The Battle of the Great Meadows, also known as the Battle of Fort Necessity was a battle of the French and Indian War fought on July 3, 1754 in present-day Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It, along with the Battle of Jumonville Glen, are considered the opening shots of the French and Indian War which would spread to the Old World and become the Seven Years' War. It marked George Washington's only military surrender. Combatants France and its Indian allies Britain and its Indian allies Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) The French and Indian War was the nine-year North American chapter of the Seven Years War. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... 1754 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Uniontown is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 50 miles (80 km) south by east of Pittsburgh. ... Location in the state of Pennsylvania Formed September 26, 1783 Seat Uniontown Area  - Total  - Water 2,067 km² (798 mi²) 20 km² (8 mi²) 0. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799) commanded Americas war for independence (1775–1783), and was the first President of the United States, from 1789 to 1797. ... James Mackay was a captain in the British Army during the French and Indian War. ... Sieur Louis Coulon de Villiers (17 August 1710 – 2 November 1757) was a French Canadian military officer during the French and Indian War (Seven Years War). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants France and its Indian allies Britain and its Indian allies Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) The French and Indian War was the nine-year North American chapter of the Seven Years War. ... The Battle of Jumonville Glen was a battle of the French and Indian War fought on May 28, 1754 near what is present-day Uniontown in Western Pennsylvania. ... The Battle of Fort Beauséjour marked the opening of a British-American offensive in North America in the prelude to the Seven Years War. ... Combatants France Britain Commanders Liénard de Beaujeu Charles de Langlade Edward Braddock † Strength 105 regulars 147 militia 600 natives 1,459 regulars and militia Casualties 23 killed 20 wounded 456 killed 521 wounded {{{notes}}} The Braddock expedition (also called Braddocks campaign) was a failed British attempt to capture... Geoff/Gsl 21:56, 26 October 2005 (UTC) Category: Possible copyright violations ... The Battle of Fort Oswego was the first in a series of early French victories in the French and Indian War theater of the Seven Years War that belied New Frances military vulnerability. ... The Battle of Fort William Henry resulted in the loss of British Fort William Henry to a French army under Louis-Joseph de Montcalm in August of 1757. ... The Battle of Carillon was fought at Fort Carillon (later known as Fort Ticonderoga), on the shore of Lake Champlain in what was then the British colony of New York, July 7-July 8, 1758 during the French and Indian War, and resulted in a victory of the French garrison... Combatants France Britain Commanders François-Marie Le Marchand de Lignery James Grant Strength 500 militia and natives 800 regulars and militia Casualties 16 dead or wounded 300 dead 100 captured {{{notes}}} The Battle of Fort Duquesne was a failed attempt by elements of General John Forbess British-American... The battle of fort Ligoneir was fought in 1758 and was a battle of the French-Indian war. ... The Battle of Ticonderoga of 1758 was an engagement of the French and Indian War (the North American theatre of the Seven Years War not so much a battle as an investment. ... The Battle of Fort Niagara was one of the final battles in the North American theatre of the Seven Years War. ... The Battle of Beauport was fought on July 31, 1759 between a British fleet and French land forces. ... Combatants Britain France Commanders James Wolfe † Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm † Strength 4,800 regulars 4,000 regulars 300 militia Casualties 58 dead 600 wounded 644 dead or wounded The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, fought September 13, 1759, was a decisive battle of the North American theatre of... The Battle of Sainte-Foy, sometimes called the Battle of Quebec (1760), was fought April 28, 1760 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada during the Seven Years War (called the French and Indian War in the United States). ... The Battle of the Thousand Islands was fought between 16 August and 24 August 1760, in the upper St. ... For other military campaings relating to Montreal, see Battle of Montreal Combatants Great Britain France Commanders Jeffrey Amherst François Gaston de Lévis Strength 11,000 regulars 6,500 provincials 700 Iroquois 2,100 effectives The Siege of Montreal took place at the end of the French and Indian... Fort Necessity was a British fortress west of the Pennsylvania colony. ... Combatants France and its Indian allies Britain and its Indian allies Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) The French and Indian War was the nine-year North American chapter of the Seven Years War. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... 1754 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Location in the state of Pennsylvania Formed September 26, 1783 Seat Uniontown Area  - Total  - Water 2,067 km² (798 mi²) 20 km² (8 mi²) 0. ... The Battle of Jumonville Glen was a battle of the French and Indian War fought on May 28, 1754 near what is present-day Uniontown in Western Pennsylvania. ... Combatants France and its Indian allies Britain and its Indian allies Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) The French and Indian War was the nine-year North American chapter of the Seven Years War. ... The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia, and Africa (collectively known as Africa-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799) commanded Americas war for independence (1775–1783), and was the first President of the United States, from 1789 to 1797. ...

