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Scientists Verify Bullets From Skirmish Involving 22-Year-Old George Washington

U.S. presidents George Washington Thomas Jefferson Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln on Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota

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Lorenzo Prieto Contributor
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An investigation into the site of the first skirmish of the French and Indian War revealed bullets shot by troops under the command of a young George Washington, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

A four-week archaeological research investigation verified the location of the first skirmish of the French and Indian War, and discovered several 18th-century ballistics and artifacts in Jumonville Glen, which is part of the Fort Necessity National Battlefield, according to the NPS. The 15-minute skirmish happened on May 28, 1754, when 22-year-old Lt. Col. George Washington led the Virginia provincial troops to attack a French campsite, engaging in gunfire. (RELATED: Archaeologists Discover Foundation Of Harriet Tubman’s Home, Dust Off Hundreds Of Additional Artifacts)

Fort Necessity Superintendent Stephen M. Clark said the project was “the first serious investigation of the historic skirmish site,” according to the NPS. “Through the help of this partnership project, the National Park Service can now provide a deeper understanding of where the French and Indian War started.”

“Fort Necessity National Battlefield remembers the Jumonville Affair annually with living history programs,” Fort Necessity National Battlefield Chief of Interpretation and Site Manager Brian Reedy said, according to the NPS. “We can now, with high confidence, conclude the site we protect is indeed the location of the May 28, 1754, skirmish.”

The archeological research saw the collaboration of multiple organizations, including the American Veterans Archaeological Recovery, the National Park Service Northeast Archeological Resources Program, the National Park Service Northeast Museum Services Center, Paul Martin Archaeology Associates, and the Advance Metal Detection for the Archaeologist.