Robert Dinwiddie, the Governor of Virginia dispatched young George Washington, then about 21 years old, to St. Pierre at Fort Le Boeuf where he was to deliver a letter to the commander of the French forces, requesting him to withdraw from the area.
The fact that the trading interests of the Ohio Company were being seriously threatened by the French traders in the west moved Dinwiddie to action. In 1750 and 1751, the Ohio Company sent Christopher Gist out to make a clandestine survey of the country, as far as the falls of the Ohio River. This was followed by Washington’s mission to Lake Erie with Dinwiddie’s letter which complained of French encroachment in British territory, expressing surprise that the French should build forts and make settlements on the Ohio River.
Washington visited with Queen Aliquippa, ruler of the six Indian nations, in an effort to ease troubled relations between them. Of this visit, Washington wrote, “I made her a Present of a Matchcoat and a Bottle of Rum which latter was thought much the best Present of the Two.”
With Christopher Gist, young George traveled to Fort Le Boeuf - but the French stood their ground and the mission was unsuccessful. Bob Schmertz’s song, filled with unexpected internal rhymes, retells this colorful story.Vivien Richman
THE FORKS OF THE OHIO
(Robert Schmertz)
In seventeen fifty-three, George Washington came to the O-hi-o.
A year past twenty and he had plenty of old “git up and go”
He didn’t seem to mind the Indians or the ice and snow
As he just came a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o.
He just came a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o.
Lord Dinwiddie the royal Governor of Vir-gin-i-ay,
Said, “George, you better go west a month or so, see what the Frenchmen say.
Just tell ‘em that the King don’t want ‘em and they had better go!”
So George came a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o!
George came a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o!
Queen Aliquippa was the Indian skipper of a tribe down Logstown way,
And George thought he’d better win this lady Indian and without delay.
So he took her a coat, a jug of whiskey and he stayed a day or so -
Then he came back a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o.
He came back a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o.
He met a trapper whose name was Christopher Gist the hist’ries say,
Who looked mighty dapper in a coonskin capper and a buckskin negligee.
George said “Christopher let’s get traveling - Erie’s where we’ll go!”
So they both went a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
From the Forks of the O-hi-o.
They both went a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
From the Forks of the O-hi-o.
Then George and Christopher kept on travelin’ clear to Fort Le Boeuf,
George said, “We’ll state ‘em an ultimatum!” but the Frenchmen called their bluff!
When George said, “Gentlemen, vite tout suite!” Le commandant said, “Non!”
So they came back a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
From the Forks of the O-hi-o.
They came back a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
From the Forks of the O-hi-o.
They came back down to the wide Allegheny and they built themselves a raft.
But Christopher he didn’t quite get the gist of her for he thought fore was aft!
So George fell smack into the water while the wintry winds did blow,
And George came a-swimmin’ and a-sneezin’ and a-coughin’
Through the Forks of the O-hi-o.
George came a-swimmin’ and a-sneezin’ and a-coughin’
Through the Forks of the O-hi-o.
Now if you go a-ridin’ or a-walkin’ on a Sunday afternoon,
A stroll by the river is good for the liver and you might try this tune
On the very spot where George came traveling many years ago,
As George came a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o.
George came a-lookin’ and a-ridin’ and a-walkin’
To the Forks of the O-hi-o.
Recorded also by:
- Dear Friends
“Roll on Monongahela: River Songs from Pennsylvania and Beyond”, 1995 - Thomas Studio