Early colonization .281747.E2.80.931763.29 History of Pittsburgh

british , french forts, 1753–1758, , routes of 2 british campaigns take forks of ohio

the first europeans arrived in 1710s traders. michael bezallion first describe forks of ohio in manuscript in 1717, , later year european traders established posts , settlements in area. europeans first began settle in region in 1748, when first ohio company, english land speculation company, won grant of 200,000 acres (800 km²) in upper ohio valley. post @ present-day cumberland, maryland, company began construct 80-mile (130 km) wagon road monongahela river employing delaware indian chief named nemacolin , party of settlers headed capt. michael cresap begin widening track road. followed same route ancient amerindian trail known nemacolin s trail. river crossing , flats @ redstone creek, earliest point , shortest distance descent of wagon road. later in war, site fortified fort burd (now brownsville) 1 of several possible destinations. alternative divergent route became braddock s road few years later through present-day new stanton. in event, colonists did not succeed in improving amerindian path wagon road beyond cumberland narrows pass before confronted hostile native americans. colonists later mounted series of expeditions in order accomplish piecemeal improvements track.

the french had built nearby logstown trade , council center native americans increase influence in ohio valley. between june 15 , november 10, 1749, expedition headed celeron de bienville, french officer, traveled down allegheny , ohio bolster french claim region. de bienville warned away english traders , posted markers claiming territory.

in 1753, marquis duquesne, governor of new france, sent another, larger expedition. @ present-day erie, pennsylvania, advance party built fort presque isle. cut road through woods , built fort le boeuf on french creek, possible @ high water float allegheny. summer, expedition of 1,500 french , native american men descended allegheny. wintered @ confluence of french creek , allegheny. following year, built fort machault @ site.

alarmed @ these french incursions in ohio valley, governor dinwiddie of virginia sent major george washington warn french withdraw. accompanied christopher gist, washington arrived @ forks of ohio on november 25, 1753.

george washington s sketch of monongahela river, allegheny river (named upper ohio), , french creek accompanied journal (1753) in recorded impressions:

proceeding allegheny, washington presented dinwiddie s letter french commanders first @ venango, , fort le boeuf. french officers received washington wine , courtesy, did not withdraw.

governor dinwiddie sent captain william trent build fort @ forks of ohio. on february 17, 1754, trent began construction of fort, first european habitation @ site of present-day pittsburgh. fort, named fort prince george, half-built april 1754, when on 500 french forces arrived , ordered 40-some colonials virginia. french tore down british fortification , built fort duquesne.

governor dinwiddie launched expedition. colonel joshua fry commanded regiment second-in-command, george washington, leading advance column. on may 28, 1754, washington s unit clashed french in battle of jumonville glen, during 13 french soldiers killed , 21 taken prisoner. after battle, washington s ally, seneca chief tanaghrisson, unexpectedly executed french commanding officer, ensign joseph coulon de jumonville. french pursued washington , on july 3, 1754, george washington surrendered following battle of fort necessity. these frontier actions contributed start of french , indian war (1754–1763), or, 7 years war, imperial confrontation between england , france fought in both hemispheres.

the fort pitt blockhouse, dating 1764, oldest structure in pittsburgh.

in 1755, george washington accompanied british general braddock s expedition. 2 regiments marched fort cumberland across allegheny mountains , western pennsylvania. following path washington surveyed, on 3,000 men built wagon road 12 feet (3.7 m) wide, when complete, first road cross appalachian mountains. braddock s road, known, blazed way future national road (us40). expedition crossed monongahela river on july 9, 1755. french troops fort duquesne ambushed braddock s expedition @ braddock s field, 9 miles (14 km) fort duquesne. in battle of monongahela, french inflicted heavy losses on british, , braddock mortally wounded. surviving british , colonial forces retreated. left french , native american allies dominion on upper ohio valley.

on september 8, 1756, expedition of 300 militiamen destroyed shawnee , lenape village of kittanning, , in summer of 1758, british general john forbes began campaign capture fort duquesne. @ head of 7,000 regular , colonial troops, forbes built fort ligonier , fort bedford, cut wagon road on allegheny mountains, later known forbes road. on night of september 13–14, 1758, advance column under major james grant massacred in battle of fort duquesne. battleground, high hill east of point, named grant s hill in memory. defeat, forbes decided wait until spring. when heard french had lost fort frontenac , largely evacuated fort duquesne, planned immediate attack. hopelessly outnumbered, french abandoned , razed fort duquesne. forbes occupied burned fort on november 25, 1758 , ordered construction of fort pitt, named after british secretary of state william pitt elder. named settlement between rivers, pittsborough (see etymology of pittsburgh). british garrison @ fort pitt made substantial improvements fortification. french never attacked fort pitt , war ended treaty of paris , french defeat. ceded territories east of mississippi river.