USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Volume One > Part 12
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CHAPTER VIII
THE STRUGGLE FOR THE "FORKS OF THE OHIO."
PENNSYLVANIA'S AID SOUGHT AND REFUSED-WASHINGTON'S FIRST BATTLE- CAPTAIN TRENT'S SURRENDER OF FORT DUQUESNE-FRENCH FORTIFY THE FORKS-JUMONVILLE'S DEATH-EUROPE'S SEVEN YEARS' WAR BEGINS AT PITTSBURG-WASHINGTON MALIGNED-FORT NECESSITY-WASHINGTON SURRENDERS TO FRENCH-OUR PORTAGE ROAD MEASURED-CAMPAIGN AGAINST NIAGARA-INDIAN VILLAGE AT PRESQUE ISLE-BRADDOCK'S DE- FEAT AND DEATH-ENGLISH CAPTURE LOUISBURG CAPTURE OF FORT DUQUESNE-QUEBEC-NIAGARA-PRESQUE ISLE AND LE BOEUF ABANDONED.
Efforts were made by Governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia, to obtain the co-operation of Pennsylvania in establishing an armed control of the country west of the Allegheny Mountains, and to thus effectually halt the pretensions of the French in that quarter. But the Pennsylvania Assembly declared that they desired further proof that Pennsylvania territory had actually been invaded by the French; and explained that as no boundaries had been run west of the mountains, it was extremely problematical whether Pennsylvania soil had been violated or not, and therefore declined to participate in the patriotic efforts of the Virginia governor to uphold the sovereignty of the English Crown over the ter- ritory. The governor administered a sharp reproof to the Assembly, and commissioned Captain William Trent to proceed with a force to the forks of the Ohio (Pittsburg), and, under the auspices of the Ohio Com- pany who had obtained a grant of 500,000 acres of land upon the River Ohio from the English Crown upon certain considerations of settlement, etc., to construct a fort at that place. On Sunday, February 17, 1754, he and his company arrived at the place designated, and commenced the construction of a fort. Before the fort was anything like completed, the
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French under Contrecoeur came floating down the Allegheny River in Pirogues and Batteaux, a thousand strong, with eighten cannon, and made ready to invest the place, in the most approved warlike manner. Prior to the opening the bombardment and after effecting a landing, Le Mercier was sent to the fort and demanded its surrender. Captain Trent and Lieutenant John Frazier (he who had established his trading house at the mouth of French Creek), being absent, Ensign Edward Ward being in command and noting the overwhelming strength of the enemy, made a virtue of necessity by surrendering the place. He and his men were then directed to leave the country, which they proceeded to do at once. The French thereupon took possession, re-arranged the plan of the fort, and re-constructed it into a very substantial post, naming it Fort Du Quesne in honor of their Governor-General of Canada.
Upon sending Captain Trent's command to the Ohio, other detach- ments were organized to support it, all to be under the command of Colonel Joshua Fry, while his second in command was to be George Wash- ington, who had then been commissioned a Lieutenant-Colonel. On their arrival at Will's Creek (Cumberland, Maryland), April 17, they learned of the surrender of Trent's forces on the Ohio. They resolved to at once proceed to a store-house at the mouth of Redstone Creek on the Mononge- hela where Brownsville now is. On reaching the Youghiogheny they learned that a French force had been sent forward to meet them, which was much larger than theirs; and on the evening of May 27, Christopher Gist came from his place and informed Washington that fifty French had been seen in his neighborhood the day before. Colonel Fry being ill and detained at Will's Creek, Washington was in command, and selecting seventy-five men, at once started in pursuit of the party. In a drenching rain and intense darkness, the party made its way to the place in the hills where the Frenchmen had concealed themselves, arriving early in the morning. When the French discovered the party at hand, they at once armed, and in the fight which ensued ten Frenchmen were killed, including their commander, Jumonville. The English lost one man killed in the division commanded by Washington. This division sustained most of the fighting, and was George Washington's first baptism of fire in battle. Two days after this affair, Colonel Fry died at Will's Creek, and the command then devolved upon Washington.
It is said that the demonstration of the French at the Forks of
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the Ohio, on April 16, 1754, and the surrender of that post by Ensign Ward, was the first act of the long War between England and France; but the battle at the camp of Jumonville in the hills of Fayette County, in the very early morning of May 28, 1754, was the first gun-firing of that distressing war.
