., was laid out here in 1785 and was established officially by act of the General Assembly 20 Jan. 1787 (VAUGHAN, 30; LOWDERMILK, 256, 258--61). 2 Evan Gwin (Gwyn, Gwynne) ran a well-known tavern on Braddock Run about five miles west of Fort Cumberland near present-day Allegany Grove, Md. (VAUGHAN, 29; WESTERN MD., 290). 3 The Red House tavern was built at Little Meadows in the 1760s by Joseph Tomlinson (d. 1797) and was taken over eventually by his son Jesse Tomlinson (c.1753--1840). Several travelers refer to the place as "Tumblestone's" or "Tumbleston's," apparent corruptions of "Tomlinson's"; in GW's ledger entry for this date, it is called "Tumblestowns" (TOMLINSON, 69--71, 96; LEDGER B, 200). Traces of Braddock's 1755 camp at Little Meadows were still "easily discernable" as late as 1794 (WELLFORD, 10). 4 Between Fort Cumberland and Gwin's tavern the main road went over Wills (now Haystack) Mountain at Sandy Gap rather than around the mountain by the longer, leveler route which Braddock's army took through the Narrows of Wills Creek (LACOCK, 6--2). 5 THE WATERS OF WILLS GREEK' apparently Braddock Run, a tributary of that creek. West of Gwin's tavern the road followed the narrow valley of Braddock Run through the front of the Allegheny Range, passing Piney Mountain on the north and Dans Mountain on the south. About 2½ miles upstream, near present-day Clarysville, Md., the road left the run and continued west to the headwaters of George's Creek in the vicinity of present-day Frostburg, Md., and then over Big Savage Mountain to the headwaters of the Savage River, a tributary of the North Branch of Potomac. Beyond the Savage River the road crossed Little Savage Mountain, Wolf Swamp, and Meadow Mountain, at the western foot of which lay the Little Meadows (LACOCK, 12--18; TOMLINSON, 69).

11th. Set out at half after 5 oclock from Tumbersons, & in about 1½ Miles came to what is called the little crossing of Yohiogany--the road not bad.1 This is a pretty considerable water and, as it is said to have no fall in it, may, I conceive, be improved into a valuable navigation; and from every Acct. I have yet been able to obtain, communicates nearest with the No. Branch of Potomack of any other. Breakfasted at one Mounts, or Mountains,2 11 Miles from Tumberson's; the road being exceedingly bad, especially through what is called the shades of death.3 Bated at the great crossing [of the Youghiogheny], which is a large Water, distant from Mounts's 9 Miles, and a better road than between that and Tumbersons. Lodged at one Daughertys, a Mile & half short of the Great Meadows--a tolerable good House.4 The Road between the [Great] Crossing and Daughertys is, in places, tolerable good, but upon the whole indifferent--distant from the crossing 12 Miles.

OOTNOTES (LOC)
1 Little Crossing was a ford of the Little Youghiogheny (now Casselman) River about a mile east of present-day Grantsville, Md. This river flows north into Pennsylvania and then west to join the Youghiogheny at Confluence, Pa. (LACOCK, 19, n.44; VAUGHAN, 28). 2 Joseph Mountain kept a tavern on the eastern slope of Negro Mountain in Washington (now Garrett) County, Md. (WESTERN MD., 291). "Mr. Mountain," reported a traveler in November of this year, "has a Sufficiency of Liquors and Provisions but falls short in the Article of Bedding--he has but three one Occupied by himself and Wife one by the small Children and the Other by the Bar-Maid" (MATHEWS, 27). Another traveler ten years later referred to the place as "Mountain's hovel" (WELLFORD, 11). 3 Along Braddock's Road there were two Shades of Death, both areas of exceptionally dark and dense woods. The Little Shades of Death, the one most noticed by travelers, lay between Little Savage and Meadow mountains in the vicinity of Twomile Run. The Big Shades of Death, the one to which GW here refers, must have been near the confluence of Big and Little Shade Runs, about a mile west of present-day Grantsville, Md. (HULBERT [1], 195; LACOCK, 17--18). The names apparently were unrelated to the events of the Braddock expedition, being merely descriptions of the natural gloom of the areas (DIARIES, 2:288, n.2). There were also Shades of Death in northeastern and south central Pennsylvania (DONEHOO, 184; W.P.A. [6], 501). 4 James Daugherty of Fayette County, Pa. (WESTERN MD., 291).

12th. Left Daughertys about 6 Oclock, stopped a while at the Great Meadows, and viewed a tenament I have there, which appears to have been but little improved, tho capable of being turned to great advantage, as the whole of the ground called the Meadows may be reclaimed at an easy comparitive expence & is a very good stand for a Tavern. Much Hay may be cut here when the ground is laid down in Grass & the upland, East of the Meadow, is good for grain.1 Dined at Mr. Thomas Gists at the Foot of Laurel [Hill], distant from the Meadows 12 Miles, and arrived at Gilbert Simpsons about 5 oclock 12 Miles further. Crossing the Mountains, I found tedeous and fatieguing. From Fort Cumberland to Gwins took me one hour and ten Minutes riding--between Gwins & Tumbersons I was near 6 hours and used all the dispatch I could--between Tumbersons and Mounts's I was full 4 hours--between Mounts's and the [Great] crossing upwards of 3 hours--between the crossing and Daughertys 4 hours--between Daughertys and Gists 4¼ and between Gists and Simpsons upwards of 3 hours and in all parts of the Road that would admit it I endeavoured to ride my usual travelling gate of 5 Miles an hour. In passing over the Mountains, I met numbers of Persons & Pack horses going in with Ginsang;2 & for salt & other articles at the Markets below; from most of whom I made enquiries of the Nature of the Country between the little Kanhawa and ten Miles Creek (which had been represented as a short and easy portage) and to my surprize found the Accts. wch. had been given were so far from the truth that numbers with whom I conversed assured me that the distance between was very considerable--that ten Miles Ck. was not navigable even for Canoes more than a Mile from its mouth and few of them, altho I saw many who lived on different parts of this Creek would pretend to guess at the distance [to the Little Kanawha]. I also endeavoured to get the best acct. I could of the Navigation of Cheat River, & find that the line which divides the States of Virginia & Pensylvania crosses the Monongahela above the Mouth of it; wch. gives the Command thereof to Pensylvania--that where this River (Cheat) goes through the Laurel hill, the Navigation is difficult; not from shallow, or rapid water, but from an immense quantity of large Stones, which stand so thick as to render the passage even of a short Canoe impracticable--but I could meet with no person who seemed to have any accurate knowledge of the Country between the navigable, or such part as could be made so, of this River & the No. Branch of Potomack. All seem to agree however that it is rought & a good way not to be found.