A view of the Fort Necessity Replica on what George Washington called "Great Meadows." It was built when he feared he and his troops would be attacked after an early-morning encounter with some French troops in which 10 of them were killed; he lost one man. The Indians sided with the French.
[Photos taken on 10 Aug 2015]
Zooming in, one sees a group of students sifting through dirt looking for artifacts while a ranger stands near the fort's replica in the background.
On the morning of 3 Jul 1754 the Fort was attacked by about 600 French and 100 Indians. There were considerable casualties on both sides, but Washington's Virginia Milita under control of the British took the worst of it.
About 8 p.m. the French commander requested a truce to discuss Washington's surrender. To make a long story short, the 21-yr old Colonel surrendered for the first and last time in his life.
Though there's little in the fort's only building, a storehouse, it was full of food, gunpowder, and other necessities of war as Washington and his troops tried to hold off the French & Indians in what became the 1st battle of the French & Indian War.
The trenches surrounding the circular fort, which was 53' in diameter.
The road Washington & his troops started from what is now Cumberland, MD, to Ft Necessity became the basis for what became known as the National Road or Pike.
A plaque describing the hurried building of Ft Necessity in June & early July of 1754. The 600 French troops & 100 Indians attacked on the morning of 3 July. Due to poor translation of French by a Belgian Washington unknowingly agree to stay away from Gt Mdws for a year, but he accompanied British Gen Edward Braddock as an aide-de-camp in 1755 before Braddock was mortally wounded on 9 July.
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Links:
- National Park Service webpages on Fort Necessity
- Wikipedia article on Ft Necessity
- Biography of Gen Edward Braddock in Encyclopedia.Com
- Lengthy but thorough Wikipedia biography of George Washington
Routes:
Su 16 Aug Actual Route: Chambersburg, PA, W/M - Fayetteville, PA, Gettysburg - N. Gettysburg Laundry - Chambersburg W/M
M 17 Aug Actual Route: Chambersburg, PA, W/M - Grove Fmy Lib - Gettysburg P.O.- Gettysburg National Battlefield - Chambersburg W/M
T 18 Aug Actual Route: Chambersburg, PA, W/M - Grove Fmy Lib - Gettysburg P.O.- Gettysburg National Cemetery - Chambersburg W/M
W 19 Aug Actual Route: Chambersburg, PA, W/M - Grove Fmy Lib - Bedford, PA,Lib - Johnstown, PA, W/M
Th 20 Aug Actual Route: Johnstown, PA, W/M - Johnstown Flood Natl Monument - State College, PA, Lowe's - Walmart
F 21 Aug Actual Route: State College, PA, W/M - Williamsport, PA, - Liberty - Blossburg, Mansfield W/M
Sa 22 Aug Actual Route: Mansfield, PA, W/M - Lib - Lowe's - Mansfield W/M
Su 23 Aug Actual Route: Mansfield, PA, W/M - Lowe's - Leonard Harrison State Park - Mansfield Lib - Walmart
M 24 Aug Actual Route: Mansfield, PA, W/M - Lowe's - P.O. - Corning, NY - I-86 Rest Area
T 25 Aug Actual Route: I-86 Rest Area - Bath, NY, VA Hosp Pharm - Geneseo, NY, Lib - Walmart
W 26 Aug Route: Geneseo, NY, W/M - McDs - Livonia Lib
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
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