why did washington surrender at fort necessity

Full Answer

Why did Washington lose the battle of Fort Necessity?

The French pilloried Washington as a war criminal, and their outrage helped spur their July 3 attack on Washington at the Battle of Fort Necessity, which ended in Washington's sole surrender in his military career. Losses: French and American Indian, 10 dead, 1 wounded, 21 captured; Virginian, 1 dead, 2 wounded.

Why did George Washington go to Fort Necessity?

Among the dead was the leader of the French party, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, who was brutally scalped by the Indian fighters. Following this skirmish at Jumonville Glen, Washington immediately returned to Great Meadows and began fortifying Fort Necessity in anticipation of fierce French retaliation.

Was George Washington defeated at Fort Necessity?

The Ohio Iroquois allies were absent for all of this; by that time, they had become thoroughly disappointed with their British allies. Following Washington's defeat at Fort Necessity, some Ohio Iroquois took refuge on the Pennsylvania frontier, while other prodigals returned to their French father in due time.

What happened during Fort Necessity?

On July 4, Washington and his troops abandoned Fort Necessity. The garrison marched away with drums beating and flags flying, but the Indians and the French began to loot the garrison's baggage on their way out.

Where did the Battle of Fort Necessity happen?

UniontownFarmingtonBattle of Fort Necessity/Locations

When did the battle of Fort Necessity end?

July 3, 1754Battle of Fort Necessity / End date

What was George Washington's biggest defeat?

For George Washington, the greatest failure of his military career was the loss of New York to the British in the summer of 1776. Winning the city back from the redcoats became nearly an obsession after his troops left Valley Forge in the spring of 1778.

When did George Washington surrender?

July 3, 1754Having been surrounded by French and Indian forces, Lieutenant Colonel George Washington and his Virginia militia were forced to surrender on July 3, 1754. Below are the translated terms of that surrender.

Who built and surrendered Fort Necessity?

Lieutenant Colonel George WashingtonOn June 4, 1754, during the Seven Years' War, a 22-year-old lieutenant colonel in the Virginia militia named George Washington begins construction of a makeshift Fort Necessity.

What was the significance of the battle at Fort Necessity quizlet?

What was the significance of the battle at Fort Necessity? it was technically the beginning of the French and Indian War. It showed the determination in Washington and proved he was a good leader. Why did Congress feel the need to boost American morale by releasing this address in early 1778?

Who built Fort Necessity Why?

Fort Necessity was a small stockade in western Pennsylvania built by Virginia Militia led by George Washington in 1754. Beginning in the 1740s both England and France had merchants engaged in the fur trade with American Indians peoples in the Ohio Country.

Why did George Washington go to Fort Duquesne?

The location gave the French the opportunity to trade with Native American groups in the Ohio Country and deter the growth of British trade and settlement in North America. In spring 1754, Major George Washington led an expedition of 300 Virginians toward Fort Duquesne to force the French to abandon the site.

Who built Fort Necessity Why?

Fort Necessity was a small stockade in western Pennsylvania built by Virginia Militia led by George Washington in 1754. Beginning in the 1740s both England and France had merchants engaged in the fur trade with American Indians peoples in the Ohio Country.

Why were General Braddock and George Washington sent to Fort Duquesne?

Necessity in 1754 prompted a more substantial military response by Britain. Braddock was expected to eject the French forces building Fort Duquesne in the Ohio Valley. To accomplish his mission, Braddock had been given extraordinary powers as commander of British forces in North America.

Why did George Washington take his army to Valley Forge?

Valley Forge was a naturally defensible plateau where they could train and recoup from the year's battles while winter weather, impassable roads, and scant supplies stopped the fighting. With the British occupying Philadelphia, Washington decides to encamp at Valley Forge for the winter.

Why did Washington build Fort Necessity?

Following this skirmish at Jumonville Glen, Washington immediately returned to Great Meadows and began fortifying Fort Necessity in anticipation of fierce French retaliation. 4 Fort Necessity was smaller and simpler than the average mid-18 th century fort. Initially designed as staging area from which he could launch operations while awaiting a larger force of British regulars, the wooden structure stood alone in an open field incapable of withstanding a sustained offensive. Washington’s men dug hasty earthworks around the outside the walls of the fort from which they could easily fire on the enemy and take sufficient cover from the French volleys in hopes of holding out against the impending attack.

What did George Washington do in the French and Indian War?

That unfortunate political misstep, combined with open confrontation between French and British troops on the field of battle, lit the kindling that would burn into the French and Indian War. On July 4, a date he could not have expected to celebrate one day, Washington’s depleted force departed Fort Necessity in defeat. Even though his first significant mission as commander of troops was unsuccessful, George Washington had found his calling in life, “I heard Bullets whistle and believe me there was something charming in the sound.” 6

How many prisoners did Washington take in the French attack?

