Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-07-05
Washington's Sad
Fourth Of July
Day Witnessed His Surrender Of
Fort Necessity to the French.

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The light OF early morning shone
upon strange scene in the wilderness
OF western Pennsylvania.
A force Of 600 Frenchmen and 100
Indians was camped around a rude
stockade a little to the southeast and
not far from the present city of Pitts
burg. They were commanded by
Coulon de Villiers, a young French
man, the commandant of Fort Du-
quesne, who had sworn vengeance
against the English for the death of
his brother, Jumonville, who had fall
en- in a skirmish few days before.
Besides, he was pledged to make good
the French boast that no English flag
should wave west of the Alleghenies.
In the fort little force numbering
less than half the number of the
French and Indians had held out for
one long day and six hours of the
night against the attack of their
vengeful and overpowering foe.
Before we relate the story of Fort
Necessity, however, 1t will be we'll to
refer to the causes which led to this
Fourth Of July episode.
At the commencement of the French
and Indian war 1t was determined by
the English, for the better protection
Of their interests, to build a fort at
the junction of the Allegheny and
Monongahela rivers, on the present
site of Pittsburg. A body Of troops
was accordingly dispatched by Gov.
Dinwiddie of virginia to accomplish
this object.
The death Of their colonel on the
march threw the command into the
hands of the second officer, a tall Vir-
ginian of %, with brown hair and gray |
eyes, whose gravity of manner and |
careworn appearance bespoke even |
then the greatness hes was to win.
This virginian youth was George
Washington.
Before he reached the goal of his
journey, Washington learned from his
scouts the futility of his errand. In
stead Of driving sout the French he 4
and his command stood in fair wav
Of being themselves driven out IL not
altogether annihilated.
The French had been lmprov;ng the
summer weather. They had eaptured
the few English and built and manned
a strong fortress at the yerv Mace
where the English expected to buiId
one, and a French and Indian force
Of more than 1000 men was throneing
the adjacent forest. II
Wnen within days march OF the
lew Iort Wnlcn tne Frencn mad named '
DuOuesne. aiter tne governor OF Can /
'oa' washington matted at place q
'aileo tne Great Meadows and con-
eIucteu tortlncauoh OF logs ana i
AItn. o
40 tnls ruae stocKade ne gave the d
'ane .. rort Necessity. In II were Q
'iaceu tne cannons Wnlcn ne mad
ragged WIN 30 great toii through the
orest pains from virginia. q
AIter lew Gays rest, washington 81
'ent FORWARD win portion o. his =
orce 10 meet tne shawnee cnlef, Half !.
ing A council was heid and 1t was =
etermlned 70 make night attack Of
pom tne Frencn.
Tne Scouts OF the taitnful Shawnee
aier round the enemy,s tran, and In =,
le darkness OF rainy night the -
ngilsn MADE successful raid. Ju-
!onviile' the French leader, was
liIeo' ana several OF his men fell bv
FlSoners lnto Wasningtons nandA n,
he now fell back upon Fort Neces.
ty. His situation was a critical one He
Is men had hut little ammunition lo
,d no bread of anv kInd havIng lived wi
II several days on fresh meat alone II
ID even tbIs was not nlent,sui
washington snent HE single dav n, -
spite IN strengtbening his ramnart o.
M Ioea On tha morrinv ~ ths hu
of JuIv his sconts brougbt intaIIi-
noa ~ ths sdvsnca ~ ne Ersnch
MeanvbIIe The French ana Indians no
der he command or couIou AZ WI. st'
w At Fort Duousans The % aFrsOcb 40,
her" had sunnlIsd h,s chI,dran in :.
llly vIth srssrms and IRE whars- =
thai to eat and drink sO'