French treachery at Fort Le Boeuf in 1753 was discovered by Washington when he was told the French were abducting English traders and shipping them far away. Washington also had to thwart a French plot to intentionally slowdown Indian business and prevent Washington from departing.
fort le boeuf on lake erie
In 1753, the French invaded the southern shore of Lake Erie and started building four forts to block the English colonialists from establishing settlements on the Ohio frontier. Completed in 1754, these French forts were Presque Isle, Le Boeuf, Machault, and Duquesne. These citadels were strategically situated from Lake Erie to the Forks of the Ohio to show France’s claim on the Ohio territory, and its connections to their existing dominions in the Illinois Country, Louisiana, and Canada.
Fort Le Boeuf (modern Waterford, Pennsylvania) was the guard at the southern end of Lake Erie and French Creek, which ran to the Allegheny River. Initially, its purpose was a French trading post and garrison until 1759, when Fort Niagara fell to the British and they were forced to abandon the Ohio Country. As the French withdrew from the fort, they burned it to the ground, but the British rebuilt it in 1760 and occupied the site until June 1763. Then the Ohio Indians grew angry by the British’s failure to keep their promise to withdraw from their homelands, and they attacked and overwhelmed the garrison during Pontiac’s Rebellion (1763-1766).
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Lake Erie has a tail-like shape, which is derived from erielhonan, the Iroquoian word for “long tail.” The lake is approximately 241 miles (388 km) long, 57 miles (92 km) wide with 871 miles (1,402 km) of shoreline – including islands. Its size makes it the eleventh largest lake in the world, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. — livescience.com—
French treachery at fORT LE BOEUF
12 December 1753
George Washington was prepared as Virginia’s British delegate
With Governor Dinwiddie’s Letter and Commission to relegate
Them to the Fort Commander’s attention and care.
Washington was punctual and waited patiently-
Always a gentleman, modest and disciplined, he fully
Remained obliging with his usual, good-natured flair.
Jacques Legardeur de St. Piere, Second Officer in Command,
Received Major Washington and said he was the new Commander
After the recent death of, Marin, its last Commander.
Washington did not expect such an elderly soldier-
Who talked about his honor as Knight of the Military Order
Of St. Lewis, then, firmly, Washington made his offer.
He extended his British Commission and Letter,
But Legardeur de St. Piere declined and deferred
Them for Captain Riparti, whose arrival was any time.
Finally, Captain Riparti appeared and dutifully took
Major Washington’s papers to a private room to look
With his interpreter for French changes to be assigned.
Later, Captain Riparti summoned Major Washington
And his interpreter to his room where they begun
Examination of their differences over details.
Washington was reasonable and a sensible young man
Yet anxious with reserved deliberation for a worthy plan,
He purposefully agreed to the amended details.
French Captain Riparti
Fort Le Boeuf | John Buxton Art
fort le boeuf DIMENSIONS AND FORTIFICATIONS
13 December 1753
Chief Indian Officers retired to another location
In which to hold a Council of War deliberation-
And that gave Washington a rare opportunity.
He observed the Fort and took dimensions,
Noting suitable groundwork for fortifications
And how French Creek strengthened the facility.
Four houses outlined the Fort’s sides
Its ramparts ground-driven piles, fortified
Twelve-foot high with sharp tops and guardhouse.
Eight-mounted cannons aimed through portholes
And small arms stations cut with loopholes,
Chapel, doctor chambers, and private storehouse.
Raised platforms for cannon and soldiers-
Outside the Fort, some log barracks had covers
Made of boards and others with bark.
Stables and smith’s shop, no total number
For men, but at least a hundred inferred-
At the gate, a four-pound cannon counterpart.
Washington could not get a sure number of men
But his best judgment were a hundred men,
Entirely Officers and that number could grow.
Washington ordered his men for an exact accounting
Of canoes that carried French forces down in spring-
Fifty birch, 170 pine, and others not ready to go.
