On July 9, 1755, George Washington distinguished himself as a leader at the Battle of Braddock’s Field, also known as the Battle of the Monongahela. While in his early 20s, George Washington joined the Virginia colonial militia. One of his assignments was to build a road through the dense forests of Maryland to Pennsylvania, to set up an encampment, find water routes into the Ohio Valley, and await reinforcements. Following a skirmish with French troops that threatened to evolve into full-scale war, Washington and his men built a log stronghold named Fort Necessity. On July 3, 1754, the French attacked Fort Necessity, firing the opening shots of the French and Indian War. Outnumbered three to one, Washington’s men were forced to surrender. The defeat was the only surrender of his military career.