Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 101. Wildcard. It is good to be back at the

podcasting desk after a few weeks out of the country in South America, visiting Machu Picchu,

which was all very lovely. I'd like to begin this week with a correction.

Twitter has pointed out that I've made one of my pronunciation errors.

I'm usually quite good with French, but apparently de Cuesne is not pronounced de Cuesne,

despite being spelled like that.

It's actually pronounced Ducaine.

So, my apologies.

But now, back to the narrative.

Word reached Williamsburg of the disaster of Fort Necessity.

George Washington's forces had been massacred on July 3, 1754, and was forced out of the Ohio Valley along with all other British settlements.

The French dominated the region.

The governor of Virginia, Dinwiddie, was galvanized into action.

He ordered that more troops be raised and sent to join Washington, who was regrouping at

Wilts Creek, so that Washington could retake the offensive before the end of summer. He planned to

raise more funds from the House of Burgesses and wrote to nearby governors and to everybody

of importance back in London. The Southern Secretary, the

War Secretary, the President of the Board of Trade, among others. Dinwiddie's actions proved

almost a complete failure. The House of Burgesses, still fighting the pistola fee, dispute with Dinwiddie, would not raise more funds.

Washington could barely keep his meager force together and could certainly not take the offensive without more funds.

Dinwiddie's plea to the other colonies fell on deaf ears, aside from North Carolina,

but North Carolina would only approve funds for use in North Carolina. A Congress in Albany

...