Joseph Coulon de Jumonville

Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville (8 September 1718 – 28 May 1754) was a French-Canadian officer in the French Army.

On 28 May 1754, Jumonville was sent to warn the Virginian militia leader George Washington against encroaching further into French territory. Alerted to Jumonville's presence, Washington's militia and their native allies ambushed the French officer's force in the.

After Washington's militia won the battle, Jumonville surrendered. To Washington's surprise however, the Mingo chief threw his tomahawk into Jumonville's head, killing him.

The French held Washington responsible for Jumonville's death, calling the ambush an act of war. Once Jumonville's brother,, heard of his death, he and a detachment of 500 men marched towards Washington's militia. The French and Washington's militia eventually fought at the Battle of Fort Necessity.

Washington's militia soon surrendered. In the surrender document, Coulon de Villiers inserted a clause referring to Jumonville's death as an "assassination". Jumonville's death played an important part in sparking the Seven Years' War.