04/02/2020
“Harrow vs Washington”
Winchester VA
September 1754
Many historians consider the French and Indian war technically the first world war. George Washington and Winchester Virginia (both very young at that time) seemed to play a pivotal role in that war. In 1753, a 21-year-old Major Washington started out from Williamsburg on his way to Winchester. Here,he would supply himself the horses and baggage needed for a trip to the French outpost about 15 miles south of Lake Erie. Governor Dinwiddie had assigned Washington the responsibility of presenting a letter to the French to more or less say “The lands of the Ohio belong to the British crown, so get the hell out!”
Washington and his small party left Winchester for the 550 mile trip over rugged mountains and through unchartered wilderness in the dead of winter. They arrived at the French fort and Washington presented the letter. The French commandant was cordial yet claimed that any order to leave must come from the French Governor of Canada. Washington and his party started the harrowing trip back to Winchester almost drowning in the Allegheny River when their makeshift raft hit ice and threw young Washington into the icy flow.
A few months later, Washington would start for the Ohio again from Winchester. He would write to Col. Frye and Capt. Trent to organize three companies and push for Fort Duquesne to build a fortification and to also see what the French were up to. Before Washington found a place to build a fort, Indian guides had found a considerable party of the French camping in a wooded area a few miles from Washington’s camp. Washington stealthily surrounded the Frenchman, and when Washington’s men were detected, the French reached for their rifles and Washington’s men opened fire. Jumonville, the French commander, was killed and this set in motion what would become the French and Indian war. The French would claim it was an assassination, Washington would claim it was self-defense as the French reached for their firearms first.
Washington would stay in the area and build a stockaded fort which he would call “Fort Necessity”...as he expected a French response to Jumonville’s death. The prisoners taken at “Jumonville’s Glen” were brought back to Winchester and Washington tasked the citizens to not only watch...but to house the French prisoners as well.
Washington would be attacked at Fort Necessity and would end up surrendering. One of the demands by the French would be the release of all prisoners held in Winchester. It was agreed.
It’s probably a good thing that the French prisoners in Winchester were released as the citizens had protested to the court against Washington about housing the French. It is here that George Washington appears on the first official written record in Winchester Virginia. A lawsuit brought about on October 1, 1754 by John Harrow against the future father of our country. The details of the lawsuit are lost but it pertained to the housing of the French prisoners. The suit was dropped by the court and nothing further was done.
Young George Washington would use this little town as a springboard...not just a base of operations, but as a school as well. This is where he learned about himself, how to lead men into battle, and how to keep soldiers motivated and focused. He would use this town to “lick his wounds” after mistakes, disappointment, and failure. It was here, in our small town, where George Washington would become the man who would rise to the challenge of creating a new nation....
Winchester Virginia History
