484 GEORGE WASHINGTON creek, about 15 m. S. of Lake Erie, and sent emissaries to the tribes N. W. of the Ohio to persuade them to break up the infant settle- ments of the Ohio company. Some of the An- glo-American traders, it is said, were seized and sent to Franca. Gov. Dinwiddie, either for the purpose of protesting against these measures of the French, or perhaps of ob- taining authentic information of their char- acter, determined to despatch a special mes- senger to the residence of the French com- mandant. After others to whom this appoint- ment had been offered had declined it, it was accepted by Washington. The distance to be traversed, most of the way through a wilder- ness, was between 500 and GOO m. ; winter was at hand, and the journey was to be made without military escort, through a territory occupied by Indian tribes. Washington started from Williamsburg Nov. 14, 1753. At Gist's settlement on the Monongahela he was joined by Gist, with whom he visited the French post, delivered his despatches, received a reply, and started for home. His return was accompa- nied by great danger from Indians and from frozen rivers. He narrowly escaped assassi- nation by a treacherous guide, and was nearly drowned in crossing the Alleghany. Washing- ton's journal of this perilous expedition, sent by Gov. Dinwiddie to London and published there, was regarded in England as a document of no little importance for the light which it shed on the designs of the French government with respect to the interior of this continent. The report of Washington left no doubt on the mind of Gov. Dinwiddie that all attempts to extend the settlements toward the Ohio would be forcibly resisted by the Canadian govern- ment. Ho accordingly convened the assembly, and recommended active measures of prepara- tion, at the same time calling the attention of the other colonial governors to the impending danger. Virginia voted to raise a regiment of six companies, and one company under Gapt. Trent was immediately sent to take posses- sion of the point at the confluence of the Alle- ghany and Monongahela (the present site of Pittsburgh), which Washington had especial- ly recommended as the site of a fort. The command of the regiment wan given to Col. Fry, and Washington, who had refused to be a candidate for the colonelcy, was appointed lieutenant colonel. He moved forward with a part of the force as soon as it could be got ready to take the field, and the chief command before long devolved upon him by the death of Ool. Fry. The instructions of Gov. Din- widdio to the commander of the regiment as- sumed the existence of a state of war, and commanded him " to drive away, kill and de- stroy, or seize as prisoners all persons, not the subjects of the king of Great Britain, who should attempt to settle or take possession of the lands on the Ohio river or any of its trib- utaries." Washington reached Will's creek, on his way to the Ohio, on April 20, 1754. Here he was met by the intelligence that Capt. Trent's party, while building the fort, had been compelled by an overwhelming force of French and Indians to abandon the work. The French completed it, and called it Fort Du- quesne, in honor of the governor of Canada. Although it eventually appeared that the re- ported numbers of the French and Indians were enormously exaggerated, the state of af- fairs was extremely critical. Washington, how- ever, advanced as rapidly as possible. Having received information from the friendly Indians that a party of French had been out for two days, determined to attack the first body of English they should meet, aa a measure of pre- caution he threw up an intrenchment on the Great Meadows. Gist also brought him infor- mation that a party of 50 French had been at his settlement the day before, and that he had seen their tracks within five miles of the Great Meadows. This information was confirmed during the night by an express from the chief of the friendly Indians. Washington placed himself at the head of 50 men, and in company with a band of friendly Indians, after a forced and laborious night march, came upon the enemy at an early hour the next morning (May 28). The French were completely surprised, and a brief action followed. M. Jumonville, the French commander, and 10 of his men were killed, and the rest of the party (except one who escaped), 22 in number, were taken prisoners. On the side of the Virginians, one was killed and two or three were wounded. The prisoners were marched to the Great Meadows, and thence under guard to Wil- liamsburg. Considerable reCnforcements were raised and advanced as far as Winchester ; but, with the exception of an independent company from South Carolina under Capt. Mackay, none of them reached the Great Meadows, where the whole force amounted to less than 400 men. As Washington anticipated after the defeat of Jumonville's party, a strong force was put in motion against him from Fort Du- quesne. He strengthened the intrenchment at the Meadows, and named it Fort Necessity. Capt. Mackay, as an officer holding a royal commission, claimed precedence of the provin- cial colonel. To prevent a collision of author- ity, Washington advanced with his regiment, leaving Mackay and his company as a guard at the fort. Two weeks were required to force a march of 13 m., through a gorge of the moun- tains, to Gist's settlement. Here authentic in- formation was received that the enemy at Fort Dnquesno had been strongly refinforced, and might be shortly looked for. Washington having determined to make a stand at the set- tlement, Capt. Mackay was sent for and prompt- ly brought up his company. It was however decided by a council of war that the enemy was too strong to be resisted, and a retreat to Fort Necessity was deemed expedient. The retrograde movement occupied two days, and they were soon attacked by a greatly superior
