Were William Trents Actions During the French and Indian War Heroic or Heinous?
During the French and Indian War, William Trent was Captain at Fort Pitt. His journal recounts the events of May 24th 1763, when his fort was approached by members of the Delaware and Mamaltee tribes who had joined forces with the French. The Native Americans had come to warn the British troops that they would be attacked by a larger army of Native Americans and give them the opportunity to leave without confrontation. Trent wrote the following explaining his company’s retaliatory actions, “Out of our regard to them we gave them two Blankets and an Handkerchief out of the Small Pox Hospital. I hope it will have the desired effect.” Small Pox was taking its tole on European troops and settlers and Trent seemed to hope that the spread of the disease would also disable Native American warriors. After the students have a working knowledge of the French and Indian War, explain this situation to them. Then divide the class into two groups: one who will work to defend William Trent’s gift of
