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What happened during George Washington’s mission to Fort Le Boeuf?

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Painting of Edward Braddock and British troops in uniform advancing through dense forest, facing Native American and French fighters during the French and Indian War near Fort Duquesne. — French and Indian War British commander Edward Braddock and his troops preparing to march on the French-held Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) during the French and Indian War.

In October 1753, Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia dispatched a young George Washington on a mission to Fort Le Boeuf, located in present-day Waterford, Pennsylvania. The objective was to deliver an ultimatum to the French garrison, warning them that they were encroaching on land claimed by the British crown and demanding their withdrawal from the Ohio Valley.12

Washington’s journey was perilous, involving travel through harsh winter wilderness with a small party that included the scout Christopher Gist. Upon reaching the fort, the French commander received Washington with courtesy but remained adamant, explicitly stating that it was their absolute design to take possession of the Ohio region.2

The return trip was equally dangerous; Washington narrowly escaped being shot by an Indigenous person and survived falling into the ice-filled Allegheny River. He arrived back in Williamsburg in January 1754, where his report confirmed the French refusal to leave, directly precipitating the military tensions that led to the French and Indian War.21