George Washington's Journey Through Pennsylvania Includes Map forts and information about the tribes

French And Indian War

By: Ben Healey

This image shows the trail Washington

traveled during his military career.

This image shows where the Native American

tribes lived during Washington's Journeys.

This image helps visualize the geography

and terrain of the state of Pennsylvania.

George Washington's first mission: To deliver

a message to Jacques Legardeur (French Commander) at Ft. Lebouef.

At the age of 21, George Washington is assigned to give a letter to Jacques Legardeur at a French fort called Ft. Leboeuf. The letter contained a warning to the French, telling them they must abandon the fort immediately because the British have control over that area of land. Before he gives the letter to Jacques Legardeur, he describes the fort in his journal. The information he records, contains how many canoes, houses, and guards the fort has. After he recorded in his journal, Washington proceeds to give the letter to Jacques Legardeur. Washington is rejected.

At this time, the Native American group

that allied with Washington were the Iroquis indians. The Iroquios indians were comprised of 2 smaller tribes; the Shawnee and the Seneca Tribes. These indians helped George Washington by firing at the enemies in battle. The indians fought against the French because of weak agreements and control of land.

Fort Bedford: Fort Bedford was a military post located

South East of Fort Duquesne. George Washington marched his army to Bedford in 1794 to end the Whiskey Rebellion.

Washington felt the constitution itself was at risk because of the Whiskey Rebellion. In Fact, the city of Pittsburgh was nearly burned down due to aggrivations between the two sides of the agreement.

Fort Cumberland: Braddock's small army stopped here

and settled here for several weeks.

While the army was there, they ran into

a group of indians. George Washington

describes in his journal that the

Cherokee Indians were friendly and

impressed with the firearms. What

Washing did not know, is they

strongly disliked Braddock's view of

crossing the first mountain to Ft. Necessity

Fort Duquense: Fort Duquense was a French

built fort located at the fork of the allegheny

and the ohio river. This area was crucial for the

British to claim because it was located so close to

the rivers. In mid July, the British was located 6

miles away from the fort. A French scout approached

Braddock, asking him to sign a peace agreement, but

Braddock was not willing to negotiate. The following day, Braddock's army crossed the Monongahela River, south of the fort. There they met the French force and engaged

in battle. Braddock was hit during the firefight. Washington then took control and retreated to Virginia with the soldiers that were still alive.

Fort Machault was built by the French to control the Venango Road. The Fort was named after Jean-Baptiste Machault d'Arnouville, a French Minister.Fort Machault was also known as "Venango," the name of an indian tribe. Fort Machault was the last stop on the supply route from Canada to Fort Duquesne. After the French abandoned Fort Duquesne in November 1758, they fell back to Fort Machault, and the British expected them to counter attack. The French burned the post and retreated to Canada. In 1760, the British built a Fort called Fort Venango near this site.

Fort Venango: Fort Venango was to protect the area from French Creek to the Allegheny River. This fort was built near where Ft. Machault was after the french destroyed the fort.Seneca Indians attacked it during Pontiac's Rebellion in June 1763 and burned it to the ground, killing its small garrison. What is significant about this fort is that it was a storehouse for needed supplies for soldiers.

Valley Forge - The British arrived at valley forge in 1777. The General had problems with getting supplies to his troops. Winter came and the problems became worse. Shortages forced the men to forage for food in the forests and farm fields that they passed.

General Washington also was having a tough time getting support from Congress. There were threats to his leadership. His officers were unhappy and he needed to better prepare the troops to meet the enemy in the coming campaign. This was a time of suffering for George Washington's army and his soldiers.

Cussewago, PA - This area (Meadville, PA) was a significant spot for George Washington during the French and Indian War. Cussewago was a spot where the Seneca Indians stayed during the French and Indian War. George Washington had camped here. He stopped here on his journey to Ft. Lebouef.

Fort Loudon - This spot was George Washington's office from 1732-1799. The museum located here still has Washington's surveying tools. This spot is significant to the war because this is the area where George Washington thought about his ideas and views on the war.

Logstown - Logstown was established by the French on the Ohio River as a place to trade with Native Americans. The Half-King settled with a group of Indians in this location. Later on, The Half-King allies with George Washington's cavalry. The town was named "Logstown" because the French built log cabins in this area.

The Forks - The Forks refers to the meeting place of the Ohio And Allegheny River. It Is Significant due to trading and control over the river. The French and British fought over this spot for domination of the area.

Fort Presque-Isle - Fort Presque-Isle was built by the French in the summer of1753 to protect the Venango Road. It was the first of the French posts built in the Ohio Country, and a Native American named Tanacharisson, demanded that it be abandoned. The French burned this post when they retreated from the Ohio Valley in 1759. The British soon claimed this spot but as soon as they claimed it, the Fort fell from Indian attack.

Fort Pitt- Fort Pitt was named after William Pitt, a British Prime Minister. Fort Pitt was the largest British Fort in Pennsylvania. Fort Pitt marked the end to Forbes Road, an important supply route for trade with Native Americans. A British chief named Sr. Bradley Amherst made a policy that made the Native Americans mad against the British along the Great Lakes and the Ohio frontier in summer 1763. The Policy included that they were to stop granting diplomatic presents to the Indians.

Fort Redstone: Fort Redstone was visited by George Washington in the early French And Indian War. He stopped here on his way to Fort Dusquense. This was a significant spot of the French and Indian War because not only did a British and French battle occured, But an indian battle was taken place here too. The rivalry was the Senecas vs. Shawnee

Fort Henry: Fort Henry was a british fort located North of Fort Pitt. The French soon attacked this fort because the British held french prisoners there. Some of the British fled the fort while others died from protecting it. Soon, the British that escaped were killed by the Native Americans that were surrounding the fort in the woods. This is a significant point in the war because this is few of the forts that the French reclaimed in Pennsylvania.

Fort Necessity: Fort Necessity (now located in Fayette County, PA) was built by George Washington's army. His strategy of building a fort in the middle of a grassy area surrounded by thick forestry was a failure. During the build of the fort, the French and their indian allies surrounded the fort and opened fire. The French sent a messenger with a surrender letter, and Washing agreed to sign it.