May 22, 2005
False Confession Started French-Indian War
The 22-year-old surveyor of Culpepper County, Virginia – who inadvertently started the French and Indian war of 1754-63 – carried a guilty conscience until given the opportunity at age 44 to serve his country in a more important military venture.
He was George Washington.
French Canada began pushing across Lake Erie into Pennsylvania and advancing claims to the Ohio River basin based on the explorations of La Salle. The river was considered an essential link between Montreal and Louisiana.
The Canadian French in 1752 built a wilderness fort on the Allegheny River a few miles north of the confluence with the Monongahela. The combined flows became the Ohio River at today’s Pittsburgh and a major tributary of the Mississippi.
SURRENDER – Col.
George Washington surrendered his militia attempting
to drive the French from Fort Pitt and signed
a document that in French language charged him with
assassination.
Illustration courtesy
Ohio Highways
Upon learning about the encroachment, through friendly Indians, Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie proposed construction of frontier courts to oppose the French.
Dinwiddie had more than a political interest in the western lands. He was an investor in the Ohio Company -- along with George Washington’s father, half-brother and many others. The land speculators had been given a grant of 200,000 acres west of the Ohio River on condition they establish a settlement of 200 colonists within seven years.
Young George was given a large section at what is now Cincinnati for surveying the tract. Upon George Washington’s death many years later, he bequeathed his Cincinnati land to his black butler. The latter’s descendants still occupy part of that land.
Britain in 1752 was experiencing tension with France over claims in the Americas. King George II was reluctant to furnish his enemy an excuse for war oversea.
He directed Gov. Dinwiddie to send an emissary to Commander LeBeouf of the French garrison on the Allegheny and request him, courteously, to withdraw from the Ohio Country.
Errant Diplomacy
Washington was recently appointed adjutant of the Culpepper Military District and had recently returned from his survey of the Ohio Country. He volunteered to confront LeBeouf.
This was a sensitive, diplomatic task for one so young. However, Washington was a tall, handsome and a “well-mannered” frontiersman with a reputation for tact. Accompanied by a guide and interpreter, he delivered the message. LeBeouf accepted it but gave no reply.
Washington reported: “I spent some time in viewing the rivers, and the land in the Fork which I think is well situated for a fort as it has absolute command of both rivers.”
Dinwiddie asked the burgesses for money to send a detachment of soldiers to the fork of the Ohio to build such a fort. They refused, considering this solely for speculators.
The Ohio Company then hired Capt. William Trent and 33 militiamen to build the fort. Trent, and his men began work on Fort Pitt. He reported that the French garrison had been decimated by disease – according to pro-American Lenni-Lenape Indians living in the area. Dinwiddie viewed this as an opportunity.
Dipping into public funds at his disposal, he appointed Col. Joshua Fry -- and George Washington as second in command -- to head a force of militiamen to complete ‘Fort Pitt.
Washington recruited 150 men and took them to Will’s Creek (Cumberland, Md.) to await Col. Fry and his detachment. Unfortunately, the 200 reinforcements arrived without Fry who had been killed by falling from his horse.
In Command
Young Washington, inexperienced in military techniques, found himself in full command. Trent arrived urging the reinforcements to come on without delay.
With the bravado of youth, Washington moved forward. On the way, Trent’s workers met the troops and said they had been driven off by French soldiers who were completing Fort Pitt renamed Fort Duquesne.
Washington arrived at the Fork on March 28, 1754, in a driving rain. Thirty French soldiers were asleep in lean-tos amidst half-completed Ft. Duquesne. Without warning, Washington led his company in a charge against the French detail.
Thirty French soldiers, including their commander, Jumonville, were killed and 12 captured. Eight escaped to carry the news to Fort LeBeouf. Seven hundred French regulars and 200 Indian allies rushed to regain the strategic position.
Washington withdrew to a “great meadows” several miles to the south. There, he hastily threw up a small split-log stockade and a cache for his ammunition.
The meadow was the poorest possible place for a defensive stand – demonstrating Washington’s lack of military experience. The place, along a large creek, was a meadow because floodwaters encouraged tall grass.
