Major Washington and the Forks of Ohio is a novel depicting the travels of George Washington through Western Pennsylvania in 1753-1754. The Major was commissioned by the Governor of Virginia to deliver a letter to the French Commander in the area. The letter basically told the French to cease any and all activity in the Allegheny River Valley because claim to this region was already made by the British colonists. This mission set the stage for the French and Indian War which occurred in the following months and ultimately led to the development of Pittsburgh at the confluence of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers (The Forks of Ohio).

This work is historical fiction and as such follows the general time-line and major events of the period but does add some new characters and takes liberties with dialog, style and events. I realized when undertaking this project that there would be some that would take offense the stylizing of George Washington’s life. He is a very popular, yet misunderstood figure in American history. My attempt, like others who have taken on this task is to put a more human face on the character of Washington and move beyond Valley Forge and cherry trees and get to the real man behind the history. Obviously this is my interpretation of our first President and as such is open to critique by historians and readers alike.

I hope you enjoy the story and the characters. Please use the sign up form to get notification of updates and the release of the full novel. I am looking forward to adding more content over the next few months to celebrate the 250th birthday of Pittsburgh.

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Mark Bursic