Historical background

The battle was the culmination of years of boundary disputes between the British and French Empires in North America. Principal among the disputed territories was the Ohio Country, an area that includes portions of the present American states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The Ohio Country, showing the present-day U.S. state boundaries The Ohio Country (sometimes called the Ohio Territory) was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 160 miles (255 km)  - Length 280 miles (455 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ...

In the spring of 1754, Virginia's Lt. Governor Robert Dinwiddie ordered militia officer George Washington and 159 men to aid a building party sent to construct a fort at the Forks of the Ohio River (present Pittsburgh), but the party was surrounded and forced to return to Virginia before Washington arrived. The French then constructed Fort Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio. Robert Dinwiddie (1693–July 27, 1770) was a British colonial administrator who served as Lieutenant Governor of colonial Virginia from 1751 to 1758, first under governor Willem Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle, and then, from July 1756 to January 1758, as deputy for John Campbell, 4th Earl of... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799) commanded Americas war for independence (1775–1783), and was the first President of the United States, from 1789 to 1797. ... The Ohio River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, 981 mi (1,579 km) long in the eastern United States. ... Nickname: Steel City, Iron City, City of Champions, City of Bridges, City of Colleges Location in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Allegheny County Founded 1758 Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (D) Area    - City 151. ... An artist’s rendering of Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ...

Washington was sent new orders to construct a wagon road from Wills Creek (present Cumberland, Maryland) into the Ohio country and await reinforcements. On May 24, 1754, Washington’s party arrived at a marshy clearing at the junction of two streams in what is now Wharton Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania called the Great Meadows. They set up camp at the site and explored possible water routes to the Forks of the Ohio while awaiting reinforcements. Location in Maryland Coordinates: Country United States State Maryland County Allegany County founded 1787 incorporated 1815 Mayor Lee N. Fiedler Area    - City 23. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... Wharton Township is a township located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. ... Location in the state of Pennsylvania Formed September 26, 1783 Seat Uniontown Area  - Total  - Water 2,067 km² (798 mi²) 20 km² (8 mi²) 0. ...

Incident at Jumonville Glen

Late in the evening of May 27, word arrived in camp that a French scouting party had been spotted nearing the Great Meadows. Half King, a Mingo chief allied to the British, insisted that the group was a large French war party sent to ambush the British garrison. He convinced Washington to take a detachment of troops to ambush the French. After an all night march through a rainstorm, Washington’s men arrived early the next morning at the French encampment in a narrow valley now known as Jumonville Glen. In an incident now known as the Battle of Jumonville Glen the French camp was attacked. Ten French soldiers were killed and the party’s commanding officer, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Villiers de Jumonville, was taken prisoner along with 21 others. As Washington interrogated Jumonville, Half King unexpectedly walked up to Jumonville and struck him dead. Tanacharisson (Half King) (1700? - 1754) A leader of the Mingo (Seneca tribe) of Native American Indians who took part in the French and Indian War as an ally of the British. ... The Mingo people were an Iroquois group that migrated west to the Ohio River Valley in the mid-eighteenth century 1750s and formed their own distinct identity there. ... The Battle of Jumonville Glen was a battle of the French and Indian War fought on May 28, 1754 near what is present-day Uniontown in Western Pennsylvania. ... Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville (b. ...

Construction of the fort

Washington retired from Jumonville Glen back to the Great Meadows and prepared for a French counterattack. Several Frenchmen had escaped from Jumonville Glen and returned to Fort Duquesne informing the garrison of the incident. On May 29, Washington ordered the construction of a log palisade at the Great Meadows which he named Fort Necessity. Washington believed that the site would provide the British a tactical advantage due to the open spaces surrounding the fort. However, Washington had failed to take into account that the fort was constructed in a depression and he overestimated the distance from the tree line to the log walls. An artist’s rendering of Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... Palisade and Moat A palisade is a Medieval wooden fence or wall of variable height, used as a defensive structure. ... Fort Necessity was a British fortress west of the Pennsylvania colony. ...