Again, heavy rains began to fall. The meadows turned to quagmire. French troops, on high ground, poured cannon fire into little Ft. Necessity.
On July 3, Washington raised a white flag to stop the slaughter of his men. The French commander offered to let the Americans return home – without their guns – if Washington would sign a “document of surrender” and give his word that Virginia would abandon fort building for a year.
The paper, written in French, actually was a confession of “assassinat” – assassination – of Jumonville. The paper was translated to Washington by his interpreter conversant with the language.
Either Washington did not understand the diplomatic significance of the choice of words, or felt he had no choice. In any case, he signed the document and led his men home.
Washington was hailed as a hero by most people. To his brother, John, he wrote, “I have heard the bullets whistle; and, believe me, there is something charming in the sound.”
John Washington sent a copy of the letter to a friend in England where it was printed. Upon reading it, King George II is reported to have remarked: “He has not heard many [whistling bullets] or he would not think them so charming.”
The Virginia burgesses -- educated men who understood French -- were critical of Washington. The incident acerbated strained relations between France and Britain in Europe. It was a major factor in the Nine- Year War there.
Retaliation
Washington’s impolitic admission of assassination launched French and Indian retaliation throughout the northern colonies. British General Edward Braddock and a company of red-coated regulars were sent to America the following year to take charge of all troops arrayed against French incursions.
Braddock immediately mounted an expedition against Fort Duquesne. He invited Washington along because of his knowledge of the route.
However, the headstrong British general ignored Washington’s advice to disperse the soldiers in several loose groups while moving through the forest where Indians mounted ambushes.
Braddock demanded wagons from the burgesses and began cutting a road through the wilderness while he supervised from a coach. Washington was promoted to colonel in charge of the Virginia contingent.
As Washington feared, the American column – in close order, bright red uniforms gleaming, fifes and drums blaring -- was ambushed 20 miles from Ft. Pitt cum Duquesne. Hundreds of colonials were killed and Braddock was mortally mounded in the “Wilderness Battle.”
When the Indians stopped to cut scalps, Washington placed Braddock on a litter and led survivors back toward Fort Cumberland.
On the agonizing retreat, Braddock murmured: “We shall know better how to deal with them another time.” He died near the ill-fated Fort Necessity.
Washington buried Gen Braddock under the road so the marching men would trample the site and prevent Indians from exhuming the body for further indignities.
Washington later wrote his mother: “The Virginia troops showed a good deal of bravery, and were near all killed. I believe that out of three companies that were there, scarce 30 men left alive. I luckily escaped without a wound -- though I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me.”
Despite early defeats, British and colonial forces rallied and began pushing the French out of both America and Canada. Col. Washington had the satisfaction in 1758 of accompanying Brig. Gen John Forbes’ expedition to retake Fort Pitt.
Despite
Col. George Washington's warning that Indians would
cut a massed army to bits, Major General Edward Braddock
hacked out a road in the wilderness and marched his
troops in a four-mile long column toward Fort Duquesne
(Pittsburgh.)
A French and Indian ambush wiped out three-fourths
of the British and American soldiers. Washington
was the only officer to escape unscathed despite
taking four bullets through his coat.
Picture courtesy of New
York Public Library
Epilogue
Workmen repairing the Cumberland Road in 1824 discovered Gen. Braddock’s bones -- identified by his insignia. They were reburied under an imposing monument along the road in today’s Ft. Necessity National Park.
After the fall of Ft. Duquesne, Washington resigned his commission and devoted his middle years to developing the Mount Vernon estate inherited from his half-brother Lawrence.
Washington never received any recognition for his early years of military service. All in all, it had been a disappointment.
Nevertheless, he had learned a valuable lesson about the value of hit-and-run tactics against traditional mass-formation armies.
This was a major factor of his victories over superior forces during the Revolution of 1776.
But that is another story.
February 21, 1993 version
False Confession Started French and Indian War
The 22-year-old surveyor of Culpeper County, Va.,- who inadvertently started the French and Indian War of 1754-63 - carried a guilty conscience until given the opportunity at age 44 to serve his country in a most important military venture.
He was George Washington.