In the French official reports of this engagement, Washington was very much mis-represented to his great personal injury. That report stated that Washington and his party had waylaid and assassinated Jumonville who was bearing a peaceful message to Washington. On the contrary the forces of both powers well recognized the fact that they were virtually at war, and the course of Jumonville in hanging about the neigh- borhood of Washington's troops for several days, making a point of keep- ing themselves concealed, and finally when discovered in a most secret place in the hills, springing to arms, does not comport with the idea that he was bearing a peaceful message to his opponents. The place of Jumon- ville's Camp, is now a well known spot not far from a well-trevelled high- way in Fayette County. It was admirably located for just what it was- · the rendevouz of a scouting party awaiting a favorable opportunity to attack.
When word of this disaster reached Fort Duquesne, M. Coulon de Villiers, the half-brother of Jumonville, obtained the command of a strong party and set out to revenge the death of his relative. Washington had determined to retire to Will's Creek, but his forces were too utterly exhausted when they reached the Great Meadows, to proceed farther; and there they at once began strengthening the fort which now became "Fort Necessity." Here an attack was made by the French which was continued until after dark; when, a party being proposed by the French, Washington secured favorable terms of surrender, and the next morning, July 4, 1754, Washington's men marched out of the little "Fort Necessity" with the honors of war, drums beating, colors flying, and taking with them one swivel gun. Their other guns were left and remained until one, by one, they were taken away by settlers going into Kentucky. The French demolished the fort and returned to Fort DuQuesne, and from then pursued the most vigorous activities at each of their fortified posts in preparation for the coming struggle.
In England the news of the disaster was received with alarm. Soon after, however, a change in the government occurred which resulted
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in much greater interest in the struggle in America. Major-General Edward Braddock was dispatched with a large force of men, which was to be supplemented by the colonies, and sent against the enemy.
It is to the everlasting discredit of the Pennsylvania Assembly of those days, that they turned a deaf ear to the entreaties of the Governor, and to those of General Braddock, to vote assistance and authority to the governor in the expedition being planned against Fort DuQuesne. While the Assembly procrastinated, Pennsylvania's loyal sons were going to other colonies and enlisting for the service. All of the other colonies were heartily doing their part. It was believed that the garrison at Fort DuQuesne was very small and weak, as the French were looking for the English to attack at Montreal, Quebec, or Niagara. They believed that Fort DuQuesne was for the time at least safe from attack, and little, if anything was done to prepare it for an attack.
In the north the English under Johnson were preparing for the cam- paign against Canada and Niagara, while the French were augumenting their forces at Quebec and Montreal with fresh men from the French armies on the continent. Some of those Frenchmen were intercepted by the vigilance of the English fleet which hovered about the Gulf of St .. Lawrence for that purpose.
The period following the disaster at Fort Necessity, therefore, was marked by feverish activity on both sides. In Europe the two powers were earnestly striving in the "Seven Years' War" for the mastery on both land and sea; the conflict having been ignited by the clash in western Pennsylvania.
Fort Niagara, Presque Isle, Le Boeuf and Venango during the sum- mer of 1754, were places of great activity. De Lery was on the ground endeavoring to hasten the forwarding of supplies and men. He left "Camp Tchatakoin" (Barcelonia), July 19, and with 21 bark canoes and seven bateaux came on to Presque Isle. On July 24 he traveled over the portage road to Le Boeuf and records the following in his journal concern- ing it:
"Mons. Pean recommended me to see the work being done on the road. This I did both going and returning. Four soldiers followed me with a pole 18 feet long with which they measured the portage road. I found the fort at Riviere aux Boeuf very small, and that it could have been built 41/2 arpents nearer, as may be seen by the annexed figure of the river."
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The measurements which he took along the portage road embrace the following :
Presque Isle fort to the first bridge, 280 perches; length of said bridge, 3 perches; to a second bridge, 53 perches; to a hill, 1204 perches; height of said hill, 9 feet ; length, 3 perches; to the great hill of the Riviere aux Gravois, 108 perches; to the little camping place, 1400 perches; to the turn, 146 perches; to reach the fort going along the bank of the R. au Boeuf, 43 perches.
