Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-02-20
Ellsworth Jones' Compost.
ton, washington in
the French War


came evident to the governor of vir.
ginia that the French must bo either
driven away or the English people
must be shut in to the country on the
east side Of the mountains. So, WASH
1854 to take possession Of the country.
point where the Allegheny and Mo-
thought would be good place for q
men ahead to build q fort, but the
and named 1t Fort Duquesne.
+ not many they were nearly all soldiers.
So when Washington with his party
had got through the wild mountains
into the western wilderness he found
that there were many more soldiers
on the French side than he had. Hear.
| ing that the French were logging his
steps he marched in the night and
surrounded them. After a sharp
skirmish the French fed but were
nearly all captured. This little fight
was George Washington's first battle.
But Washington soon found out he
must retreat or be taken. So he fell
back to the Great Meadows, where he
built fort called Fort Necessity. Here
the half king in despair left him and
the French attacked his little force.
| After a conflict lasting one day
Washington saw he was outnumbered
agreed to march out of the fort and
return to the settlements, which he
did.
The next year troops were sent
| from England under General Braddock
who set out to drive the French away
from Fort Duquesne. Braddock was a
brave man, but one of the sort who
cannot learn anything.
He laughed at the lank and care
less looking American troops who cut
a sorry figure alongside of the English
with their bright red coats and fine
drill. Even the American officers
were treated with contempt by the
British authorities and were not allow.
ed to rank with them. Washington
was so stung by this that he resigned
his place but accepted position on
Braddock's staff.
Washington could not persuade the
general to send scouts on either side
of the line. One day there came to
| the general a company Of woodsmen
in hunting shirts. They were com
manded by the famous Captain Jack
who was known as the "Black Hunter
of Pennsylvania. Captain Jacks whole
| family had been massacred by the saw
ages in his absence. He had now tas
en- to the woods and devoted himself
to revenging the death of his family
and to protect the settlers.
On the 9th Of July, 1855, as BraddocH
army was marching along the mar
row track of woods the French and In
dams attacked them. From every tres
and thicket the Indians leveled theli
rifles at the red coats of the Englis4i,
who fell like pigeons under their nre.
Braddock fought bravely and fell al
length MORALLY wounded. Washing.
ton had two horses shot under him ana
four bullets went through his coat.
The army so gay and brave In the
morning was soon broken to pieces
and the men. fed back to the settle
ments. "
The war between the English ard
the French was finally closed In 1868.
Canada with all the country seat OF the
Mississippi was given up to the Eng
lish and the settlers soon began TO
make their way into the region now
known as Kentucky and Tennessee.
Before the war closed washington
retired to his home at Mount Vernon
and was married to Mrs Martha Gus
LIS, widow.
Ellsworth Jones,
1913 E. Mary Street, Ottumwa.