As another has said, "Not the shabby, discouraging, inglorious war of men without hats and shoes, kettles and bayonets, but the military array of a young officer's brightest dreams: a host in gallant uniforms, with nodding plumes, the clang of inspiring music, and the dazzling splendor of banners flaunting in the sun. Victory was a thing of course. The want of proper equipment had occasioned defeat and mortification. The presence of everything that a soldier's heart could wish or his fancy devise was sure to bring triumph that would extinguish all memory of former failure." General Braddock was an experienced officer, but he knew nothing of Indian warfare. Evidently he regarded the French as his chief antagonists, and supposed that an easy victory could be won. His conversation with Benjamin Franklin, who visited him, as postmaster-general, to make arrangements for the transmission of the mails to and from the army, reveals much of the general's character. "Not a long campaign, I think," he remarked to Franklin. "Nevertheless a hard one," answered Franklin. "In such a country as this, campaigning is attended with serious difficulties." "But difficulties lessen before experienced officers and soldiers," responded Braddock. "Can you give me any idea of your intended progress?" inquired Franklin, for the purpose of drawing him out, and learning what were his real ideas of the country. "After taking Fort Duquesne," Braddock replied, "I am to proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season will allow, and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain me above three or four days; and then I can see nothing to obstruct my march to Niagara." "I supposed that it would require a longer time than that to reduce Fort Duquesne," said Washington. "The French have had ample time to strengthen their fortification." "That may be, but I do not apprehend much difficulty in accomplishing my object there," was the general's confident reply. "To be sure, sir," continued Franklin, "if you arrive well before Duquesne with these fine troops, so well provided with artillery, the fort, though completely fortified and assisted with a very strong garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march is from the ambuscades of the Indians, who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them; and your slender line of troops, nearly four miles long, which your army must make, may expose it to be attacked by surprise on its flanks, and to be cut like thread into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot come up in time to support one another." General Braddock smiled at what he thought was Franklin's ignorance, and answered in a self-assuring manner: "These savages may, indeed, be a formidable enemy to raw American militia; but upon the king's regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should make an impression."