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Early in 1754, the Colony of Virginia sent a small party of men to construct a fort at the Forks of the Ohio. This critical junction of three major rivers, the Ohio, Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, would be a source of conflict between the French and English for many years. The English claimed the area as part of the Colony of Virginia, while the French relied upon the waterway as a trade route. The English party began construction of the fort in the spring, but the French Marquis Duquesne had already dispatched a party of 500 under Legardeur de Saint-Pierre to the Ohio. The English had barely prepared the foundation of the fort when a French party arrived and drove them off. The French party under Contrecoeur, quickly destroyed the smaller fort and quickly started the construction of a larger fort at the site, named Fort Duquesne in honor of the Marquis.
Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia was enraged by the blatant disregard the French had for the Crown's claims and started to assemble a party of 800 men with the intent of driving the French out. Half the party, under the command of Major George Washington, was in the field ahead of the remainder of the party and fired the first shots of the war. They surprised a party of Frenchmen under Ensign Coulon de Jumonville, killed the Ensign and 9 others and captured 22. Thus began the last French and Indian War.| Ludington, Ezra - Centl. 2nd Regiment 3rd Co. Killed in Action | Ludington, James - Centl. 2nd Regiment, 3rd Co. | Ludington, Amos - 2nd Regiment, 7th Co. |
| Ludington, David - 3rd Regiment, 1st Co. | Ludington, James - 3rd Regiment, 1st Co. | Ludington, Timothy - Lyman's Regiment 2nd Co. |
| Ludington, Henry - Deserter 2nd Reg. Maltbie's Co. | Ludington, Asa - 2nd Regiment, Peck's Co. Killed in Action |
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