Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1909-07-02
Washington's Sad
Fourth Of July
Day Witnessed His Surrender OF
Fort Necessity to the French.

II was the 4th day of July, 1854.
20 years before the Declaration of In
dependence made the day ever ia
nous.
The light of early morning shone
upon strange scene in the wilderness
OF western Pennsylvania.
A force of coo Frenchmen and 100
Indians was camped around 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 a few days before
Besides, he was pledged to make good
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
Before we relate the story of Fort
Necessity however, II will be well to
refer to the causes which led to this
Fourth OF July episode.
AT the commencement OF the French
and Indian war IL was determined by
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.
Dinwiddle of Virginia to accomplish
this object.
The death of their colonel on the
march threw the command into the
nands OF the second officer, a tall Vir.
ginian OF 20, with brown hair and gray
eyes, whose gravity of manner and
careworn appearance bespoke even
then the greatness he was to win
rhis 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 out the French. he
and his command stood In fair way
OF being themselves driven out, II no.
altogether annihilated
The French had been improving The
summer weather. They had captured
the few English and built and manned
strong fortress at the very plac,
where the English expected to bull,
one, and French and Indian fore,
Of more than LOCO men was thronglnl
| the adjacent forest.
When within "A day march OF tn,
| new fort which the French had named
Duquesne after the governor OF Can
ada. Washington halted at plac,
called the Great Meadows and con
structed fertilization OF logs ant
earth, throwing up with his owl
hands the first shovelful OF soil
To this rude stockade he gave tn,
name OF Fort Necessity. In II wer
placed the cannons which he hat
dragged with so great toll through tn
forest paths from Virginia.
The scouts OF the faithful Shawne
chief found the enemys trail, and II
the darkness Of a rainy night tn
English made a successful raid Ju
knoxville, the French leader, wa
killed. and several OF his men fel
prisoners into Washngton's hands
After few days rest, Washington
went forward with a portion Of hi
force to meet the Shawnee chief, Hal
King A council was held and Il wa
determined to make a night attac
upon the French
He now fell back upon Fort Neces
sity. His situation was critical ont
! His men had but little ammunition
and no bread OF any kind, having live
for several days on fresh meat alon'
and even this was not plentiful
Washington spent his single day {
respite in strengthening his rampai
with logs On the morning OF III
Sd OF July his scouts brought INTEL
gence OF the advance Of the French.
Meanwhile the French and Indian
under the command OF COulon de vi
liers. had been holding grand pov
WOW at Fort Duquesne. The "Frenc
father" had supplied his children III
orally with firearms and the wher
withal to eat and drink.
The braves after consuming sever
oxen and drinking two barrels of win
, had expressed their willingness
march against the English and drl'
them across the Alleghenies.
ne Uflifars set ont on this eXped