French Canada began pushing across Lake Erie into Pennsylvania, advancing claims based on the explorations of La Salle. In 1752 it built a wilderness fort on the Alleghany River a few miles north of the confluence with the Monongahela. The combined flow became the Ohio River at today's Pittsburgh.
Upon hearing about the encroachment through friendly Indians, Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie proposed construction of frontier forts to oppose the French.
Dinwiddie had more than a political interest in the western lands. He was an investor in the Ohio Company - along with George Washington's father and half-brother and many others.
The land speculators had been given a grant of 200,000 acres west of the Ohio River on condition they establish a settlement of 200 colonists within seven years.
Britain at the time was experiencing tension with the French over claims in the Americas. King George II, therefore, was reluctant to furnish his enemy an excuse for war.
He directed Dinwiddie, before initiating any military action, to send an emissary to Commander LeBeouf of the French garrison on the Alleghany and request him courteously to withdraw from the Ohio Country.
George Washington, recently appointed adjutant of the Culpeper military district upon the death of his half-brother, volunteered for the assignment. This was a sensitive diplomatic task for one so young. However, Washington had just returned from a survey of the Ohio Country on behalf of the investors.
He was a tall, handsome and "well-muscled" frontiersman with a reputation for tact. Accompanied by a guide and interpreter, Washington delivered the King's message. LeBeouf accepted it but gave no reply. Washington used the opportunity to scout the "land of the forks."
In his report to Dinwiddie, Washington wrote: "I spent some time in viewing the rivers, and the land in the Fork, which I think is well situated for a fort, as it has the absolute command of both rivers."
Gov. Dinwiddie asked the Virginia House of Burgesses for money to send a detachment of soldiers to the fork of the Ohio to build a fort.
The burgesses refused, considering this an expenditure solely for the benefit of private speculators.
The Ohio Company then hired Capt. William Trent and 33 militiamen to build the fort.
Trent and his men began work on Fort Pitt.
He sent word that the French garrison up the river had been decimated by disease according to pro-American Lenni-Lenape Indians living in the area.
Dinwiddie viewed the reduced French force as an opportunity.
Dipping into public funds at his disposal, he appointed Col. Joshua Fry, a member of his council, and George Washington as second in command, to head a force of paid militia men to complete and garrison Fort Pitt.
Washington recruited 150 men and took them to Will's Creek (Cumberland, Md.) to await Col. Fry and his detachment. Unfortunately, the 200 reinforcements, including a troop of King's regulars, arrived without Fry. He had been killed by a fall from his horse.
The young Washington, inexperienced in military techniques, found himself in full command.
Before Washington could decide what to do, Trent arrived to urge the reinforcements come on without delay.
With the bravado of youth, and sensing an opportunity to make a military reputation, Washington moved forward.
On the way, Trent's workers met the troops and said they had been driven off by French troops who were completing the fort which they renamed Duquesne.
Washington arrived at the Fork on March 28, 1754, in a driving rain.
Thirty French soldiers were asleep in lean-tos amidst half-completed Fort Duquesne. Without warning, Washington led his company in a charge against the little French detail.
Ten French soldiers, including their commander, Jumonville, were killed; and 12 were captured. Eight escaped to carry the news to Fort LeBeouf.
Seven hundred French regulars and 200 Indian allies rushed to regain the strategic position. Advised by friendly Indians of the advance. Washington withdrew to a "great meadow" several miles to the south. There he hastily threw up a redoubt he named Fort Necessity.
The meadow was the poorest possible place for a defensive stand, demonstrating Washington's lack of military experience. The place, alongside a large creek, was a meadow because flood waters encouraged tall grass. Again, hard rains began to fall. The meadow turned to quagmire. French troops on the high ground surrounding the meadow poured cannon fire into Fort Necessity.
On July 3, Washington raised a white flag to stop the slaughter of his men. The French commander offered to let the Americans return home, without their guns, if Washington would sign a document of surrender - written in French - and give his word that Virginia would abandon fort-building for a year.