Upon locating the French soldiers encamped for the evening, Washington quickly devised and executed a plan for an attack on all sides, leaving by his accounts, ten dead with twenty-one prisoners. 2 To this day disputes exist over the nature of the French forces, with it being unclear if they were simply on a diplomatic mission to deliver a message, or spies and soldiers with intent of attacking British forces. Among the dead was the leader of the French party, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, who was brutally scalped by the Indian fighters. 3

What was the name of the structure that Washington marched out of?

On the morning of July 4, 1754, Colonel George Washington marched his wounded and battle weary men out of the flimsy, wooden, palisaded circular defensive structure named Fort Necessity.

What was the name of the fort that Washington abandoned?

On the morning of July 4, 1754, Colonel George Washington marched his wounded and battle weary men out of the flimsy, wooden, palisaded circular defensive structure named Fort Necessity. Defeated on the field of battle, Washington had little choice but to abandon the aptly named fort in the face of a numerically superior French and Indian force that was determined to deny the British control of the Ohio Valley.

What was the purpose of the British Ohio Company in 1754?

The British Ohio Company had secured a large plot of land with the hopes of expanding trade into the interior ranges of America in search of greater profit.

What did Washington's men do around the walls of Fort Necessity?

Washington’s men dug hasty earthworks around the outside the walls of the fort from which they could easily fire on the enemy and take sufficient cover from the French volleys in hopes of holding out against the impending attack. Reconstruction of Fort Necessity. MVLA.

What happened at Fort Necessity in 1754?

By 11:00 am on the 3rd of July 1754, Louis Coulon de Villiers came within sight of Fort Necessity. At this time, the Virginians were digging a trench in the mud. The pickets fired their muskets and fell back to the fort, whereupon three columns of Canadian soldiers and Indians advanced downhill towards the fort. However, Coulon had miscalculated the location of the fort and had advanced with the fort at his right. As Coulon halted and then redeployed his troops, Washington began to prepare for an attack.

What did the Virginians feel about the Ohio Company?

Virginians felt that their colonial charter, the oldest in the British colonies, gave them claim to the Ohio Country despite competing claims from Native Americans, the French, and other British colonies. In 1748, wealthy Virginians formed the Ohio Company with the aim of solidifying Virginia's claim and profiting off the speculation of western lands. : 11 Governor Robert Dinwiddie, the royal governor of Virginia and founding investor in the Ohio Company, sent a twenty-one year old Virginia colonial Lieutenant Colonel George Washington to travel from Williamsburg to Fort LeBeouf in the Ohio Territory (a territory claimed by several of the British colonies, including Virginia) as an emissary in December 1753, to deliver a letter. George Washington's older brothers Lawrence and Augustine had been instrumental in organizing the Ohio Company, and George had become familiar with the Ohio Company by surveying for his brothers as a young man. After a long trek and several near-death experiences, Washington and his party (which included the Mingo sachem, Tanacharison, and the explorer Christopher Gist) arrived at Fort Le Boeuf and met with the regional commander, Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre. Saint-Pierre politely informed Washington that he was there pursuant to orders, and Washington's letter should have been addressed to his commanding officer in Canada.

What is the engraving of George Washington?

An engraving depicting the evening council of George Washington at Fort Necessity. After retiring from Jumonville, Washington expected to be attacked. Tanacharison attempted to convince the Lenape, Shawnee and the Mingo Indians to join the Virginians at Great Meadows.

How many French and Indians left Fort Duquesne?

That same day 600 French and 100 Indians left Fort Duquesne led by the slain Jumonville's older brother, Louis Coulon de Villiers. In order to keep ahead of the French/Canadian force, the Virginians had to abandon most of their supplies. On July 1, they reached Fort Necessity.

Why did Washington lead the 300 Virginians out of Great Meadows?

Washington had heard that there were 500 poorly supplied French troops at Fort Duquesne, and thus he led the 300 Virginians out of Great Meadows on June 16 to widen the road, for he had been unable to convince the other chiefs to assist. They had said that they would also be unable to help the Virginians. Although he had lost Indian support, which made his troops more vulnerable to attack, Washington continued to widen the road towards Red Stone Creek.

Why did Washington's troops not continue the firefight?

Washington ordered his troops to return fire, but they aimed too high, inflicting few casualties, and the swivel cannon fared no better. To add to the garrison's troubles, heavy rain began to fall that afternoon, and Washington's troops were unable to continue the firefight because their gunpowder was wet.

What did Washington order to do at Fort Necessity?

