Washington confronts death twice while returning to Williamsburg from Fort Le Boeuf in 1753; first by French Indians and when crossing the fast moving, icy Allegheny River with Christopher Grist on a hand-made raft.
BACK TO FORT VENANGO
23 December 1753
to Venango – 1753
George Washington sent for Tanaghrisson the Half-King
To determine if Half-King would be going
With Washington by land or with others by water.
Half-King said White-Thunder was sick and hurt,
Unable to walk – a canoe was needed to move him inert
So Half-King intended to stay a bit and move later.
Washington suspected Captain Joncaire would
Try to sway Half-King against the English, if he could
Mislead with a credible plan as he had done before.
Washington cautioned Half-King against flattery
And fine talk from Joncaire for it was all trickery-
Half-King was unconcerned, the French said it all before.
Though Half-King could not travel with them this time,
He would meet Mr. Campbell at the Forks and consign
To him the speech to carry to Virginia’s Governor.
Half-King sent Best Hunter to attend Washington’s
Outfit with food and necessaries for the next run,
But the horses were too weak for heavy labor.
Washington ceded his horse as did the others,
Carrying their packs for three days walking over
Hard terrain, their weakened horses getting less able.
Temperature went from cold to freezing, the roads
Hidden and impossible to use as deep snow slowed
Their way and the weather was utterly miserable.
Washington was restless with the slow progression
Through the woods, he had a purpose and a decision
To hastily return to Virginia and report to the Governor.
But he had to accept that he could only continue the journey
On foot, leaving Mr. Vanbraam in charge of baggage and money,
Directions, horses, and basics as their trusted courier.
AMBUSHED BY FRENCH INDIANS
26 December 1753
Washington put on a common, Indian outer garment-
A long, rough woolen cloth as added armament
Against the harsh winter, keeping him warm and dry.
In his backpack were his papers and provisions,
He took a gun and left with Mr. Gist on their mission
To return to Dinwiddie and deliver the French reply.
After the first day, they passed a place called
Murdering-Town where they agreed on a withdrawal
From their current course to cross the outland instead.
They headed for Shannapins Town when they were
Surprised by a party of French Indian warriors
Hidden among the trees, when one fired a ball of lead.
The inaccuracy of the trade gun missed the shot
Fifteen steps away, Washington and Gist got
The Indian and kept him till 9 o’clock that night.
Washington and Gist kept moving overnight
With no stops, getting far out of reach by daylight,
As the Indians would track them at first light.
The woodlands were silent from heavy snow,
A freezing mist hung on the trail’s wild hedgerow
As Washington and Gist trekked till dark.
Finally, they arrived at the Allegheny River about two
Miles above Shannapins expecting the river to
Be frozen but it was not – they were unable to embark.
Broken ice moved about the river in vast quantities
And no way to get to shore without difficulties-
They faced the Allegheny River – it had to be crossed.
They made a raft of cut logs with one poor hatchet,
It was a whole days work when they finished at sunset-
They launched into turbulent water and were roughly tossed.
Shannopin’s Town
Halfway across, the ice jammed and nearly capsized
Their raft as the twisting current threatened their demise,
While Washington set out his pole to slow its movement.
But the water’s turbulence grew and pulled the pole
From Washington yanking him in the water with no control.
Luckily, he grabbed a raft log and survived the incident.
However, they could not get the raft to the intended shore
And were forced to leave the raft and get to an island offshore-
They were soaked and the frigid air intolerable.
All of Gist’s fingers froze and some of his toes,
Yet they managed to cross the river since it froze
Overnight – reaching Mr. Frazier‘s place feeling miserable.
There they met 20 Warriors who were going south
To war and said they came upon a place thereabouts,
On the Kanawha headwaters that was abandoned.
Inside they found bodies of seven dead persons
Massacred, all scalped except for a light-haired woman-
The Warriors ran in fear of dead spirits being troublesome.
The Warriors described bodies lying about the place
Some torn and eaten by hogs, terribly defaced-
They recognized marks by French Indians of Ottaway.
Washington needed horses and it took some time
To find them – then he rode out three miles consigned
To visit Queen Alliquippa to atone for his unintended delay.
Washington was unable to meet Queen Alliquippa initially
As his duty was to deliver Dinwiddie’s Letter of urgency
To the French, but she worried he passed her by.
Queen Alliquippa’s camp was at the mouth of the River
Yanughyaughgane and Washington brought gifts for her-
A match coat and bottle of rum – her most favored prize.
RETURN TO WILLIAMSBURG
1-16 January 1754
Washington left Frazier’s house and arrived next day
At Gist’s place at Monongahela settlement where he paid
For a horse, saddle, and essentials for his journey home.
While on the trail, Washington and his men met 17 horses
Loaded with material and stores for a Fort’s resources,
And next day families moving to resettle to a new home.
Arriving at Wills Creek, Washington and his men were tired
From the journey through unduly, bad weather that transpired
Most of December, raining and snowing incessantly.
The journey was a continuous series of cold wet weather,
Uncomfortable lodgings, except for the tent, which deterred
Some of the brutal, wintry conditions from further misery.
On the 11th, Washington made it to Belvoir where he
Stopped a day to rest, then set out again on his journey-
Arriving the 16th in Williamsburg, he went directly to the Governor.
Washington waited, holding the French Commandant’s Letter
And his written Account of his Journey’s Proceedings – his offer
Of remarkable occurrences experienced as British messenger.
Washington hoped the Account would be sufficient to satisfy
His Honour, as that undertaking was his aim to justify
The journey and chief study throughout its prosecution.
His Honour’s most Obedient,
And very humble Servant,
– G. Washington.
The French and Indian War | 1753-1754
– The Beginning –
The Journal of Major George Washington
The Seven-Year War Continues…
Updated 2020
References
–Washington, George. 1754. Williamsburg printed, London reprinted for T. Jeffreys. Mount Vernon, VA.
http://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-sources-2/article/the-journal-of-major-george-washington/
–Washington, George and Royster, Paul , editor, “The Journal of Major George Washington (1754)” (1754). Electronic Texts in American Studies. 33. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/etas/33