OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: George Washington's mission to the Ohio [1] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 December 25, 1999 *********************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio Diaries of S. J. Kelly Plains Dealer Know Your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley *********************************************************************** George Washington's mission to the Ohio. Part 1-- England and France were locked in a world-wide cold war in 1753, each trying to gain advantage over the other. In North America, they both wanted the Ohio River Valley, an area where few Europeans had ventured at the time. The French reached the Ohio River Valley first, following a route that led from their Canadian colonies, across Lake Erie and then south by river. The English had not yet gotten there, but had claimed some of its lands the " Ohio Company," a business venture formed by powerful Englishmen, including the highest royal official in Virginia, Governor Robert Dinwiddie. When Dinwiddie learned that the French were moving into the Ohio River Valley, he sought help from the King. King George ll's response was strong: first. he ordered, send an envoy to tell the French to leave, then build a fort in the area and if necessary, use force to drive the French out. Choosing the envoy to carry the message to the French was a problem: the person had to be abl to handle a diplomatic mission, and be able to make his way through hundreds of miles of Indian-occupied wilderness. George Washington, only 21 at the time, rode to Williamsburg and volunteered for the mission, using contacts with the Fairfax family ( who were shareholders in the Ohio Company ) and citing his surveying experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley, Washington was appointed to the job on October 31, 1753. The information he brought back, set the English in action. Three months later Washington was to lead a force of 160 men back into the area, where he fought what were to be the opening battles of the French and Indian War. General Washington kept a journel of his trip into the Ohio River Valley--and in 1754, " The Maryland Gazette " printed and transcribed the journel in two issues, ( March 21 and March 28,1754 ), the first American printing of a journel in a newspaper. The first paragraph of the article that follows is the editors preface to the March 21, 1754 issue of the Maryland Gazette.. It is well to include it, along with Washington's " advertisement," so called, as they both set the stage for the Journel itself. ********************************************** The Storm arising in the West, being the present Topic of Conversation, we think that we can not oblige our Readers, at this Juncture, with anything more entertaining than Major Washington's Journel, Journey to Ohio, who was sent last Fall, by the Governor of Virginia, to the Commandant of the French Forces there. ( Major Washington introduces his Journel with an Advertisement, with which we likewise present our Readers ). From a Copy just Printed in Williamsburg. ADVERTISEMENT As it was thought advisable by his Honour the Governor to have the following Account of my Proceedings to and from the French on Ohio, committed to Print. I think I can do no less than apologize, in some Measure, for the numberless Imperfections of it There interspersed but one Day between my Arrival in Williamsburg and the Time for the Council's Meeting, for me to prepare and transcribe, from the rough Minutes I had taken in my Travels, this Journel: The writing of which only was sufficient to emply me closely the Whole Time, consquently admited of no Leisure to consult of a new and proper Form to offer it in, or to correct or amend the Diction of the old; neither was I aprised, or did in the least conceive, when I wrote this for his Honour's perusal, that it ever would be published or even have more than a cursory Reading; till I was informed, at the Meeting of the present General Assembly, that it was aready in the Press. There is nothing can recommend it to the Public, but this. Those Things which came under the Notice of my own Observation, I have been explicit and just in a Recital of:--- Those which I have gathered from Report, I have been particularly cautious not to augment, but Collected the Opinions of the several Intelliegencers, and selected from the whole, the most probable and consistent Account. G. Washington. ***********************************************Major GEORGE WASHINGTON'S Journal to the Ohio. Wednesday, October 31, 1753. I was commissioned and appointed by the Honourable Robert Dinwiddie, Esq. Governor, Etc. of Virginia, to visit and deliver a Letter to the Commandant of the French Forces on the Ohio, and set out on the intended Journey the same Day; the next, I arrived Fredericksburg, and engaged Mr. Jacob Van Braam, to be my French interpreter; and proceeded with him to Alexandria, where we provided Necessaries; from whence we went to Winchester, and got luggage, Horse, Etc. and from thence we pursued the new Road to Wills Creek, where we arrived the 14th of November. Here I engaged Mr.Gist to pilot us out, and also hired four others as Servitors, Barnaby Currin, and John MacQuire, Indian Traders, Henry Steward, and William Jenkins, and in Company with those Persons, left the Inhabitants the Day following. The excessive Rains and vast Quantity of Snow that had fallen, prevented our reaching Mr. Frazier's, an Indian Trader, at the Mouth of Turtle rock, on Monongahela, till Thursday, the 22nd. We were informed here, that Expresses were sent a few days ago to the Traders down the River, to acquaint them with the French General's Death, and the Return of the major Part of the French army into Winter Quarters. The Waters were quite Impassable, without swimming our Horses; which obliged us to get the loan of a Canoe from Frazier, and to send Barnaby Currin, and Henry Steward, down Monongahela with our Baggage, to meet us at the Forks at Ohio, about 10 miles, to cross Allegany. As I got down before the Canoe, I spent some time in viewing the Rivers. The Land in this fork, as it has the absolute Command of Both Rivers.The Land at this Point is 20 or 25 Feet above the common Surface of the water, and a considerable Bottom of flat, well-timbered Land all around it, very convenient for Building; the Rivers are each a Quarter of a Mile, or more, across, and run here very near at right Angles; Allegany bearing N.E. and Monongahela S.E. the former of these two is a rapid and swift running Water, the other deep and still, without any perceptible Fall. About two Miles from this , on the South East Side of the River, at the place where the Ohio Company intended to erect a Fort, lives Shingiss, King of the Delawares; we call'd upon him, to invite him to Council at the Loggs Town. As I had taken a good deal of Notice Yesterday of the Situation of the Forks, my Curiousity led me to examine this more particularly, and I think it greatly inferior, either for Defence or Advantages; esecially the latter, for a Fort at the Forks would be equally well situated on the Ohio, and have the entire command of Monongahela, which runs up to our Settlements and is extremely well designed for Water Carriage, as it is of a deep still Nature; besides, a Fort at the Fork might be at a much less Expense, then at the other Places.----- Nature has well contrived the Lower Place, for Water Defence; and then Descending gradually on the Land side, will render it difficult and very expensive, making a sufficient Fortification there.--- The whole Flat upon the Hill must be taken in, or the Side next the Desent made extremely high; or else the Hill cut away; Otherwise, the Enemy may raise Batteries within that Distance without being expos'd to a single shot from the Fort. *********************************************** Journel to be continued in Pt 2--