FOR STARTING A WORLD WAR

You have been appointed to serve on a colonial jury for the trial of Virginia Regiment Lieutenant Colonel . He has been charged with the very serious crime of starting a world war. More specifically, he has been accused of starting the (known in Europe as the Seven Years War).

As a member of this jury, you are responsible for examining the evidence and testimonies of witnesses to the events in question. Then, you must decide if Colonel Washington is GUILTY or NOT GUILTY.

Background Information of the Case Rivals in North America Rival claims between the French and the English to the vast territory along the Ohio River between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi approached a climax about 1750. [A group of English farmers] had obtained a large grant of 200,000 acres in the upper Ohio River Valley.

Meanwhile, the French, who considered the Ohio a vital link between (Canada) and Louisiana, advanced southward and westward, from Fort Niagara on Lake Ontario, driving out English traders and claiming the Ohio River Valley for France.

In 1753, Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia learned the French had built Fort Presque Isle near Lake Erie and Fort Le Boeuf in that part of the Ohio country claimed by Virginia. He sent an eight-man expedition under George Washington to warn the French to withdraw.

Washington the Emissary Washington made the journey as a British emissary in midwinter of 1753-54. French officers politely told Washington they were not obliged to obey his summons, and they were going to stay. Washington returned to Virginia and informed Governor Robert Dinwiddie that the French refused to leave.

In January 1754, even before he learned of the French refusal to abandon the Ohio Valley, Governor Dinwiddie sent a small force of Virginia soldiers to build a fort at the forks of the Ohio, where Pittsburgh now stands. The stockade was barely finished when a French force drove off the Virginians and built a larger fort on the site. The French called it …

In early April, George Washington…started westward from…Virginia. He was…to help defend the English fort on the Ohio [River]…

By late May of 1754, Washington had reached a large natural clearing known as the Great Meadows. He made this his base camp…

Soon after he arrived, he received word that a party of French soldiers was camped in a ravine not far from his position. On the stormy night of May 27th, 1754, Washington and about 40 men began an all night march to confront the French and learn their intentions. They travelled through woods so dark the men sometimes spent nearly half an hour just trying to find the trail.

The Skirmish About dawn, Washington met with a friendly Seneca chief, Half King, [and his warriors] and made plans to contact the French Camp. As the French commander had not posted sentries, Washington and his men easily surrounded the unsuspecting French.

A shot was fired, no one really knows by whom, and soon the peaceful glen was filled with the crash of musketry and the…smell of powder. The skirmish lasted about 15 minutes. When it was over, 13 Frenchmen were dead and 21 captured. [The leader of the French soldiers, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville was also killed]. Washington's casualties were one man killed and two or three wounded.

French survivors claimed they had been attacked without cause by Washington. They claimed they were on the same sort of mission Washington himself had been on the winter before. That explained, they said, why they had been so easily surprised and why they had not posted sentries. [They also claimed, because this had been an unprovoked attack, and because France and England were not at war, that their leader, de Jumonville, had been assassinated (murdered) by Washington and his forces (both soldiers and Native American allies).

After the skirmish with Jumonville's forces, Washington feared "we might be attacked by considerable forces."

During the last two days of May and the first three days of June, he built a circular palisaded fort, which he called Fort Necessity.

Reports that a large force of French and Indians was advancing from Fort Duquesne [caused Washington to further strengthen the fortifications].

The next day, they strengthened Fort Necessity by improving the trenches outside the stockade. On the morning of July 3, a force of about 600 French and 100 Indians [attacked the fort]. Rain fell throughout the day, flooding the marshy ground. Both sides suffered casualties, but the British losses were greater than French and Indian losses.

The fighting continued sporadically until about 8 p.m. Then Capt. Louis Coulon de Villiers, commander of the French force and brother of Jumonville, requested a truce to discuss the surrender of Washington's command. Washington then surrendered his command to the French. [source: U.S. Park Service]

The French and Indian War Had Begun

Testimony of Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie

In the fall of 1753, I received information that armed French forces were moving into the Ohio River Valley. They were intent on building a string of forts along the river. I was quite alarmed at the situation because these Frenchmen were invading sovereign territory belonging to the British.

