Chapter 7

It is difficult to pin down exactly when the French and Indian Wars actually began.

As readers can see from the preceding chapters, the struggle between the American Indian Tribes and the European Settlers reflected the core conflict between the warring European nations for supremacy in the New World. Fairly early on, the Dutch, The Spanish and the Portuguese were all eliminated from the running for the number one spot due more to problems at home and lack of interest in forming a global dynasty with a commitment of vast reserves of manpower and treasure. The only two contenders that remained on the playing field were the English and the French. In very loose terms, the English were concentrated along the coastal regions stretching all the way from Maine to the Florida coastline.

The French were more in control all the way from the Gulf coastline and New Orleans right up through the heartland of the North American continent with the Mississippi river on their left flank. This area of so-called "New France" ranged all the way up to Canada and the French territory in the North along the banks of the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

In those years before the gradual descent into the chaos of the French and Indian Wars, The French missionaries made great efforts to prepare the way for the successful establishment of "New France" to act as a brake on the English settler's expansion on the North American Continent. The French plots went mostly "under the radar" of both the English settlers and the British monarchy. They had very early on perceived the direction of the English Settlements and were willing risk all in an attempt to claim a sizable piece of the pie before their schemes were discovered. The English settler's effort to convert the Indians was lukewarm at best and the Indian Tribes seemed to be responsive to the French missionary's efforts because it tied in with their belief in a "Father Figure" creator of all around them.

The French civilian components were comprised of mostly individuals who came to the New World to make their fortunes and eventually return to their beloved France. They came with skills and with capital to invest in trading enterprises and the establishment of some lucrative endeavor that sparked their interest. These were the more adventurous of the French population and the ones with a willingness to take great risk to make their fortune. The French settlers were mostly male and young with few females or families as baggage in their migration to the locale of "New France". They took wives with the Indian squaws seldom with the intent to make it anything more than a marriage of physical convenience. In some cases, they would take an English female captive as a housekeeper/wife to make their existence more accommodating.

Their hatred of the English dated back to their European roots and it rubbed off on the American Indian Tribes who were quick to see the English settlers as encroachers on their sacred burial places and protected hunting grounds. They were "civilized" men with book-learning but managed to "look the other way" when their Indian allies tortured the English captives beyond limit of human endurance.

The tolerance for terror and acceptance of horror during this crucial period was mirrored decades later when the reign of terror was culminated in the genocidal elimination of the French monarchy and any intelligent opposition to the will of the "Citizens" in the name of Liberty.

With the generous transfer of "spirits" and "guns" to the Indian allies, the French cemented their relationship with the American Indian Tribes and they stayed fairly loyal right up to their final defeat at the hands of the combined English settler's militias and the regular British Army troops.

The combined force of the English settler militias, the British "Tommies" and the Indian allies acted in concert in confronting the French attackers. The English-supporting Indian Tribes were natural enemies of the other Indian Tribes supporting the French cause. Often the superior intelligence from their native scouts allowed the British to beat the French to the punch in many face to face confrontations throughout the French and Indian Wars. It was only in the covert raids with bloodthirsty tactics that used mostly Indian forces that the French were able to prolong the Wars for so many years.

During the entire period of the French and Indian Wars and indeed even during the American Revolution, it was a fact that roughly one third of the population of the English Colonies were in a category of "Indentured Servants" meaning that they were basically almost the same as the African slaves imported from across the sea for labor on the plantations of the Southern Colonies. In some instances, the status of the white indentured servants was inferior to the wholly owned black slaves because they were only owned for a period of time ranging from five years to seven years and the owner wanted to get his money's worth during that period of time. The black slaves were in a better position, at least in comparison to the white indentured servants, because they were owned for their lifetime or until sold to another master and the owners generally were smart enough to realize they needed to take good care of their property to protect their investment. The use of physical punishment was legally permissible against violations of their contract by the indentured servants just as the owners of the African slaves had that same right over their chattel.

With the coming of the American Revolution, the use of English born indentured servants dried up and the indentured servants after the finish of the war were mostly from other European countries with populations that desired a better chance in life than in their countries of origin. During the American Revolution, a large number of indentured servants won their full freedom merely by enlisting in the militias of their respective Colonies to fight against the British troops. African enlistees were given the same treatment with compensation paid to their owners for their service in the Continental Army.

The general timeframe of the French and Indian Wars was 1750 – 1768 but some historians put the opening salvos as early as 1748 and the most likely ending in 1763. The exact dates are not particularly important. The important point is that the ultimate result was the defeat of the French military forces and a trend in favor of the establishment of "New France" as a viable extension of the French Empire. The secondary important result was the confusion on the part of the American Indian Tribes as to future alliances with any of the European powers after backing the wrong horse in this formative conflict.

TIMELINE OF THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS

1748 – The end of King George's War which had started back in 1744 with great optimism on both sides. This was covered in part 1 but it obviously overlaps into the beginnings of the French and Indian Wars. It could be stated to be a training ground to the actual French and Indian Wars between France and England. This entire conflict was fought for the physical domination of the "lower 48" locale of the then settled part of the North American Continent. It came to a conclusion with a truce agreed upon and a treaty signed but no clear winner or loser.

1749 -1752 - There is a tense atmosphere that increases throughout the Colonies. All of the settlers are aware that France and England are in competition over claims for the same land and for a bigger share of the trading rights with the American Indian Tribes. Sporadic raids on isolated farms and small outposts continue unabated.

1753 – Finally, the English settlements with the Virginia Colony taking the lead send an ultimatum message concerning French encroachment on the English Colonies and French inspired attacks on the settlements to the French commander at Riviere aux Boeufs. The message is carried by an officer called GEORGE WASHINGTON. The French reject the warning message.