The original notes and memoranda made by Washington during his march toward the Ohio were captured by the French at Fort Necessity. Just how these papers were left behind is not clear. The hurry and haste of the evacuation is the only explanation. They were sent to France and were at once translated into French. Little more than a year later the French Government published this translation as an argument in justifying France's seizure of the Ohio region. This publication appeared in Paris in 1756 as a part of a Mémoire Contenant le Précis des Faits, avec leurs pièces justificatives pour servir de réponse aux observations envoyées par les ministres d'Angleterre dans les cours de Europe, p. 147 et seq. This French publication was quickly translated back into English and republished in London. It was brought to America and an edition issued by Hugh Gaine, in New York in 1757. Toner states (Journal of Colonel George Washington, 1754. Albany, 1893, p. 131) that, after seeing this Gaine edition, Washington wrote, March 27, 1757: 'In regard to the Journal, I can only observe in general, that I kept no regular one during the Expedition; rough notes of occurrences I certainly took, and find them as certainly and strangely metamorphosed, some parts left out which I remember were entered and many things added that never were thought of, the names of men and things egregiously miscalled, and the whole of what I saw Englished is very incorrect and nonsensical.' Sparks (Writings of Washington, II, 463) quotes this same letter at greater length; but I have been unable to locate it in the Washington Papers in the Library of Congress; its characterization of the French publication is, however, so just that the preceding extract is given.

The following text is a combination of Toner's version and that given by Worthington C. Ford in his Writings of Washington. As this diary is, at best, a translation and every English version a retranslation, freedom in form seemed justifiable and the crudities of spelling in the early English texts were not followed; they could not, by any reasoning, be ascribed to Washington.

The footnotes of the French version, being merely argumentative comment, designed to call attention to supposed proofs that the English were at fault for encroaching on French territory and for commencing hostilities, are omitted here.

MARCH

On the 31st March I received from his Honour' a Lieutentant Colonel's Commission of the Virginia Regiment whereof Joshua Fry,' Esquire, was Colonel, dated the 15th, with Orders3 to take the troops, which were at that time quartered at Alexandria under my command, and to march with them towards the Ohio, there to aid Captain Trent in building Forts, and in defending the possesions of his Majesty against the attempts and hostilities of the French.

APRIL

April the 2nd. Every Thing being ready, we began our march 5 according to our Orders, the 2nd of April, with

'Lieutenant-Governor Robert Dinwiddie.

* Colonel Fry's instructions were to march to and erect a fort on the Monongahela. He was injured by an accidental fall from his horse and died May 31, 1754. 3 Washington's instructions (Dinwiddie Papers, edited by Brock, 1, 59) were to proceed, with a detachment of one hundred men (the total force that marched was slightly over one hundred and fifty), to the forks of the Ohio and finish building the fort which Dinwiddie thought had already been begun by the Ohio Company.

Captain William Trent, of Pennsylvania. He had been employed by Governor Dinwiddie in the Indian service.

5 The diary does not give the route of this march which ended disastrously in the retreat and surrender at Fort Necessity, July 3, 1754; but from Washington's expense account it seems reasonably sure that he traveled from Alexandria, through Loudoun County and crossed the Blue Ridge at Vestal's Gap. On the west side of the Ridge he crossed the Shenandoah at John Vestal's Ferry and from thence marched to Winchester; from Winchester to Edwards's Fort, on the South Branch of the Great Cacapehon Creek; from Edwards's to Pearsal's on the South Branch of the Potomac; crossing that river at Cresap's, and thence up to Will's Creek. Washington made up his expense account from recollection, 'having lost all my papers in ye Engagement,' ie., Fort Necessity. The French publication of the journal omitted everything from April 3d to the 19th of that month. (See text, post.)

two Companies of Foot, commanded by Captain Peter Hog 1 and Lieutenant Jacob Van Braam,' five subalterns, two Sergeants, six Corporals, one Drummer, and one hundred and twenty Soldiers, one Surgeon,3 one Swedish Gentleman, who was a volunteer, two wagons guarded by one Lieutenant, Sergeant, Corporal and twenty-five Soldiers. We left Alexandria on Tuesday Noon and pitched our tents about four miles from Cameron 5 having

marched six miles.

[The French version of this journal here states that from the 3d of April to the 19th Washington's original contained only the march of the troops and that they were joined by a detachment under Captain Stevens."]

April 19th. Met an Express who had letters from Captain Trent, at the Ohio, demanding a reenforcement with all possible speed, as he hourly expected a body of eight hundred French. I tarried at Job Pearsall's for the arrival of the troops, where they came the next day. When I received the above Express, I dispatched a messenger to Colonel Fry, to give him notice of it.

'Captain Peter Hog; later was appointed by Lord Dunmore Deputy AttorneyGeneral of Dunmore, now Shenandoah County, Virginia.

