<P> Governor Dinwiddie chose Major Washington, then 21 years old, for the trek into the Ohio Country to assess the French military situation, and to deliver the British demands . He was a good choice despite his youth because he was familiar with the frontier from survey work, had good health, and both government and Ohio Company leaders trusted Washington . Although he had no frontier warfare experience, neither did most other Virginians . Washington departed from Williamsburg at the end of October 1753 . In Fredericksburg he picked up Jacob Van Braam, a family friend who spoke French, before heading into the Virginia highlands . There he was joined by Christopher Gist, an Ohio Company agent who was familiar with the territory, and a few backwoodsmen to assist with expedition logistics . When the expedition arrived at the site of the proposed fort, Washington noted that the site was well chosen, having "the entire Command of the Monongahela". </P> <P> The expedition then proceeded on to Logstown, a large Indian settlement a short way down the Ohio River . After parleying with the Indians, the Mingo "Half King" Tanacharison and three of his men agreed to accompany the British expedition to meet with the French . Washington also learned that many of the Ohio tribes were as unhappy about the British plans for settling the area as they were of the French plans to fortify it . Leaving Logstown on November 30, they arrived at Fort Machault on December 4 . The commander there, Captain Philippe - Thomas de Joncaire, directed Washington to his superior officer, stationed at Fort LeBoeuf, further north . While dining with Joncaire, Washington learned of French intentions to "take possession of the Ohio". </P> <P> Washington's party reached Fort LeBoeuf on December 11, in the middle of a raging snowstorm . The French commander, Captain Jacques Legardeur de Saint - Pierre, received them with hospitality; however, in response to Dinwiddie's demands, he pointed out that the letter was more properly addressed to his superior, New France's governor the Marquis Duquesne . The letter Legardeur drafted in response to Dinwiddie's was clear and to the point: "as to the summons you send me to retire, I do not think myself obliged to obey it ." Washington took careful notes of the military arrangements at both forts before departing on December 16 . He was somewhat concerned by the fact that Tanacharison and his men remained behind for further discussions with the French; he wrote, "I saw that every strategem which the most fruitful brain could invent, was practiced to win Half King to their interest". He returned to Williamsburg after a month of difficult travel . Dinwiddie had Washington's account of the expedition widely distributed to emphasize the French threat . It was printed on both sides of the Atlantic, giving Washington an international reputation . </P> <P> While Washington was returning from this expedition, Dinwiddie sent men from the Ohio Company (who were also commissioned into the provincial militia) under William Trent to begin construction of the company's fort . In February, with Tanacharison's blessing, Trent and his men began construction of the fort at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers . Legardeur's successor at Venango, Claude - Pierre Pécaudy de Contrecœur, led a force of about 500 men Canadiens and Indians (rumors reaching Trent's men put its size at 1,000) to dislodge them . On April 16, they arrived at the forks; the next day, Trent's force of 36 men, led by Ensign Edward Ward in Trent's absence, agreed to leave the site, over the vociferous objections of Tanacharison . The French then began construction of Fort Duquesne . </P>

Who was the leader of the french in the french and indian war