Washington realized that he would have to defend against a frontal assault and also realized that it would be difficult because the woods were less than 100 yards away, within musket range, making it possible for a besieging attacker to pick off the defenders. To improve the defense, Washington ordered his men to cut trees down and to make them into makeshift breastworks.

How many men were in the Virginia regiment at the Great Meadows?

Washington's command now totaled 293 officers and men.

How many French and Indians fought at Fort Necessity?

The next day, they strengthened Fort Necessity by improving the trenches outside the stockade. On the morning of July 3, a force of about 600 French and 100 Indians approached the fort. After the French took up positions in the woods, Washington withdrew his men to the entrenchments.

What forces were advancing from Fort Duquesne?

Reports that a large force of French and Indians was advancing from Fort Duquesne, however, caused him to withdraw his men to the Great Meadows, where they arrived July 1. The next day, they strengthened Fort Necessity by improving the trenches outside the stockade.

Why did Washington's men form ranks outside Fort Necessity?

Washington's men formed ranks outside Fort Necessity in anticipation of a pitched battle

What war was the contest for the Ohio River Valley?

Series: French and Indian War - The Contest for the Ohio River Valley

Where did the South Carolinians advance and retreat?

While the South Carolinians remained at the Great Meadows, Washington and his Virginians spent most of June opening a road from Fort Necessity to Gist's Plantation, a frontier settlement in the direction of the forks of the Ohio.

Did Washington surrender his guns to the French?

The British were allowed to withdraw with the honors of war, retaining their baggage and weapons, but having to surrender their swivel guns. Washington surrendered his command to the French. One clause stated that Washington was guilty of the assassination of a French officer, Jumonville. He denied this.

Why was Fort Necessity built?

The fort was built to defend his forces from French soldiers enraged by the murder of Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville while in Washington’s custody.

What happened to Washington after Jumonville was assassinated?

Jumonville’s murder in captivity incited a strong French response, and Washington was unable to defend his makeshift Fort Necessity from French forces led by Jumonville’s half-brother. Washington surrendered on July 4 and signed a confession—in French, which he could not read—to Jumonville’s assassination.

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What is Figure VI?

Figure VI. An overhead diagram of Fort Necessity’s cabin, wooden stockade and earthworks from Harrington’s "New Light."

What were the redoubts built of?

Eighteenth century military engineering manuals called for earthen redoubts to be built of gabionsfascines, baskets of wood and earth formed together into a wall. If time was not available to construct gabions then fascines, bundles of sticks bound together, were to be used . The British soldiers, although most likely familiar with gabion construction, did not have the time to build such formal structures and thus resorted to readily available and easily used material, dug earth and stacked logs. It is possible fascines were used, but no primary source or archeological evidence has been discovered to prove this. That the earthworks themselves existed is strongly supported by the historical record. Washington recalled that after first forming his men in the meadow in line of battle, his army soon “retired to our trenches” and that he was concerned that the French would endeavor to “force our trenches” by “their superiority of numbers” . Private John Shaw recalled after the battle that prior to the engagement the army “had endeavored to throw up a little entrenchment round them.” The wall was most likely about four feet high, or breast high on most of the men, hence the term breastwork that Major Stephen used . The two-foot ditch on the interior of the wall gave the soldiers standing behind it about six feet of cover.

What was the shape of the wooden stockade?

The first surveys conducted of the site in the early 19th century, with the wooden stockade no longer present, seemed to indicate a rectangular shape. The French had torn down and burned the wooden portions of the fort after they captured it . What early surveyors encountered were the only visible remnants of Fort Necessity left on the surface, the outline of the eroded earthworks. Not understanding what they were looking at, they took these outlines to be the remnants of the exterior wall of the stockade itself . Limited archeology in 1931 seemed to prove the rectangular theory . Harrington, after reviewing the primary source evidence, went to work in 1953 to prove which was correct. After digging numerous test pits and trenches, he quickly became convinced that the stockade portion of the structure had been round. Expanding on this theory, he began larger excavations and quickly proved himself correct. He found the burnt off stockade posts in the ground, arranged in a circular formation approximately 53’ in diameter. Harrington had found Fort Necessity.

What was the strength of the defenses designed by Vauban?

The strength of the defenses designed by Vauban meant that it became very difficult and costly to capture them by force. Often a long siege would be required, whereby defenders would be starved or intimidated into surrendering. Siege warfare would emerge to be the predominant form of combat in Europe throughout the first half of the 18th century.

How many French soldiers were on the battlefield in 1754?