The foregoing measurements, with others, as he tabulated them, make a total distance of 4,841 perches, 8 feet, from fort to fort.
In February, 1775, De Lery was ordered by Contrecoeur to leave Niagara and hasten on to Fort DuQuesne, which it was understood was to be attacked that spring by the English. As the directions were urgent, he at once started, and had assisted in placing Fort DuQuesne in better condition, and was about to improve the defenses of Fort Machault (Franklin), when he received imperative orders to proceed at once to Niagara, as Governor Vaudreuil was informed on reliable authority, that General Shirley was preparing to attack that place.
We have therefore, the campaign of the two nations for the suprem- acy in this region, including as the very heart of it, Erie County, lined up with Sir William Johnson, General William Shirley, and Pepperell, preparing their campaign for the reduction of Niagara and its related territories; and with General Edward Braddock planning for the subju- gation of Fort DuQuesne. The French on the north under M. Duplessis, Bearn, Guienne, De Villiers, Chabert-Joncaire, Francois Pouchot, and others, exerted themselves to learn of the English plans, and were not slow in preparing to take advantage of the knowledge. Lieutenant An- toine Gabriel Francois Benoist was in charge at Presqu' Isle succeeding Sieur Douville, and during the period of his command here, 1775, '6, '7, a settlement of French and Indian people had grown up around the fort. Considerable hay was being cut "of excellent quality," some live stock, probably including hogs, was raised here; likewise many horses which were used on the portage, the work of which very soon killed them. Much corn was grown at this post, as well as at most of the French posts, which employed many men who were not on actual military duty. At least some of the Indians domiciled at Presqu' Isle were of the Mississaga Nation, for we find in Vaudreuil's letter to Machault, Aug. 8, 1756, mention of "the domiciliated Mississagas of Presqu' Isle." It is believed that this
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settlement was located upon the east banks of Millcreek, across the creek from the military post.
Further regarding this settlement at Presqu' Isle, an escaped pris- oner from the French mentions it as "The barracks within the fort, gar- risoned with about 150 men, supported chiefly from a French settlement begun near to it. The settlement consists, as the prisoner was informed, of about 150 families. The Indian families about the settlement are pretty numerous; they have a priest and a schoolmaster. They have some grist mills and stills in this settlement."
Ensign de la Chauvignerie was commandant at Fort Machault (Ven- ango), and succeeded by De Lignery in 1759, and Monsier de Verge com- manded at Fort Le Beouf in 1757.
A vast amount of skirmishing, with several minor engagements which in those early times amounted to considerable battles, and which were looked upon as real campaigns by the colonists, was carried on during 1754, 1755, and into 1756. During all of this period which was marked by real warfare in the American frontiers, the English and French nations were nominally at peace, but encouraged their forces on the Ameri- can frontiers to prosecute exploration, establishment of military and trading posts within the territory claimed by the opposite power. The results were that real military clashes occurred frequently between the settlers and the French; both parties aided by the Indian tribes, but mostly the French received this assistance.
Early in 1755 the English sent their renowned General Edward Brad- dock with two regiments of soldiers to Virginia; while very shortly after the French sent a fleet to the St. Lawrence with 4,000 soldiers under the command of Vaudreuil, the new governor of Canada. Braddock ar- rived in Virginia in February, and after much effort to secure co-opera- tion of the colonial authorities, he began his march against Fort Du- Quesne, arriving at Fort Cumberland in May. A detail of 500 axmen went ahead clearing the line of march for a width of twelve feet through the forests, and the army slowly wound in and out across the mountains, sometimes in a line of fully four miles in length, where it would have been utterly helpless if attacked.
On the morning of July 9, at the ford of the Monongehela, about five miles from Fort DuQuesne, they were suddenly attacked in the forest at the crossing by a French force from the fort accompanied by a horde of Indians, and were utterly routed. General Braddock received a mortal
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wound, and the English retreated under the command of Major Wash- ington. This was a most bitter dose for the British. Braddock died a few days after the battle at a camp somewhat in the rear of the army, and was buried in the middle of the road.
At the north this defeat stopped the advance on Fort Niagara by Governor William Shirley, of Massachusetts, who had reached Oswego and made much preparation to go by water to the Niagara, where he had confidently expected to meet General Braddock after the latter had cap- tured Fort DuQuesne.
