Forts on the Pennsylvania frontier, 1753-1758.

              CHAPTER TWOThe French Invasion and British ResistanceFRONTIER FORTS in Pennsylvania were the product of French expansion and occupation of the upper Ohio Valley. Their story begins with the establishment of the first French posts on Pennsylvania soil in 1753. This produced Virginia and British opposition, including the erection or partial erection of a few hastily constructed forts. Braddock's defeat in 1755 insured French domination until General Forbes' expedition in 1758. This chapter presents a brief review of the developments in this period as an introduction to a detailed study of the Virginia and French forts contained in the two succeeding chapters.THE FRENCH INVASION, 1753The French establishment of posts on the upper Ohio in 1753-1754 came as the culmination of a long process. Behind this move, so alarming to English officials, was the story of French penetration into the heart of the continent, by way of the St. Lawrence to the Great Lakes, by way of the Lakes to and beyond the Mississippi, and along that river from its upper courses to the Gulf of Mexico. Behind their entry into the upper Ohio lay French development of the fur trade, diplomatic dealings with the Indians, the planting of missions, and the establishment of forts along a line from Montreal to Niagara, to Detroit, and thence by the Maumee and the Wabash to the lower Ohio.The French action must be seen, moreover, as a response to the ag-gressive entry of English traders into this Ohio country. By establishing relations with the Wyandots, the Miamis, the Ottawas, and other western Indians, they extended their influence, damaged French trade, disrupted French relations with the natives, and threatened the whole French position. If these English traders were to be stopped, they must be deprived of their bases in that area.The French establishment of military posts in this region had been preceded by earlier activity there. At their Niagara post, dating from