In 1755 Washington was sent by Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia to garrison the British fort being built at the forks of the Ohio river. He found that Contrecoeur had captured the fort and renamed it from Fort Pitt to Fort Duquesne 1754. Washington then intrenched at Great Meadows about 50 miles from Fort Duquesne and called the place Fort Necessity. Attacked by the French under de Villiers, Washington capitulated. The French then erected Fort de la Necessité on the spot. It was probably destroyed by the French in 1759 and the garrison retired to Detroit. Shown on maps No. 16 and 97.