Early in 1758, William Pitt having become the English leader, dis- patched a fleet under Admiral Boscowen to America to capture Louisburg, the "Dunkirk of America." In the attack some 1,200 bombs were thrown and scarcely a house in the town was uninjured. The place surrendered to the English, and thus a beginning of a line of English successes was made, which caused general alarm and disquietude amongst the French. The defeat of the English in their attempt upon Ticonderoga was an exception to their successes. But the expedition under John Bradstreet was 3,000 militiamen off set this disaster, when he easily recaptured Oswego, sailed down the lake and after a spirited engagement reduced and burned Fort Frontenac in the very heart of the enemy's country. This success served greatly to encourage the colonies, and utterly destroyed the fleet which France required upon the lakes to communi- cate with the various forts and to transport supplies and munitions to Niagara, Fort Presque Isle and the forts of the "Beautiful River." It was really the mortal blow to the French in this great region which they had labored so hard and for so long to acquire and retain. Situated as it was at the outlet of Lake Ontario, its loss cut their territory in two parts, with the English in command between them.
Another vital blow to the French dominion here, and which affected the destinies of our county, occurred in the expedition entrusted to the Scotchman, General Forbes, who with Colonel George Washington and 1,400 Virginian, 2,700 Pennsylvanian and 2,000 Carolinian troops, together with a corps of Royal Americans under Colonel Boquet, made a force of 6,000 men, who were sent against Fort DuQuesne in the summer of 1758. They marched by a new way over the mountains which they cut through the forests from the headwaters of the Juniata across the mountain ridges to a tributary of the Allegheny. It was a much shorter route than the one taken by Braddock; but as it was greatly broken, it required a vast
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amount of toil to clear and prepare the road for the army. But, notwith- standing, Washington's wishes that the road be constructed over the former route that his Ohio Colony might have the benefit of the improve- ment, the Pennsylvanians realized the great advantage they would derive in having a direct road over the mountains to the western lands and the headwaters of the Ohio. In September the troops reached the general vicinity of Fort Duquesne. Here Major Grant detailed with 800 men to reconnoitre and endeavor to draw out the garrison from the fort. But he was himself decoyed and surprised, and his force utterly routed. The army then concluded to await spring before attacking the fort; but on November 12 an Indian brought them word that the garrison was much reduced, and could easily be taken. The army at once put into motion, and the advance under Washington and Armstrong with 3,500 men hur- ried forward, when upon reaching the forks of the river, they found Fort Duquesne abandoned by the French, and the place a heap of smoldering ruins. Upon poles about the place the French and Indians had left the heads of the victims from Grant's defeat, for the edification of their com- rades. Although General Forbes had been ill, and had to be borne on a litter during most of the march, he had the gratification of seeing the culmination of a most successful campaign. The French sent much of their heavy munitions down the river, but the garrison retreated up the Allegheny to Fort Machault. The place was then re-christened Fort Pitt, and later became Pittsburg, in honor of "The Great Commoner," William Pitt, whose keen foresight and native ability had enabled the English to achieve this success. The great city which has since grown up about the site of ancient Fort Duquesne, and was renamed in recognition of the spirit and determination of Pitt, is the best and most significant monu- ment standing upon American soil to the memory of any Englishman.
The French forces from Fort Duquesne retired to Fort Machault (or Fort Venango) where they remained under the command of De Lignery during the winter. Pouchot was given the command at Niagara, who was ordered to strengthen and defend that place. A body of "800 or 900" was to proceed early in the spring to Niagara, and thence to Presque Isle, Le Beouf and Venango, and to be under the orders of De Lignery. The Chevalier de La Corne was to take some 1,500 troops and have command "of the frontier of Lake Ontario." Thus the French planned to meet the opposing forces of the English in the spring of 1759. The English
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received orders from William Pitt which stimulated their enterprise to a completion of the campaigns. General Stanwix was to advance and secure the region between Fort Pitt and the lakes. General Prideaux and Sir William Johnson were to command the expedition against Niagara and Montreal. General Amherst was made commander-in-chief, and with a force was to secure Ticonderoga and then join the army of the St. Law- rence under Wolfe and advance upon Quebec.
