"The Battle of Ft. Necessity" Fort Necessity State Park Travelogue by grandmaR

When we were returning from Oberlin on our honeymoon 45 years ago, we stopped by Ft. Necessity. I took a picture of the fort at that time. When we came through this area on our way back from my 45th college reuinion, we stopped again.

Washington's soldiers build the fort

In early April of 1754, Lt. Col. George Washington was sent to build a road to Redstone Creek to secure the Ohio Valley for the English. Washington arrived at Great Meadows on May 24 and set up an encampment there. When he heard of a French encampment several miles away, he attacked the group and killed or imprisoned all but one soldier who escaped back to Ft. Duquesne (present day Pittsburgh). Fearing that the French would counterattack, Washington's soldiers worked hard to fortify their position. They had about 400 men and 9 swivel guns

French and Indian attack

On July 3, the French and Indians, with a force of about 700 attacked from the woods. They had the advantage of greater cover and could fire accurately from the woods at the smaller British force.

Looking toward the fort from the woods

This picture is taken from the park service path on a bridge over a little stream in the meadow. Washington's troops were lying in water of the flooded marshy ground (It was because the ground was marshy that there was a meadow space not covered with trees.)

British Defense

The British troops were lying behind earthworks, but were not as protected as the French and Indians. As the rain fell dampening their gunpowder, the morale of the British began to flag. Many of them were killed.

Truce negotiations

Finally about 8 pm, the French called for a truce to discuss a surrender. The French allowed Washington's troups to keep their baggage and weapons and to withdraw. They had to surrender the 9 swivel guns. After the British left, the French burned Ft. Necessity.

Fort from Visitor's Center

The fort and palisades have been rebuilt on the exact location where the original fort was built. This looks almost exactly like the slide that I took of the area 45 years ago

Visitor's Center with flag at half staff

On the other hand, the visitor's center was not built until several years later than our visit in 1959. All that was there was a roadside sign.

The flag is at half staff because we visited on Memorial Day.

When we got to the fort, we went inside the stockade