Timeline of the French & Indian War

October 31
1753
George Washington leaves Williamsburg, carrying a letter from Gov. Dinwiddie to the French,
ordering them to vacate the British territory.
December 29
1753
On their return George Washington & Christopher Gist, in trying to cross the Allegheny River near
present day 40th street bridge, fall off the raft and nearly drown. They spend the night on an island
and finish crossing the river on the frozen ice the next day.
January 16
1754
George Washington arrives in Williamsburg and delivers the French commandant's reply to
Governor Dinwiddie, thus setting the stage for the French and Indian War.
April 18
1754
British Fort Prince George is surrendered to the French at the Point (present-day Pittsburgh); The
French now control the Forks of the Ohio and immediately begin the construction of Fort
Duquesne.
May 28
1754
George Washington led 40 men from an encampment near present-day Uniontown to an Indian
camp where 10 or 11 warriors joined them. They set off to investigate reports of a French camp a
few miles away. Not long after dawn, the two forces exchanged fire, leaving four Virginians and
fourteen Frenchmen dead or wounded. The French commander, Ensign Joseph Coulon de
Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville, was killed.
May 30
1754
George Washington builds Ft. Necessity.
July 3
1754
The French and the Indians attacked Washington’s troops who had built a "fort of necessity",
killing or wounding one-third of Washington's men after a day of constant firing in heavy rain.
Washington surrendered, and on July 4 was allowed to retreat.
July 9
1755
Following Washington’s surrender at Fort Necessity, the British government sent Major General
Edward Braddock and a force of 1300 British regular and colonial militia to Fort Duquesne. On
July 9, 1755, after a double fording of the Monongahela River to the site of present-day Braddock
(near Pittsburgh), they encountered about 900 French and Indian troops. In the ensuing three-
hour firefight, Braddock’s command suffered more than 1000 casualties before the survivors fled.
July 13
1755
General Braddock, mortally wounded, dies near Jumonville Glen, and his body is buried under
the road so that it cannot be found. Braddock's defeat unleashes two years of attacks by the
Indians, and effectively rolls the Pennsylvania frontier back to Carlisle, barely 100 miles from
Philadelphia.
August 14
1756
The French capture the British Fort Oswego and take control of Lake Ontario.
March 10
1757
A letter arrives from British Secretary of State William Pitt, changing the policies of Lord Loudoun.
Now the colonies are very supportive of the war. Pitt takes command of British government.
August 9–10
1757
The French capture Fort William Henry. However, they do not talk with their American Indian
allies about the surrender. The surrender agreement angers the American Indians and the next
day they captured or killed hundreds of British.
July 8
1758
Despite having many more troops, the British did not take Fort Ticonderoga. British defeat at Fort
Ticonderoga.
June 8–July 26
1758
The British capture the fortress at Louisbourg. This opens the St. Lawrence River and the water
route to Canada.
August 25–27
1758
The British capture Fort Frontenac. This fort supplied all the French forts in the Ohio River Valley
and further west.
October 8–26
1758
The Ohio River Valley American Indians sign the Treaty of Easton promising not to fight for the
French. In return the British promise not to settle the lands west of the Allegheny Mountains after
the war.
November
1758
Encouraged by reports that the French garrison at Fort Duquesne is shrinking and that their
allies, the Delaware Indians, are prepared to abandon the French and make peace, Brigadier
General John Forbes decides to mount an early assault.
November 23
1758
As the British forces march towards Fort Duquesne, the French set fire to the fort, blow up its
walls, and they retreat to the Allegheny River. The British seize control of the Forks and the area
is named Pittsburgh.
Spring
1759
The British begin construction of Fort Pitt.
July
1759
The Iroquois decide to ally with the British and help them defeat the French at Fort Niagara.
July 10–25
1759
The French surrender Fort Niagara to the British after a long fight.
July 26
1759
The French army retreats and the British capture Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point.
September 13
1759
The French surrender the city of Quebec after the British defeat them in an early morning battle
just outside the city.
September 8
1760
The British capture Montreal. Fighting ends between the French and the British in North America.
The British and French are still fighting in other parts of the world.
February 10
1763 The Spanish, French and British sign a peace treaty, the Treaty of Paris. Much of North
America changes hands. British gain all lands east of the Mississippi, Spain gives Britain Florida,
Spain gains all lands west of Mississippi.