Fort Edwards - Timeline |
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Our interactive, Fort Edwards French and Indian War timeline is under maintenance and wil be online shortly....
1754This is "Year:1754", the opening year of the French and Indian War. In January, Major Washington returned to Williamsburg from his winter trip to deliver Gov. Dinwiddie's letter to the French that demanded they vacate English territory. In the spring, William Trent and Ensign Ward were ordered to the Forks of the Ohio River to begin building a fort. Before they could progress very far, a larger force of French soldiers appeared and demanded that the English leave. The English had no choice but to retreat back to Wills Creek. By the time they arrived at Wills Creek, Major Washington was preparing to bring more men and supplies to support them. On April 25, 1754, Washington wrote to Gov. Dinwiddie that Ensign Ward had arrived at Wills Creek with the news the French had ousted the Virginians from the Forks of the Ohio and were beginning to build a formidable fortification there. Hoping to regain the strategic river junction from the French, Washington began to march for the Forks. On the morning of May 28th, he attacked a force of about 30 French soldiers who had been following Washington's movements for several days. Just before sunrise, Washington's force killed Ensign Coulon de Jumonville, and nine soldiers and captured 21 prisoners. One French soldier escaped to take the news to Ft. Duquesne. The French response was swift and powerful. Washington retreated to his hastily erected Fort Necessity and awaited both reinforcements and a French attack. About 300 men arrived to reinforce the Virginians, but the French were sending a force of 600 well provisioned regulars and 100 Indians. When the French attacked on July 3rd, Col. Washington had only 284 men fit for duty. By evening, in a pouring rain, with a third of his men dead or wounded, it was clear that the English position was untenable. The French offered terms and Col. Washington surrendered. The French were now, for a time, masters of the Ohio country. 1755January, 1755 The 44th and 48th Regiment of Foote set sail from England for America. February 23, 1755 Gen. Braddock arrives in Williamsburg as commander of British forces in North America and leader of two newly arrived Regiments of British regular soldiers sent from England. April, 1755 Gen. Braddock starts for Wills Creek, the Ohio Company's store house that will become Ft. Cumberland. This fort is the farthest west English outpost before the wilderness of the northwest territory and the Ohio country. July 9, 1755 Gen. Braddock is defeated at the Battle of the Monongahela. He loses 63 of his 86 officers and two-thirds of his men. George Washington and his Virginia soldiers are praised for enabling the retreat of the survivors. August 14, 1755 Gov. Dinwiddie commissions George Washington a Colonel and commander of the Virginia Regiment. September 8, 1755 English defeat at The Bloody Morning Scout on Lake George by Baron Dieskau. September, 1755 - Dieskau defeated and captured by William Johnson at the Battle of Lake George. 1756Jan. 10, 1756 Col. Washington writes to Commissary Thomas Walker that "There are three thousand weight of pork laid in at Job Pearsall's..." April 18, 1756 Battle of Great Cacapon (Mercer's massacre]. In the largest engagement with French and Indian forces in Virginia, Lt. John Fenton Mercer and Ensign Thomas Carter and fifteen soldiers were killed. April 22, 1756 Col. Washington writes of Mr. Paris having engaged small band of Indians on North River; Washington sent men to reinforce the contingent at Edwards May 2, 1756 In a court martial at Winchester, Srgt. Nathan Lewis is found guilty of retreating before the enemy and not aiding Capt. Mercer during battle on April 18th. May 18, 1756 England formally declares war on France; it is known as the Seven Years War in Europe and the French and Indian War in America. July 1756 Lord Loudoun arrives in New York as Commander of British forces in North America. [date?**]
1757January 21, 1757 Robert Roger is wounded and almost captured in the Battle on Snowshoes; he loses 14 men killed and seven take prisoner.
1758Jan. 12, 1758 Governor Dinwiddie sails for England and retirement. July 8(?), 1758 Gen. Abercrombie suffers a humiliating defeat in his attack on Gen. Montcalm at Ft. Carillon. July 27, 1758 Jeffery Amherst and James Wolfe capture Louisburg.
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