It must be remembered that the French column had left Fort Duquesne on June 28th. It is unknown how many French soldiers and their allies were on the battlefield on July 3rd, 1754. The primary sources do not agree on the strength. Our best guess given all the accounts is around 700, approximately 500 French and Canadians and around 200 American Indians. De Villiers’s men had with them only the food and ammunition they could carry on their person. By July 3rd, having been on the march for six days, the French were running low on supplies. Regarding ammunition, the French commander noted that during the battle “the fervor and zeal of our Canadians and soldiers worried me because I could see we would soon be without ammunition” Just as troubling, de Villiers’s American Indian allies told him they were leaving the next morning. They reported British reinforcements were on the march and close by, which was not the case, and that they needed to head home. Some of the warriors of the pays d’en haut, tribes from the interior of Canada, had travelled from as far as the shores of Lake Michigan to be at the battle and were ready to return . De Villiers knew that to be victorious and accomplish his mission, he had to wrap up the engagement before his allies left. At around 8:00pm, de Villiers offered a ceasefire and generous terms for the British surrender. Washington, unaware of the French situation, was eventually convinced to sign. His reasons were many but consisted mainly of the fact that his force had suffered significant casualties and the men he had left were combat ineffective; either their weapons didn’t work, their ammunition was ruined, or they were drunk. His men were in bad shape even before the shooting started. He was very low on food, and resupply and reinforcement were nowhere to be found . Thinking he was heavily outnumbered, he made the most logical decision he could given the circumstances and the terms offered. Around midnight, Washington agreed to surrender Fort Necessity at dawn on July 4th, 1754.

Why were engineers important to the British army?

Engineers, those officers specifically trained in the subject, became ever more valuable to armies as dynastic wars continued to rage across Europe. Specialized officer corps and schools began to develop that trained engineers, such as the British Corps of Royal Engineers in 1720 and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwhich in 1741. Engineers became an officer most commanders would not dare to be without on campaign.

When was Fort Necessity reconstructed?

Figure VIII. Fort Necessity reconstructed in 1932 , showing the large rectangular stockade with a flagpole in the middle.

What did Jumonville attempt to describe his mission as?

Through a translator, Jumonville attempted to describe his mission as that of a peaceful emissary. While Washington was busy handling the other prisoners, Tanaghrisson approached Jumonville and struck him repeatedly in the head with a hatchet.

What were the signs of the French sneak attack?

Signs of an impending French sneak attack were seen everywhere — constant rustlings in the brush and unknown footprints. Washington and Tanaghrisson decided on May 28 to take the initiative and strike first.

How long did the Battle of the French last?

The battle lasted a scant 15 minutes. Hit hard by Washington from the front and the Indian warriors from behind, the French were surrounded, and surrendered quickly. One of the prisoners, a French ensign named Joseph Coulon de Villers, Sieur de Jumonville, had been bearing a diplomatic message demanding the British leave the Ohio area. Through a translator, Jumonville attempted to describe his mission as that of a peaceful emissary. While Washington was busy handling the other prisoners, Tanaghrisson approached Jumonville and struck him repeatedly in the head with a hatchet. Reaching into the man’s broken skull, “he pulled out a handful of viscous tissue, and washed his hands in Jumonville’s brain.” The French dead, including Jumonville, were scalped.

What did the British take note of in 1753?

In 1753, the British anxiously took note of rising French activity in the Ohio Country. The lieutenant governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie, saw French actions as a violation of treaties that had placed the valuable territory as part of the Virginia and Pennsylvania colonies. Lacking crucial information on the strength of the French, ...

What did the French use the incident for?

The French used the incident for propaganda and the British simply moved on. In the final analysis, the event did little to sully Washington’s reputation. In fact, it demonstrated his aptitude for intelligence, resolve, and coolness under fire — things he would become legendary for in the years to come.

What led to the surrender of Fort Necessity?

The combination of hungry and inexperienced colonial soldiers, wet gunpowder, inferior numbers, and a rickety structure led to the surrender of Fort Necessity by nightfall. The final debacle was yet to come. As was customary, Washington was required to personally sign the instrument of surrender.

What did the Indians believe?

The Indians believed, quite correctly, that the hastily built Necessity and Washington’s green troops could not prevail against the approaching French regulars. The alliance between Washington and the Indians was at an end. Even the arrival of British reinforcements did not equal the odds. Finally, on the morning of July 3, 1754, ...

Overview

Battle

By 11:00 am on the 3rd of July 1754, Louis Coulon de Villiers came within sight of Fort Necessity. At this time, the Virginians were digging a trench in the mud. The pickets fired their muskets and fell back to the fort, whereupon three columns of Canadian soldiers and Indians advanced downhill towards the fort. However, Coulon had miscalculated the location of the fort and had advanced with the fort at his right. As Coulon halted and then redeployed his troops, Washingto…

Background

Prelude

Aftermath

Notes

External links