Final answer:
George Washington was reporting on the early confrontations of the French and Indian War in his 1754 letter, which included details of a surprise attack by French and Indian forces near Fort Duquesne, where British and Virginia militia were defeated.
Step-by-step explanation:
When young George Washington wrote home to his superior in 1754 from the Great Meadows, he was reporting on the early engagements of the French and Indian War.
Specifically, his letter described a surprise attack by French and Indian fighters near Fort Duquesne (modern-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), where the British forces, including the Virginia militia of which Washington was a part, suffered a defeat.
This conflict marked the beginning of hostilities in the region that would escalate into a full-scale war between Britain and France for control over the North American territories.