George Washington Slept Here - Fort Necessity National Battlefield

During one of our spring trips, we toured many historic sites and battlefields.  I was familiar with many of the Civil War sites but the American Revolutionary War sites ... not so much.  Quite frankly, I never heard of Fort Necessity.  So this was something new for me.  

This park land “preserves the site of the Battle of Fort Necessity. The battle, which took place on July 3, 1754, was an early battle of the French and Indian War, and resulted in the surrender of British colonial forces under Colonel George Washington, to the French and Indians, under Louis Coulon de Villiers.  The site also includes the Mount Washington Tavern, once one of the inns along the National Road.”*   

In 1769, George Washington bought 235 acres of meadows where he had commanded his first battle 15 years earlier.  He called the land “Mount Washington” and thought it was a perfect place for an Inn.  Unfortunately, he died (December 14, 1799) before the National Road or Tavern was built.

Fort Necessity National Battlefield was established on March 4, 1931. I think it is an appropriate date since March Fourth is considered the only commanding day of the year – “Soldiers, March Forth!”