Lord (General) Amherst had with him Colonel James Montresor, the chief engineer of the department of New York, who was a most able counselor.
Strongly fortifying Oswego and Fort Stanwix, General Prideaux left Oswego early in July, and shortly after arrived at Niagara which was at once laid under siege, which continued for several weeks. The French, although having strong reinforcements, were compelled to yield and the pivotal post of the French for operations in our region fell into English hands. The atrocities which were perpetrated at Fort William Henry when the French forced the surrender of the English at that post, were · not duplicated at Niagara. With the fall of Niagara, the stronghold of the French, the English saw their way clear to the complete domination of the lakes and Ohio country.
During this season also, occurred the fall of Quebec, still further sealing the fate of the French posts in our country.
On receiving the news of the fall of Quebec and of Niagara, through a messenger dispatched to them by Sir William Johnson, the forces in the posts at Presque Isle, Le Beouf and Fort Machault (Venango or Frank- lin), realized that they would be utterly unable to cope with the victorious English, and in consequence they gathered the French forces from Fort Machault, and from Le Boeuf at Fort Presque Isle, which had been the provisioning post for all, and hastily embarked their principal stores and sent them up the lake to Detroit, Aug. 13, 1759. As soon as the remainder of the forces had assembled at Presque Isle, the entire assembled army went aboard canoes, bateaux, and anything that would convey them, and made their way to Detroit. Soon afterwards an Indian made his way to Fort Pitt and reported that the French had abandoned Presque Isle, Le Beouf and Fort Venango, leaving them in smoking ruins. This latter fact has never been satisfactorily established, however. The English did not come on to occupy Fort Presque Isle after the evacuation of it by
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the French, until early in 1760, when Major Rodgers was ordered by General Stanwix to come and take possession of Forts Presque Isle, Le Boeuf and Venango (Machault).
Major Rodgers came on with his men and found but the ruins of the old fortress. He set about its rebuilding on a somewhat different plan than that employed by the French. The new design was of a stockade enclosure (for the Indians had still to be reckoned with), which was pro- vided with strong gates. The new blockhouse had its second story extending out over the first story all around, and stood at or near the northwest corner of the enclosure. The commander's house, of logs, and some smaller houses within the stockade, together with the old French
TRACING
FROM PLAN OF CITY OF ERIE
PazsQU'ILy BAY.
LAKE
SHOWING POSITION OF
OLD FRENCH FORT.
MAP PUBLISHED
APRIL 1867
DOCKS, ETC.
DOCKS
SCALE 1000 1 - 1 ª
PRONT
GARRISON PARK,'
3: 51
FRENCH ST.
HOLLAND ST.
GERMAN ST.
WALLACE ST.
==
SITE OF OLD FORT PRESQUE ISLE
stone magazine which survived the French occupation, and the old well, were all within the stockade enclosure. Leaving a small garrison to occupy it and to assert the possession of the English, he went on to Fort Le Boeuf and reconstructed it along similar lines. After garrisoning Fort Le Boeuf, he took the remainder of his force and taking boats at Presque Isle, he went up the lake to Detroit where he met the Indian who was so soon to cause trouble and suffering for so many pioneer families, and whose machinations brought the English armies again into this region, and that to west of us. Pontiac was that Indian, a chief of the Ottawas, and by some writers has been credited with having been the most able and adroit of any Indian chief during the times of the Euro- pean occupancy of this country. He is supposed to have been the leader of the Indians who caused such havoc to the forces of General Braddock
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when that brave English General met his death at the Monongehela. Pontiac refused Major Rodgers permission to pass on his way ; but after a time he reluctantly granted the desired permission, and then apparently very enthusiastically urged the neighboring tribes to be friendly with the English. The Indians of that region had been uniformly allies and friends of the French, and therefore took the defeat of their former friends with anything but a good grace. The Iroquois having been the friends and allies of the English, in the latter part of the campaign, were out of favor with the western tribes also.
It is quite likely that Pontiac and his braves were familiar with the trails and conditions in this county, for we have every reason to believe that he, and some of his men, had been upon Erie County soil more than once before Major Rodgers met him near Detroit; and were likely a part of the forces here under the French domination.
CHAPTER IX
PONTIAC CAUSES TROUBLE.
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