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French and Indian War
Frank Opett
The primary author is the individual who drafted the first version of
this section; a section that could have been modified since it was
originally published.
Main Points of the French and Indian War
To understand the significance and the meaning of the
fourth French and Indian War—also referred to as "The
Seven Years War"—one must understand the manner in
which it was fought, the tensions that led to the conflict,
and the effect that it had on the future of North
America. The war was the result of tensions and
struggles for control over North America between
England and France. It was fought by the armies of France and England as well as their native allies, and
American colonists.
Setting the tone for the War
As tensions grew between England and France in the first half of the 18th century, the tensions came to a
boiling point in March of 1754. A young and newly promoted Virginia militiaman, Lieutenant Colonel
George Washington was sent by the governor of Virginia to the Ohio valley near present day western
Pennsylvania. He was sent with orders to "act on the defensive" but was given power if necessary to
"make prisoners of, kill or destroy" all those who resisted British control of the region. Acting on
diplomatic directive, a French force of 35 soldiers set out to send their own terms to the English to
withdraw from the region. Perceived as hostile, on 24 May 1754, Washington and force of 40 Virginia
providential soldiers stealthily approached the French encampment and with the element of surprise,
ambushed the French killing 13 soldiers and capturing 21 more. These were the first shots of the conflict
and the French were enraged, claiming their troops were murdered. More about Washington's first
taste of battle is shown in Patriote's Québec History 8 — French and Indian War.
To follow up on the attempt to rid the Ohio country of the French, in spring of 1755 the British sent
Major General Edward Braddock with 2,100 British regular troops to advance and take the French
stronghold of Fort Duquesne which is in present day Pittsburg. George Washington accompanied
Reprinted from College History
http://collegehistory.info/early/manuscripts/09-french-indian.html
Last updated on 10 May 2015
Photo Caption: Charles Willson Peale's portrait of George Washington in his Virginia Regiment
colonel's uniform, 1772.
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Braddock as his aid-de-camp and knew the terrain well. When warned of Indian attacks allied to the
French, Braddock was highly arrogant and dismissed the idea. Despite the discipline and training of the
British redcoats, they were completely out of their element in the American wilderness where there
were no open fields for the British conventional army to maneuver.
On 9 July 1755, the British were ambushed and all but completely slaughtered by a much smaller French
and Indian force. Almost all officers including Braddock himself were among the 977 killed. This was the
battle that set the tone for a long and bloody war, and served as a wake-up call to the British that
fighting in North America was not the same as the rank and file, drum and fife traditional warfare on
European battlefields.
British Adaptations to Fighting in North America
After three years plagued by defeats for the British and formal declaration of war in May of 1756, the
British finally realized that to have a chance in beating the French and especially their native Indian
allies, despite British military tradition, they would soon have to somewhat adapt tactics that resembled
the "savage" way of fighting. Prime Minister William Pitt increased funding and initiated the changes to
the British approach to the war. Since the redcoats did not know the land well enough, the British
appointed frontiersman supporter Robert Rogers to raise a force on their side to counter the French and
Indian tactics. Rogers raised companies of New England frontiersmen and trained them in woodcraft,
scouting, marksmanship and irregular warfare and were named "The Queen's Rangers." Throughout the
rest of the war, the Rangers gained a considerable reputation and greatly helped turn the tide of the war
into British favor.
Conclusion of the War and Consequences
After four bloody years of fighting, the last major battle that decided the control of North America was
the Battle of Quebec on 13 September 1759. Commanded by General James Wolfe, the British achieved
their greatest victory of the war. By employing daring tactics, the British scaled the cliffs that were over
the city of Quebec to achieve surprise and soundly defeated the French regular Army commanded by
Lewis-Joseph de Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham. Both Generals Wolfe and Montcalm were fatally
wounded. This British victory also led to the French fall of Montreal the next year, which was the final
nail in the coffin for the French. Patriote17 provides a vision of the Battle of Quebec from the soldier's
point of view.
As the war officially concluded in 1763 with the signing of the treaty of Paris, it brought with it several
implications to the French, and lasting consequences to the British as well despite being victorious that
would later lead to the American Revolution. In addition to massive territorial gains, the British Empire
Reprinted from College History
http://collegehistory.info/early/manuscripts/09-french-indian.html
Last updated on 10 May 2015
Photo Caption: Charles Willson Peale's portrait of George Washington in his Virginia Regiment
colonel's uniform, 1772.
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now also was massively in debt that would later lead to the heavy taxation on American colonials and
also destroyed relations with most of the Native Indian tribes. Further French distaste towards England
from being defeated also led to their contribution to the Patriot war effort later in the American
Revolution. It is safe to say that the results of French and Indian War played a great deal in shaping the
nation in which we live in today.
Suggestions for Further Reading
Anderson, Fred. The War That Made America: A Short History of the French and Indian War. New
York: Viking, 2005. Print.
Hibbert, Christopher. Wolfe at Quebec. Cleveland: World Pub., 1959. Print.
Laager, Hollie. The French and Indian War. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Pub., 2007. Print.
Reprinted from College History
http://collegehistory.info/early/manuscripts/09-french-indian.html
Last updated on 10 May 2015
Photo Caption: Charles Willson Peale's portrait of George Washington in his Virginia Regiment
colonel's uniform, 1772.
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