ly it seems that the backwoodsmen and the Indians all liked him very much. Incidentally, his surveying knowledge came in handy much later when he was President.When George was nineteen he was made a Major in charge of one of the military districts into which the colony of Virginia was divided from handling attacks on the frontier by French and Indians. This was the real beginning of the seven-year French and Indian War. Two years later he was sent on a mission to the French, to find out just what their intentions were and to warn them off. This meant six hundred miles alone through the wilderness. However, for a young fellow of his build, experience, and aptitudes this was all in the day's work and probably very enjoyable. In 1754 he commanded a regiment against the French, who had established themselves at Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburgh): but he was driven back by superior forces to Fort Necessity, the American stronghold, which he held as long as humanly possible before surrendering. Washington then accompanied General Braddock and led two regiments of volunteers against Fort Duquesne. In this campaign he received four bullet holes in his coat and had two horses shot under him. Perhaps he was being saved for another time. Even though Braddock was killed, Washington was able to lead the rest of the Virginia troops to defeat the French troops. For doing this, Washington was promoted to coronal and appointed commander and chief of the Virginia militia. Assured that the Virginia frontier was safe from French attack, Washington left the army in 1758 and returned to Mount Vernon to restore his estate which he inherited after his brothers death in 1752.On January 6, 1759 Washington was married to Martha Dandridge Custis, widow of Daniel Parke Custis. She had two children from the marriage to Parke, John Parke Custis and Martha Parke Custis, both of whom Washington legally adopted in 1761. He settled down with his new family to...