I directed Colonel George Washington to take a small force of men to the Ohio River Valley to confront the French forces. He was to meet with the Mingo Tribe Chief Half-King and discuss joining forces. Also, he was to present to the French a letter in the name of the King of Great Britain demanding that they leave the territory.

Unfortunately, the French refused to leave stating that they had as much right to be in that territory as the English. [source: Dinwiddie letter to Washington, October 30, 1753]

A few months later, after hearing about the French Capture of what they now call Fort Duquesne, I ordered Colonel Washington to take a larger force of men along with the Half-King’s Indian Warriors back to the Ohio River Valley and drive the French forces out of the territory. [Dinwiddie letter to Washington, March 15, 1754]

As for the death of the French Commander de Jumonville, that was the fault of the Half-King and his Indians. My intention was for the Virginia forces to be on the defensive.

Testimony of Lieutenant Colonel George Washington

After receiving Governor Dinwiddie’s orders to remove the French forces from the Ohio River Valley, I organized my men and we set out on our mission. As we neared the area where Fort Duquesne was, I learned more information about the French forces now in possession of the fort. At that point, I held a council of war with my officers to determine our next move. [source: Washington letter to Dinwiddie, April 25, 1754]

This is my recollection of what happened in the skirmish with the French forces. I met with the Half-King and he informed me that there was a small French force encamped nearby. We decided to move our army closer, but that took a while because it was so rainy and dark. But, once we were in a better fighting position, the Half- King and I decided to attack.

The battle lasted only 15 minutes, but we killed 10 French soldiers and took 21 prisoners. One of the French killed was their commander Monsieur de Jumonville. Also, the Half-King’s warriors proceeded to take trophies from the battle: the scalps of the dead French soldiers. The Half-King said this was to send to other tribes as a warning against joining the French.

Some of the prisoners we took said that the French force there was on a diplomatic mission. If this were true, why were they hidden like they were planning a surprise attack? Why didn’t they seek us out to talk? Also, as we attacked, they ran for their weapons to fire back. If they were seeking peace, why not surrender? Also, I did not admit to assassinating de Jumonville when I surrendered Fort Necessity. The surrender documents were in French, and I cannot read French. I did not know what it was I was signing. [sources: Washington letter to Dinwiddie, May 29,1754; journal of George Washington]

Testimony of Private John Shaw

I did not witness the death of Mr. de Jumonville, the French commander, but I did hear about the incident from some soldiers who did.

Colonel Washington and his men and the Half-King and his men came upon the French soldiers early in the morning. They were actually still asleep and eating breakfast. But, as soon as they heard the noises of the approaching soldiers, the French forces quickly ran for their weapons.

One of the Frenchmen fired, and at that point Colonel Washington gave the word for all his men to fire. Several of the French were killed, and the rest turned to run away. But, they ran into the Indians and quickly turned back to the English and surrendered.

After the Indians approached into the French camp, the Half-King took his tomahawk and split the head of the French Captain de Jumonville. The Half-King then took out the captain’s brains, washed his hands in them, and then scalped him. [source: John Shaw sworn deposition, 1754]

Testimony of French Commandant sieur de Contrecoeur

In May 1754, I ordered Mr. de Jumonville to take a letter to the British ordering them to leave the Ohio River Valley. I expected him to be gone only a short time, but I soon learned that his small force had been attacked and defeated, and that he had been killed.

One of the French soldiers who escaped the battle and returned here informed me that at about 7:00 AM they were just waking and eating breakfast when they saw that they were surrounded by enemy forces, English on one side and Indians on the other.

The English fired twice, but the Indians did not fire at all. Mr. de Jumonville told the English to stop firing, and they did. He then read the letter I sent with him for the British to hear. This should have made plain that this was a diplomatic mission.

