CH. VIII.]

WASHINGTON'S EXPEDITION TO THE OHIO.

to meet him. This, however, never took place; Lawrence Washington received no permanent benefit by his absence, and he reached home just in time to die. His death took place, July 26th, 1752, at the age of thirtyfour. Lawrence's death imposed new and very trying duties upon George. He was named one of his brother's executors, and in case of his infant niece's death, he was to inherit the ample estate of Mount Vernon. The main responsibility of managing this large property fell upon George, and it need hardly be said that in this, as in other things, he manifested the highest conscientiousness and integrity. Thus, though only in the dawn of manhood, George Washington was already one who had made his mark: it remained now only that the door of opportunity be opened to test what he was capable of effecting on a larger stage of operations. The way was soon after plainly pointed out to him, and he was ready to enter upon it with all the zeal, energy, and courage of his noble nature.

On a previous page, we have spoken of Governor Dinwiddie's determination to send a messenger to the nearest French post on the Ohio, to demand explanations in regard to their plans and purposes in encroaching, as the governor affirmed, upon his majesty's territories. George Washington was the one immediately thought of for so difficult and delicate a commission. "It is true," as Mr. Irving says, "that he was not yet twenty-two years of age, but public confidence in his judgment and abilities had been manifested

VOL. I.-31

225

a second time, by renewing his appointment of adjutant-general, and assigning him the northern division. He was acquainted too with the matters in litigation, having been in the bosom councils of his deceased brother. His woodland experience fitted him for an expedition through the wilderness; and his great discretion and self-command for a negotiation with wily commanders and fickle savages. He was accordingly chosen for the expedition."

On the 30th of October, 1753, Washington set off from Williamsburg, taking Van Braam, an old soldier, with him, as an interpreter, he himself 1753. never having learned the French language. He reached Wills' Creek (Cumberland River,) on the 14th November, where he engaged Mr. Gist, the intrepid pioneer and intimately acquainted with the country, to accompany and pilot him in the present expedition. With Van Braam, Gist, and five others, Washington set out the next day to make his way through a wild region, just then almost impassable by recent storms of rain and snow. At Logstown, about twenty miles below the Fork of the Ohio, where the Monongahela and the Allegany unite to form that river, he held a conference with the Indian sachems, and had a taste of the peculiar diplomacy of the aborigines, which is, in some respects, fully equal to that of more civilized people, in its want of truthfulness and straight-forwardness. The chiefs furnished Washington with an escort to Venango, which was some seventy miles distant. Such was the inclemency of the weather, and the difficulty of travelling, that Washing

66

ton did not reach this point till the 4th of December. Here he found Joncaire, a veteran intriguer of the frontier," as Mr. Irving styles him, and after some specimens of Joncaire's ability in dealing with the Indians in Washington's company, and also partaking of a social entertainment, during which the French officers gave out pretty plainly their designs with respect to the Ohio Valley, he was enabled at last to proceed and meet M. de St. Pierre, the French commander, at a post about fifteen miles south of Lake Erie.

out how largely the youthful hero's prudence, sagacity, resolution, firmness, and self-devotion were tested, and concludes most justly, that this "expedition may be considered the foundation of his fortunes: from that moment he was the rising hope of Virginia." His journal, an interesting document, was printed, and fully roused the attention of both England and the colonies to the necessity of prompt measures in this crisis of no ordinary moment.*

1754.

From the tenor of St. Pierre's communication, it was evident that steps of some kind must speedily be taken. Dinwiddie was anxious to raise funds to carry on offensive warfare; but the Assembly were not so complaisant to his demands as he thought they ought to be, under the circumstances. Even in the legislature itself, doubts were expressed as to the king's claim over the disputed lands, and though the sum of £10,000 was ultimately voted for "the protection of the settlers in the Mississippi," it was clogged with the proviso, that commissioners should be appointed to watch over its appropriation. The other colonies, who had been urgently called upon to give aid, received the appeal with great unconcern, and held out but little hope of assistance. With the means at his disposal, the governor, however, increased the military force to six companies, which were placed under Colonel Joshua Fry, Washington being appointed second in command, with the title of lieutenant-colonel.

St. Pierre behaved towards the youthful ambassador, with all the well-known courtesy of his nation, but after a day or two's consideration, informed Washington, that he was not able to entertain Governor Dinwiddie's proposal; he had been placed at the post he occupied, by the governor of Canada, and he should maintain it till removed by proper authority. Washington was not idle while this matter was under discussion; he used his eyes to good purpose, and obtained all the information in regard to strength, position, and plans of the French, which was open to him. On the 15th of December, he received from St. Pierre a sealed reply to Dinwiddie's letter, and prepared to return home as soon as possible. He reached Venango again on the 22d, and on Christmas Day set out by land on his route homeward. Of the dangers and trials of that return, our limits do not allow us to speak: Mr. Irving has drawn out the adventurous story in his own unsurpassed style, and, noting that Washington reached Williamsburg on the 16th of January, 1754, he points | 432-47.

* See Marshall's "Life of Washington," vol. i. p. 461; also, Washington's Writings," vol. ii. p.

CH. VIII.]