The arrival of 100 British reinforcements under Captain James Mackay on June 14 provided as much trouble as relief. Although Mackay brought reinforcements and much needed supplies, Mackay and Washington immediately entered into an argument over command of the garrison. Although Mackay was only a captain, his commission as an officer in the British army technically took precedence over Washington’s militia rank of Lt. Colonel. Mackay refused to take orders from Washington, established as separate encampment, and demanded supplemental pay for his men when engaged in road construction work. The two ultimately agreed to an awkward power sharing agreement that hindered British command and control throughout the battle. Morale sunk even further when the troops learned that the powerful Shawnee and Lenape tribes had made an alliance with the French. June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... This article concerns the rank and title of Captain. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and subordinate to a colonel. ... For other meanings, see Shawnee (disambiguation). ... The Lenape or Lenni-Lenape (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans) were, in the 1600s, loosely organized bands of Native American people practicing small-scale agriculture to augment a largely mobile hunter-gatherer society in the region around the Delaware River, the lower Hudson River, and western Long Island Sound. ...

Battle

On June 28, a party of 600 French and 100 French-allied native tribesmen left Fort Duquesne to attack the British party. At the time, the bulk of the British garrison had been sent to Gist’s plantation (present Brownsville, Pennsylvania) on the Monongahela River. Washington decided that this outpost was indefensible and gathered all his remaining strength at Fort Necessity. On July 1, the whole garrison had returned to the Great Meadows and began construction of trenches and further fortifications. Several allied bands of natives including Half King's group argued that Fort Necessity was also indefensible and abandoned Washington. Washington briefly considered abandoning Fort Necessity but decided that his men were too fatigued and the French forces too near to make a safe and orderly retreat. June 28 is the 179th day of the year (180th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 186 days remaining. ... Brownsville is a borough located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, along the Monongahela River. ... The Monongahela River at Morgantown, West Virginia in 1999 The Monongahela River (Affectionately referred to as The Mon) is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in West Virginia and Pennsylvania in the United States. ...

The French expedition against Fort Necessity was led by Captain Louis Coulon de Villiers, who was the brother of the slain Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville. Captain de Villiers was outraged by the death of his brother, which he considered to be a cold-blooded murder. He was further enraged when he passed Jumonville Glen and discovered that the British had failed to bury the bodies of the slain French soldiers. Sieur Louis Coulon de Villiers (17 August 1710 – 2 November 1757) was a French Canadian military officer during the French and Indian War (Seven Years War). ...

At about 11:00 on July 3, the French column arrived at the Great Meadows and immediately began a vigorous attack. Washington’s misjudgment of the Great Meadows site quickly proved disastrous. The French were able to conceal themselves in the cover of the tree line and fire on the fort from an elevated position. The British in the fort were exposed in the shallow trenches and the log walls of the palisade provided little cover. The poorly supplied British quickly began to run short of ammunition. Compounding the problems of the British, it began to rain heavily a few hours later, filling the trenches with water.

By evening, Washington realized the hopelessness of his situation. At about 20:00, he asked the French for terms of surrender. The negotiations were slow and difficult. None of the British officers spoke French and none of the French officers spoke English. One Colonial of Dutch descent spoke English and French just well enough to provide basic communication. In the surrender document, Washington unwittingly admitted to "assassinating" Jumonville. This "admission" would later be used as propaganda against the British and nearly ruined Washington's reputation. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Propaganda is a specific type of message presentation directly aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of people, rather than impartially providing information. ...

The fort was handed over on July 4 and the bulk of British garrison were allowed to return to Maryland honorably. Two British prisoners were retained by the French as a guarantee of compliance with the terms of surrender. The French razed the fort and returned to Fort Duquesne. Washington would pass by the destroyed fort one year later as part of the Braddock expedition. July 4 is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 180 days remaining. ... Combatants France Britain Commanders Liénard de Beaujeu Charles de Langlade Edward Braddock † Strength 105 regulars 147 militia 600 natives 1,459 regulars and militia Casualties 23 killed 20 wounded 456 killed 521 wounded {{{notes}}} The Braddock expedition (also called Braddocks campaign) was a failed British attempt to capture...

asdasdasds of the fort and battle are preserved as Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Fort Necessity National Battlefield, located near Farmington, Pennsylvania, commemorates the first military engagement of the French and Indian War (known as the Seven Years War outside of the United States). ...

External links

• Fort Necessity National Battlefield

 photos... 

http://www.oldgloryprints.com/Charming%20Field%20for%20an%20Encounter.htm

References

• "Fort Necessity National Battlefield Site" by Frederick Tilberg, Published 1956, U.S. Dept. of Interior, Washington, D.C.