It was also told to me that the Indians said de Jumonville had been killed by a shot to the head. And, had it not been for the Indians rushing between the English and French forces, the English would have killed all of our men! [source: Contrecoeur letter to Dequesne, June 2, 1754]

Testimony of the Commander of French forces in North America, General Duquesne

I believe Colonel George Washington is lying about what happened in the skirmish with the French forces under de Jumonville’s command.

I believe he lies so that he can justify the assassination of Mr. de Jumonville because he has realized how much controversy has come about because of the incident. He also stupidly wrote about the incident in his journal, and he signed the surrender of Fort Necessity in which he admitted to assassinating de Jumonville.

I wish I could have seen the look on his face when he realized he had been caught.

Articles of Surrender offered to the English soldiers under the command of Colonel George Washington, Fort Necessity

[Surrender] granted by Mons. De Villier, Captain of infantry and commander of troops of his most Christian Majesty [the King of France], to those English troops actually in the fort of Necessity which was built on the lands of the [French] King’s dominions July the 3rd, at eight o’clock at night, 1754.

As our intention had never been to trouble the peace and good harmony which reigns between the [kings of France and Great Britain], but only to revenge the assassination which has been done to [my brother, Sieur de Jumonville], bearer of [a letter to the English to stop entering] the lands of the dominions of the [King of France], my master. Upon these considerations, we are willing to grant protection of favor, to all the English that are in [Fort Necessity], upon conditions hereafter mentioned.

Evidence Sheet: Robert Dinwiddie

1. Who is Robert Dinwiddie? 2. Why do you think Dinwiddie believes the Ohio River Valley belongs to the British? 3. Why would the Half-King join forces with the British against the French? 4. Do you think Colonel Washington followed Dinwiddie’s orders? Explain. 5. Does this testimony from Robert Dinwiddie make Washington look guilty or not guilty? Explain.

Evidence Sheet: George Washington

1. What is George Washington’s position in the British/Virginia army at this time? 2. Why do you think Washington and the Half-King decided to attack the French? 3. Do you think it was right for Washington to let the Half-King and his men scalp the dead French soldiers? 4. Do you agree with Washington’s justification for attacking the French? Explain. 5. Do you believe Washington when he says he did not know what he was signing when he surrendered Fort Necessity? Explain. 6. Does Washington’s own testimony make him look guilty or not guilty? Explain.

Evidence Sheet: John Shaw

1. Who is John Shaw? 2. Where did he get the information he provided in his testimony? 3. According to Shaw, who fired first, the French or the British? 4. According to Shaw, how did de Jumonville die? 5. How does John Shaw’s account differ from George Washington’s account? 6. Do you believe John Shaw? Explain. 7. Does John Shaw’s testimony make Washington look guilty or not guilty? Explain.

Evidence Sheet: French Commandant sieur de Contrecoeur

1. What is de Contrecoeur’s relationship to de Jumonville? 2. According to de Contrecoeur, what was the purpose of de Jumonville’s mission? 3. How did de Contrecoeur hear about what happened to de Jumonville? 4. How does de Contrecoeur’s testimony differ from George Washington’s testimony? 5. According to de Contrecoeur’s testimony, how did de Jumonville die? 6. Do you believe de Contrecoeur’s testimony? Explain. 7. Does de Contrecoeur’s testimony make Washington look guilty or not guilty? Explain.

Evidence Sheet: General Duquesne

1. Who is General Duquesne? 2. What is Duquesne’s opinion of George Washington? 3. Why does he believe that Washington is lying in his testimony? 4. What evidence does General Duquesne provide to support his opinion that Washington is lying? 5. Do you agree with General Duquesne’s opinion of Washington? Explain. 6. Does General Duquesne’s testimony make Washington look guilty or not guilty? Explain.

Evidence Sheet: Articles of Surrender of Fort Necessity

1. Who is surrendering Fort Necessity to the French? 2. Who is accepting the surrender of the British troops? 3. He provides a very specific reason for why the French attacked Fort Necessity. What was it? 4. What is the relationship between the man accepting the British surrender and de Jumonville. What is the relationship? 5. Are the articles of surrender a trustworthy document? Explain. 6. Does the wording of the articles of surrender make Washington look guilty or not guilty? Explain.