2 The same Van Braam who had accompanied Washington to Fort le Bœuf the preceding year. The responsibility for allowing Washington to sign the capitulation at Fort Necessity, which was written in French, while it contained the acknowledgment of having murdered Jumonville, is placed upon Van Braam. His carelessness in translating allowed the phrase, 'dans l'assassinat du Sieur de Jumonville,' to pass unnoticed.

3 Dr. James Craik.

4 Carolus Gustavus de Spiltdorph; he later became a lieutenant in the Virginia Regiment and was killed at Monongahela. (Toner.)

s Probably named in honor of Lord Fairfax, who was Baron Cameron. (See note to entry for August 5, 1768, post.)

6 Captain Adam Stephen, of Berkeley County; he later became lieutenantcolonel and was present at Braddock's defeat. He was a major-general in the Revolutionary War; but was dismissed the service for drunkenness.

7 Job Pearsal, on the South Branch of the Potomac. In all Washington received three companies of reënforcements. (Toner.)

1754]

EXPEDITION TO THE OHIO

I

April 20th. Came down to Colonel Cresap's to dispose the Detachment, and on my Route, had notice that the Fort was taken by the French. Two days later that news was confirmed by Mr. Ward,' the Ensign of Captain Trent, who had been obliged to surrender to a Body of more than one thousand French, under the Command of Captain Contrecoeur,' who came from Venango (in French, Presque Isle), with sixty bateaux, and three hundred canoes, and eighteen pieces of artillery which were set up against the Fort, Contrecoeur afterwards sent him a Summons to withdraw. Mr. Ward also informed me that the Indians remained always steadfastly attached to our Interest. He brought with him two young Indians of the Mingoes Nation, that they might have the Satisfaction of seeing that we were marching with troops to their Succour. He also delivered me the following speech which the Half King sent to me.

Fort on Ohio, April 18th, 1754. A speech from the Half-King, Scruneyattha, and belt of wampum, for the Governors of Virginia and Pennsylvania. My Brethren the English. The Bearer will let you understand in what manner the French have treated us. We waited a long time, thinking they would come

Colonel Thomas Cresap, of Maryland, nearly opposite the mouth of the South Branch of the Potomac, member of the Ohio Company and one of the best-known and famous frontiersmen.

• Ensign Edward Ward.

3 Captain Contrecœur took possession of the unfinished English works April 17, 1754. He completed them and named the fort Duquesne. By his orders Ensign Jumonville set off on his fatal reconnoissance, June 23d. Contrecœur was in command of Fort Duquesne at the time of Braddock's defeat.

Tenacharison, chief of the Senecas, or Mingoes. He was called Half-King because he was not entirely independent, but owed certain allegiance to the Five Nations. He was with Washington at the Jumonville skirmish. He was an old man and seems to have died in October of this year, 1754. His speech is printed, in the French version of Washington's diary, after that of Scruneyattha's, but the text makes it evident that it should be placed before that address, and, indeed, there is no warrant for including Scruneyattha's speech at all. In all probability it was found among the papers captured at Fort Necessity and was included by the French in their publication, Précis des Faits, etc., in furtherance of the argument that the English were to blame for the outbreak of hostilities.

and attack us; we now see how they have a mind to use us. We are now ready to fall upon them, waiting only for your assistance. Have good courage and come as soon as possible; you will find us as ready to fight them as you are yourselves. We have sent these two young men to see if you are ready to come, and if so they are to return to us to let us know where you are, that we may come and join you. We should be glad if the troops belonging to the two Provinces could meet together at the Fort which is in the way. If you do not come to our assistance now, we are entirely undone, and I think we shall never meet together again. I speak with a heart full of grief.

A Belt of Wampum

The Half-King directed to me the following speech.

I am ready, if you think it proper, to go to both the Governors, with these two young men, for I have now no more dependence on those who have been gone so long, without returning or sending any message.

A Belt of Wampum

April 23rd. A COUNCIL OF WAR held at Will's Creek' in order to consult upon what must be done on account of the news brought by Mr. Ward. The News brought by Ensign Ward having been examined into, as also the summons 2 sent by Captain Contrecoeur Commander of the French troops and the speeches of the Half-king, and of the other chiefs of the Six Nations; it appears that Mr. Ward, was forced to surrender the said Fort, the 17th of this instant to the French, who were above one thousand strong and had eighteen artillery pieces, some of which were nine pounders and also that the detachment of the Virginia regiment, amounting to one hundred and fifty men commanded by Colonel Washington had orders to reenforce the

Fort Cumberland, Maryland.

* The text of the summons is printed in the French version, Précis des Faits, and also in Gaine's English translation (New York, 1757), p. 65, as a collateral document.