Posted by Victoria on January 14, 1999 at 13:09:09:
In Reply to: Re: The Grey Hair posted by Victoria on January 14, 1999 at 12:45:21:
To show that history is even more dramatic than fiction,
while Ft. Wm. Henry was under attack, Johnson
confronted Webb at Ft. Edward. Backed by a cohort of
Mohawk warriors he orchestrated a scene so dramatic as
to impress the hard bitten French veteran Bougainville
who ascribed Homeric proportions to it. Standing before
the caviling Webb he demanded, "Will you not go?"
Webb declined and the choleric Johnson tore off an article
of clothing and threw it down contemptuously in front of
Webb, his actions echoed by the Mohawk warriors who also
threw down items of clothing. Webb was asked repeatedly
the same question, and continued to reply that he would
not relieve the fort. Johnson tore off more clothing and he
and his warriors flung them on the pile. Webb never gave
in, and according to Eckert, once divested of all his clothing,
Johnson spat on Webb’s desk as a final demonstration of his
manly disdain, then turned and left. Of course Eckert often
errs in the direction of the dramatic. For a discussion of
how edited history is and more innuendo and gossip see
Flexner’s bio.
It is a shame that both Cooper and Mann left this scene out.
So who do you think was the real Grey Hair?
Victoria