Table of Contents
Volume 41, Number 4
July - August 2010

Fort Necessity
Dr. Donald Ledbetter

Fort Necessity

A few years ago, Bettye and I had the privilege of spending a few days with friends of ours in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I never knew that Pennsylvania was such a beartiful state. One of the day trips we made was to travel the National Road. It was the first federally funded highway in the U.S.A. It became the gateway to the western frontier. The ancient mile markers are still there showing how far you have traveled. It started at Cumberland, Maryland, and went all the way to Vandalia, Illinois. We weren’t going that far. We stopped at a place called Fort Necessity.

Today it sits in the middle of a beautiful park and picnic area, nestled in a lush meadow along Redstone Creek and the Monongahela River. To get there, George Washington started out from Williamsburg, Virginia, followed the Potomac northwest into Pennsylvania, arriving at the Great Meadow in the late winter and early spring of 1753 and 54. He was sent for the express purpose to warn the French to withdraw from their occupied territory. They refused. That set the stage for a big battle at Fort Necessity.

The confrontation was for the control of the North American continent. From our history books we know it as the French and Indian War, also as the Seven Years’ War. Whatever you call it – even back then, it had global implications. It did come to a climax in 1763 with the expulsion of the French power from North America and from India. If Washington had not prevailed, we might have become a French speaking nation.

This action at Fort Necessity became the first major event in the military career of George Washington. As I said in the previous paragraph, he made the trip while the weather was still quite cold, arriving there May 24. He moved immediately to attack the French, catching them by surprise. He was able to defeat them with minimum losses on his side. Because of the death of one of his superior officers, Washington was promoted in rank to a Colonel, and assumed command of the army. Fearing retaliation from the French he fortified his position by building a circular palisade, calling it Fort Necessity.

Washington’s army consisted of 293 officers and men. A little later about 100 more showed up to help him fortify his command. On July the third a force of approximately 600 French and 100 Indians came against the fort. Rain fell throughout the day flooding the marshy ground and the trenches around the palisade. It was clear to Washington that the enemy was winning. However, God provided a huge opportunity. The leader of the French and Indian forces unexpectedly requested a truce! Washington took advantage of it. The French wanted to discuss a surrender of Washington’s command. He was only 21 years of age but displayed a statesman’s ability to negotiate with the enemy. After hours of negotiation, he and his men were allowed to withdraw with honors of war, retaining all their baggage and weapons. Can you believe it? It is true; that allowed Washington to return to fight another day. And fight he did, assuring us of what European country would dominate North America.

My point is this: sometimes we have to wait on God and sometimes we might even have to suffer defeat so God can use us in a greater and more important way. I’m sure that day, as Washington and his men walked away from the Great Meadow, they felt the sting of defeat, but that did not last. Later, they were able to enjoy the thrill of victory. That can happen to us in the everyday affairs and battles of life. We should not be so quick to quit. The battle belongs to the Lord, win or lose.

– Don in Georgetown