French Arrival - Battle

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• After  three  days  encamped  in  the  Great  meadow,  Washington  learned  of  a  group  of  French  Soldiers  patrolling  the  area.    At  the  urging  of  Tanagharrison  –  “The  Half  King,”  Washington  made  a  pre-emptive  strike.    He  then  returned  to  his  camp,  and  strengthened  the  defenses  by  erecting  a  stockade  and  a  storehouse.    After  reinforcements  arrived,  Washington  continued  on  his  road  building  mission.    Upon  learning  that  a  large  French  force  had  been  dispatched  from  Fort  Duquesne  to  attack  him,  he  returned  to  “Fort  Necessity”  in  the  Great  Meadow.    He  had  his  men  dig  earthworks:  trenches  and  mounds,  to  improve  the  forts  defenses.
  The  French  arrived  two  days  after  the  British  forces  returned  to  the  fort.    On  the  morning  of  July  3,  they  surrounded  the  fort  and  there  was  brisk  fire  from  both  sides  throughout  the  day.    A  steady  rain  fell,  increasing  as  the  day  went  on,  filling  the  trenches  and  drenching  the  combatants  on  both  sides.    Though  the  French  were  unable  to  capture  the  fort,  their  position  seemed  advantageous  enough  that  at  the  end  of  the  day  they  were  able  to  convince  the  British  to  surrender.

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  • The Battle of Fort Necessity

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