Immersive program planned on 'friendly fire' incident at Fort Ligonier

Interpreters in period attire on Saturday will bring to life for Fort Ligonier visitors the impact of a pivotal event in the fort’s history and in the military career of George Washington.

Registration is required to attend “According to the Best of His Recollection,” an immersive program recounting a “friendly fire” incident that took place on Nov. 12, 1758, about 2 miles from the fort.

Then a colonel with Virginian forces serving on the British side of the French and Indian War, Washington placed himself in peril to stop soldiers who mistakenly fired against their fellow troops while responding to a French raid near dusk on a foggy day.

Washington is credited with cutting the friendly fire short by moving down the line of soldiers and using his sword to turn aside their muskets.

During the 4 p.m. outdoor program, participants will walk up a moderate incline to the upper portion of re-created Fort Ligonier as interpreters portray what was going on inside the British outpost on that fateful day.

“Through immersive vignettes, they’ll learn about different accounts of the friendly fire incident,” said Matt Gault, director of education at the fort.

Unlike Washington, he pointed out, “A lot of the people involved are not the major players in our history books.”

Among period accounts the program draws upon is that of Alexander Scott Bullitt, who relayed what he’d heard of the friendly fire incident from an uncle who was one of the involved soldiers.

Another tale of the incident comes from the pen of William Findley, a Unity farmer who served in the Revolutionary War and later in Congress. According to Gault, Findley based his account on a conversation with Washington.

While Washington survived the friendly fire, the incident took a heavy toll on the Fort Ligonier troops — 38 soldiers and two officers were reported wounded, dead or missing. At least a dozen were killed, Gault said.

“It’s a somber feeling remembering those who didn’t return,” he said. “If we can provide a moment of time travel for folks, then we’ve done our job.”

Visit fortligonier.org to register for the two-hour program. The cost is $20 for Fort Association members, $25 for others.