THE AFFAIR WITH JUMONVILLE.

To stimulate the zeal of his troops, and to form a body of military settlers, Dinwiddie issued a proclamation, granting to them two hundred thousand acres on the Ohio-a measure received with little approbation by the legislature of Pennsylvania, who considered that they had counter-claims to the lands in question.

A party of forty-one men, under Captain Trent, had already been sent to the Fork of the Ohio, and had commenced building a fort there by Washington's advice. Early in April, he himself marched from Alexandria with two companies, and arrived on the 20th at Wills' Creek. Here he received intelligence that the French, in large force, had driven out his men, and had themselves gone on to finish the works, which they named Fort Duquesne, after the governor of Canada. This may be regarded as the first act of open hostility. Washington, having held a council of war, and having dispatched messengers for reinforcements, determined to advance in the direction of the Ohio. It was a very slow and exceedingly toilsome advance. An entrenchment was thrown up at the Great Meadows, which Washington purposed fortifying more carefully, when he learned that a detachment of the French was only a few miles off, lurking in concealment, evidently with no good purpose. He promptly resolved to seek them out, and, guided by the Indians, he soon after found them-May 28th-in a place surrounded by rocks and trees, where they had put up a few cabins for shelter from the rain. The moment the French

227

discovered the presence of Washington and his men, they ran to arms; a sharp skirmish ensued, for a while; the balls whistled around the young commander's head, and a man was killed at his side. Jumonville, the leader of the French, fell dead; nine others were slain, and the survivors yielded.* La Force, a person of great cunning, and considered by Washington to be a very dangerous adversary, was among the prisoners. These, amounting to twenty-one in all, were sent to Governor Dinwiddie at Winchester.

Blame was attempted to be thrown upon Washington for the sad results of this encounter. It was claimed that Jumonville was entitled to the protection due to the character and mission of an ambassador, since he was advancing with a summons to the English to evacuate the territory of the French; and Washington was denounced as an assassin. The truth, however, was, that the party under Jumonville, as was proven by a letter of instructions found on that young officer, were engaged in outlying occupation, in ascertaining everything they could about the country, and the plans of the English, and in sending messages to the commander at Fort Duquesne. And they had acted accordingly. "Instead of coming in the public and open manner of ambassadors," to use Washington's words in reply to the foul aspersion, "the party of Jumonville came secretly; they sought out the most hidden retreats, and remained

* See Mr. Bancroft's account, "History of the United States," vol. iv. p. 117–19.

concealed whole days within five miles
of us.
After sending out spies to re-
connoitre our position, they retreated
two miles, from whence they sent mes-
sengers to M. Contrecœur with the re-
sults of their reconnoisance."

Colonel Fry's sudden death, at Wills' Creek, placed the burden of the chief command upon Washington.* His position was perilous in the extreme; the French force was very much larger than his own; and scarcity of provisions began to be seriously felt. Fort Necessity was built at the Great Meadows; and leaving the South Carolina company under Captain Mackay in charge of the fort, Washington advanced towards Fort Duquesne. He was soon compelled, however, to retreat, and the French and Indians, to the number of fifteen hundred, coming upon him at Fort Necessity, he made a spirited stand for some hours, but finally agreed to an honorable capitulation. The next morning, July 4th, Washington set out on his return to Wills' Creek, where his men were recruited, and where also Fort Cumberland was erected.†

Although this campaign was thus unsuccessful, it was felt that Washington had done all that was possible under the circumstances. He received the thanks of the Assembly, and acquired the unbounded confidence and affection of the soldiers under his command. Three hundred pistoles-about $1,100-were distributed among the soldiers.

1754.

While Washington was engaged in his expedition against the French, a convention was held at Albany of Committees from the Colonial Assemblies of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the New England colonies. This was in June, 1754. The principal object they had in view was to renew the treaty with the Six Nations, whose friendship at this crisis was of grave impor tance. Beside this, the question of union and confederation of the colonies for mutual defence came up, and was decided in the affirmative, and one delegate from each colony was appointed to draw up a plan of union. Franklin sketched such a plan, which was adopted by the Convention, the Connecticut delegates alone dissenting. "It proposed a grand Council of fortyhad recently counselled him by letter, to have public eight members: seven from Virginia; seven from Massachusetts; six from

1754.

* "William Fairfax, Washington's paternal adviser,

prayers in his camp; especially when there were

Indian families there.

This was accordingly done at

the encampment in the Great Meadows, and it cer- Pennsylvania; five from Connecticut;

tainly was not one of the least striking pictures presented in this wild campaign-the youthful commander, presiding with calm seriousness, over a motley assemblage of half equipped soldiery, leathern clad hunters and woodmen, and painted savages with their wives and children, and uniting them all in solemn devotion by his own example and demeanor."-Irving's "Life of Washington," vol. i. p.

128.

+ Mr. Irving (vol. i. p. 131-140) enters with great particularity into the details of this whole matter,

four each from New York, Maryland, and the two Carolinas; three from New Jersey; and two each from New

and most completely exonerates Washington from any blame in regard to M. Jumonville's death. The reader will find it interesting to examine also the account given by Mr. Sparks, “Life of Washington,” p. 36-55.