The paper actually was a confession of "assassinat" (the assassination) of Jumonville. The paper was translated to Washington by his own interpreter who was conversant with the language. Either Washington did not understand the diplomatic significance of the choice of words, or felt he had no choice but to accept the terms. In any case he signed the document and led his men home. Washington was hailed as a hero by most people. To his brother John, he wrote: "I have heard the bullets whistle: and, believe me, there is something charming in the sound." John sent a copy of the letter to a friend in England where it was printed. Upon reading the letter, King George II is reported to have remarked, "He has not heard many (whistling bullets), or he would not think them so charming."
The Virginia burgesses, educated men who understood French, were privately critical of Washington - for good reason. The incident acerbated strained relations between the French and British in Europe and was a major factor in the ensuing Nine Years War there.
In America, Washington's impolitic admission of assassination launched French and Indian retaliation throughout the northern colonies.
British General Edward Braddock and a company of red-coated regulars were sent to America the following year to take charge of all troops arrayed against French incursions. Braddock immediately mounted an expedition against Fort Duquesne.
He refused the advice of Washington to disperse the soldiers in several loose groups in order to move through the forest and avoid Indian ambush.
Instead, Braddock demanded wagons from the burgesses and began cutting a road through the wilderness while he supervised from a coach. Washington was promoted to colonel and put in charge of the Virginia contingent.
As Washington feared, the column was ambushed 20 miles from Fort Duquesne. Hundreds of the colonials were killed and Braddock mortally wounded in the ensuing Wilderness Battle. When the Indians stopped to cut scalps of the fallen advance guard, Washington placed Braddock on a litter and led survivors back toward Fort Cumberland.
On the agonizing retreat, Braddock was heard to murmur, "We shall know better how to deal with them another time." Braddock died near Washington's ill-fated Fort Necessity.
Washington dug a trench in the road and buried the British commander there so that the marching men would trample the site and prevent the Indians from exhuming the body for further indignities.
Workmen repairing the road in 1824 discovered Braddock's bones, identified by his insignia mixed with them.
History books say the French and Indian attackers were victorious by surprise and guerrilla tactics. Washington, however, was more candid at the time. In a letter to his mother, he wrote:
"Honored Madam: As I doubt not but you have hard of our defeat, and perhaps, have it represented in a worse light, if possible, than it deserves, I have taken this earliest opportunity to give you some account of the engagement."
"We marched on to that place without any considerable loss, having only now and then a straggler picked up by Indian scouts of the French."
"When we came there, we were attacked by a body of French and Indians, whose number, I am certain, did not exceed 300 men. Ours consisted of about 1,300 well-armed troops, chiefly of the English soldiers, who were struck with such a panic that they behaved with more cowardice than it is possible to conceive."
"The Virginia troops showed a good deal of bravery, and were near all killed. I believe out of three companies that were there, there are scarce 30 men left alive. I luckily escaped without a wound, though I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me."
Despite these early defeats, British and colonial forces rallied and began pushing the French out of both America and Canada. Col. Washington had the satisfaction in 1758 of accompanying Brig. Gen. John Forbes' expedition to retake Fort Duquesne. The outnumbered French burned the fort and fled as the Americans approached. Washington was bitter about British delay in his plan to regain Fort Duquesne, and resented subordination to pompous British military officers who had no conception of warfare in a wild country.
As the war turned in favor of the British, Washington resigned his commission after the fall of Fort Duquesne and devoted his middle years to developing the Mount Vernon estate which he inherited from his half-brother Lawrence.
Washington never received any recognition for his early years of service in the military. All in all, it had been a disappointment.
Nevertheless, he had learned a valuable lesson about the value of hit-an-run tactics against traditional mass formations of armies.
This was to be the major factor of his victory over superior forces during the Revolution of 1776.
In addition, the feeling of guilt for his part in the French and Indian War conditioned him to acquiesce when asked to serve his country once more. The rest is history of a more familiar sort.
Author: Lindsey Williams
2 – 3 col. – scenic meadow
DEATH TRAP – Americans took defensive position in a small stockade they named Fort Necessity (reconstruction center left) where they were shelled into submission by French on high ground (foreground).
Photo courtesy Ft. Necessity National Park
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3 – 3 col. Dying soldiers
WILDERNESS BATTLE -- British Gen. Edward Braddock was fatally wounded while he and Col. George Washington tried unsuccessfully to retake Fort Pitt.
Illustration by U.S. History.com