WASHINGTON MISTRUSTED THE FRENCH
14 December 1753
Weather grew colder and snowfall increased
Pack horses were weaker and so their packs released-
They were sent with Barnaby Currin back to Venango.
Washington wanted them to wait for him there
If the rivers froze, otherwise continue down with care
To Shanapin’s Town and stay at the Forks of Ohio.
The French plotted a slowdown of Indian business
Preventing Washington’s departure, nevertheless,
Major Washington thwarted their two-faced intentions.
Finally, the French granted admittance for Tanaghrisson the Half-King
With the Fort Commander and Officers for a meeting,
Where he offered Wampum as a peace affirmation.
Tanaghrisson told Washington the Fort Commander
Avoided the Wampum, rather he was a bargainer
Of fair promises for love and friendship.
The Commander wanted to live and trade peacefully-
As proof, he would send goods immediately
To Logstown confirming French partnership.
Washington mistrusted the French relationship-
He heard they took stray English traders and shipped
Them away, this concerned Washington as treachery.
He probed the French Commander by what authority
He took Englishmen prisoners into captivity-
The Commander told Washington it was their Country.
No Englishman had a right to trade on Ohio waters,
The Commander continued, he had his orders-
Take prisoners of all persons foreign who traded.
Major Washington probed Captain Riparti about the boy,
He visited the place but the area was completely devoid
Of him, was the boy alive and could it be validated?
Captain Riparti admitted the boy was carried somewhere
With Indians that had white men’s scalps of hair,
All he could do was suppose from where the boy had come.
Washington knew Captain Riparti feigned forgetfulness
About the boy’s particulars, but said there was progress
For the Pennsylvania traders – their return from Canada begun.
Later that evening, Major Washington received the answer
To Governor Dinwiddie’s Letter – his duty was messenger,
And now he must hurry his return to Williamsburg.
THE FRENCH BRIBE THE INDIANS
15 December 1753
The Commandant ordered a supply of liquor and provisions
Aboard Washington’s canoe – a diplomatic, cordial submission-
Obvious to Washington a French disguise for trickery.
Washington observed the French conspire and set into motion
Indian disunity, which fostered a growing apprehension
Against a departure with Major Washington – a calculated bribery.
The Commandant offered presents, rewards, and everything
Possible to forestall an Indian departure till morning,
So they could win Half-King over to the French side.
Never had Washington suffered from so much anxiety
As in this affair, aware the French aimed for this opportunity-
So Washington pressed Half-King to gather his men and ride.
Half-King told Washington the Commandant made it known
Their departure from the Fort was best for all postponed
Till next sunrise, so Major Washington went to the Commandant.
He complained of ill-treatment by the French and their
Detainment of his group of Indians under his dutiful care,
And that, Washington protested, was intolerant.
The Commandant claimed he knew not why
The Indians stayed nor did he keep them or imply
The French were deliberately going between.
Washington’s temper flared, when he soon learned
The Commandant promised guns if they turned
From their trip, and waited for morning as deemed.
WASHINGTON AND HALF-KING LEAVE FORT LE BoEUF
16 December 1753
Reluctantly, Major Washington agreed to Indian insistence
And waited another day – he accepted their assurance
They would depart right away, but the French were shifty.
As promised, they gave the guns but sought another delay
So they presented to the Indians liquor for a longer stay,
But Half-King refrained due to Washington’s anxiety.
It was a tedious and weary passage downstream,
Repelling rocks with all hands working as a team
Moving canoes in the icy water over sandy shoals.
In one place, the ice lodged making their voyage
Impossible by water, and they had to manage
Carrying canoes over land while being wet in the cold.
The creek meandered like a very long snake-
They followed its distance as the best way to take
The 130 miles from the Fort back to Venango.
It took six days to reach Venango, where they
Reclaimed their horses and found them in no way
Fit to carry essentials or men, so they had to decide what to do.
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR | Part 4
Continued…
Updated 2020
References
—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