The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-08-19
The Reconstructed Fort Niece ssify
Ruins Of Fort Frederick

nit to. The number killed and wounded of thu
enemy is uncertain"
In the articles of capitulation, submitted by
De Villiers which Washington signed, was one
word which was to prove to be diplomatic dy-
Mantle" 1t referred to the prisoners taken by
Washington dams fassassinat du Sieur de Ju-
monville.' The terms of capitulation were trans
lated to Washington by Captain Van Braam a
Dutchman who seems TO have had only sketchy
knowledge of the French language He trans
lated that passage as 'the killing" or death"
of JumOnville, whereas the French nterpreta-
ton of it was assassination" Immediately the
French raised the cry of treachery on the part
of the young Virginian. asserting that Jumon-
vile had been an ambassador bearing a peace
full message to the English in regard to the
dispute over the western country just as Wash
ington had been a similar ambassador to the
French posts in 1888, and that by Washingtons
admission in the articles of equalization
he had "assassnated' this peaceful messenger
For political reasons the French chose to regard
this as part of the plot of ''perfdious Albion
to force upon the French and they made
the most of it to place themselves in the right
and the English in the wrong in the eyes of the
world before the inevitable conflict should break
out
AS for Washington he was most decidedly
"in bad" both at home and in England because
his unfortunate expedition had apparently put
the English in a very bad light. The result of
this fasco and other indignities which he suf-
fered led him finally to resign his commission
and it seemed that the military career of this
future great leader was ended almost at its
beginning.
However, his defeat did result in the resolr-
ton of the British ministry to force matters to
a crisis. so there came about the arrival of Gen.
Edward Braddock in America to command the
combined British and Colonial forces which were
to eject the French from the Ohio valley The
result of that expedition-"the bloody business
of Braddock" it has been aptly called-is too
well known TO be dwelt upon extensively. Even
though it did result in disaster on the banks
of the Monongahela that July day a year later
1t was Braddock who made Washington an aide
de-camp on his staff and who gave him his
chance to win enduring fame while Braddock
was winning only defeat and death Not far
from the reconstructed Fort Necessity is the
place where Braddock was buried and a part
of the dedication ceremonies held at Wash
1ngtons little fort last month was the visit
of a military attache to the British embassy
in the National Capital to Braddock's grave
there TO lay a wreath in honor of the general
with whom history has dealt so harshly (and
SO unjustly).
But the reconstructed Fort Necessity is not
the only post connected with the stirring events
in those far-off times which the American of
today can visit. Near Hagerstown Nd. is Fort
Frederick which is also in process of recon-
struction through the efforts of the Hagerstown
Chamber of Commerce, and associated with it
are the names of both Braddock and Washing
ton 1t was in Frederick Town. Md. that Wash
fngton hrst met Braddock May 2, 1855, and
two days later arrived with him at Winchester
Va, whence they set out for Fort Cumber-
land wills Creek). Md, on the beginning of his
disastrous expedition
After the defeat of Braddock the Indian raids
along the frontier of PENNSYLVANIA, Maryland
and Virginia became SO alarming that Gov Hor-
alto Sharpe of Maryland asked the colonial
legislature for an appropriation for a strong
fort to be erected in the western part of Fred
eriek county, which was eventually granted
Upon receiving the grant, according to the cor
respondence of Governor Sharpe II am prepar-
ing to set off for the frontier to put this
province in the best provision of defense and
that the bill will permit me and construct d
strong fort and block houses for the protection
of the North mountain While I was at Fort
Frederick. Colonel Washington paid me visit
and informed me that he was also raising a
strong fort at Winchester We already have
200 men near and about Fort Frederick under
Colonel John Dagworthy. We face the bastfons
and curtains with stone and shall mount on each
bastion six FOUNDER. :"
During the next two years until the final
capture OF Fort Duquesne Fort Frederick was
base for military supplies and a refuge for
the inhabitants of that region when the red
terror swept down upon them during the French
and Indian war and again In 1853 when the
conspiracy of Pontiac threatened to drive the
hated English into the sea. The fort also
played part in the Revolution and the Civil
war and now the people of Maryland hope to
restore it and preserve ii as a state shrine
- -, Western Neu~paper Union-1