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GEORGE WASHINGTON, BRITISH OFFICER

© John S. Cooper

George Washington is remembered for many things. He was the victorious general who defeated the most powerful army on earth to win our nation's independence. He then provided the leadership for the Constitutional Convention that formed our new government. He then led our new government as our first president. He was "first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen." But few people know anything about his early military career.

Washington began his military career at the age of 20. He idolized his half-brother Lawrence, who was the adjutant of the Virginia militia. When Lawrence died in 1752, George applied for his job. George had no military experience, no military training, in fact very little formal education of any kind since he had dropped out of school at 15. Still, as though it were a family possession to be inherited, he received Lawrence's job as adjutant of the Virginia militia. At 20, with no training or experience, he became a major in the largest military organization in the Western Hemisphere.

In October 1753, looking for duty more exciting than drilling and training rural militia, Washington volunteered for a dangerous mission. British Governor Robert Dinwiddie had received word that the French had come down from Canada and built a fort in the western territory near the Ohio River. The Governor sent Washington and a small force to carry a message to the French to leave English territory. (Virginia claimed this land, as well as most of the lands west of all the English colonies from Georgia to New York.)

Washington left in November and took two months to make the hazardous journey through the winter snows and the wilderness to the French Fort Le Boeuf, (near present-day Erie, Pa.), and back to Virginia. The French commander's blunt reply was, "As to the summons you send me to retire, I do not think myself obliged to obey it." Washington informed the Governor that the French were probably going to build another fort on the Ohio River near present-day Pittsburgh. Governor Dinwiddie had already sent men to that place to build a fort. Washington's report convinced the Governor to send troops to protect the workers from French attack.

In March 1754, Washington, now a lieutenant colonel, led an expedition to the Ohio River to hold the region for Britain. His force consisted of less than 200 poorly trained militia. After a month, and having covered less than a third of the distance, he received word that the French had already captured the uncompleted British fort that was his objective. Still, he pressed forward.

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