Larry A. Smail's Blog

Braddock’s Monument

This is part three of the Fort Necessity trip from Washington’s attack on the French force at Jumonville Glen, his defeat by the French at Fort Necessity concluding with some information about the English general Edward Braddock.  The French and Indian War lasted many years within Pennsylvania. The Delaware and Shawnee living at, what is now, Kittanning, Pennsylvania would begin launching raids of terror across Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia following the event of Braddock’s defeat.

Braddock’s Road and the marker showing where the remains were found in 1804.

Washington’s humiliating defeat at Fort Necessity had some effects on the various players of this beginning of the French And Indian war. First, the  French began to believe the English wasn’t about to be the obstacle they once believed them to be. Secondly, the various tribes of western Pennsylvania were evaluating these recent results. Most were hoping to remain neutral, but I believe most, also, realized staying out of the war of France and England would be impossible.

The English in 1755 had their best commander within America’s borders. General Edward Braddock was a military man of 45 years of service. His mission in America was to send English forces to attack the French at several forts destroying their presence in the Allegheny region. He would spearhead the attack against the French at Fort Duquesne. (Present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.) He proudly admitted his task would be easily completed. After all, he had 2400 soldiers of the great English army at his disposal. One must realize that, at this time,  England had the most powerful military in the world.

Braddock had a great flaw in character. He was an arrogant man with lots of power and he abused it.  One of the beliefs he had followed with statements once arriving in America dealt with his low opinion with the American militias. At a meeting with Delaware Chief Shingas in attendance went poorly for the general, albeit he didn’t know it and/or he just didn’t care.  He made statements that the Indian forces were no match to the powerful English army. He, also, said no Indian should have ownership of any lands. Shingas was angered! He, also, believed Indian warfare techniques of no concern.

General Braddock began to move northeasterly towards Fort Duquesne. The road had to be widened as he progressed. As he approached to around eight miles of the fort on July 9th, a sudden explosion of musketry and whooping and hollering became everywhere within the depths of the forest. The blood-curling screams of the Indians and shots from the shadows  quickly eroded the English into a mass of dead, dying and wounded men. Others ran in terror in retreat often times throwing their muskets to the ground.

The men in retreat couldn’t be changed. George Washington tried to regain control of the men. Braddock was mortally wounded. Washington had two horses shot out from under him and had four musket balls rip holes in his uniform, but he was untouched. The retreat continued. Braddock eventually died a few days later and was buried on the road so the Indians wouldn’t find and mutilate the body.

Close-up of panel

The battle began with approximately 1460 troops. Causalities were approximately 900. The Indians once they understood their victory began plundering and scalping. If the Indians would have ignored their ways of war and followed the army they would have annihilated the entire force.  Causalities for the French were around 43 men and 27 causalities for the natives.

Most Indian historians believe this rout was the determining event for the Delaware and Shawnee Indians joining allegiance with the French soldiers. Shingas lived in Kit-Han-ne and, no doubt, after this managed to persuade the others of present-day Kittanning, Pennsylvania to ally with the French. Shingas may have participated in the Braddock event as well as others from Kit-Han-Ne. History doesn’t tell us. The battle at Kit-Han-ne happened on September 8th, 1756.

Workers working on Braddock’s Road in 1804 discovered the remains believed to have been the general.  The body was moved and reinterred nearby where the present monument stands.

I can’t help to wonder what the general’s last thoughts were in those few days prior to his death. I wonder if he come off his high horse of arrogance to see the reality of Indian warfare. I guess we will never know.

General John Forbes gained the forks of the rivers from the French n 1758. The fort would be named, Fort Pitt later to be known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.