Braddock's Defeat

General Edward Braddock had a rough time leading an army through North America. As an old soldier, he expected a lot of support from the colonial government and citizens. Instead he was met with condtradicting advice from the government and apathetic support from colonists. Then, of course, there was the hassle of navigating uncharted terrain and cutting a road through the wilderness to Fort Duquesne.

Additionally, Braddock had difficulty with Indian diplomacy. While discussing terms with Shingas, a Delaware chief from the Ohio Country, Braddock made it known that he would not vacate the Forks of the Ohio after removing the French, as Shingas suggested. Instead, Braddock said he was going to secure the Forks for the British king, and remain as long as he was ordered to be there. In an additionally rude comment, Braddock said he had "no doubt of driving the French and their Indians away," meaning out of the Forks, even without the help of the Delaware tribe.

Braddock would feel the pain of his rejection weeks later when a French and Indian force defeated Braddock's army near Fort Duquesne on July 9, 1755, the same battle that was memorialized at the Braddock's Crossing site.

The wounds Braddock sustained in battle proved to be fatal days later, and the rest of his force retreated to Fort Cumberland. The surviving officers buried his body under the road he had carved through the wilderness, known as Braddock's Road. They then walked over the burial site to ensure that the French and Indians would not find the grave and desicrate their leader's remains.

The Braddock's Defeat marked was dedicated on Saturday, February 28, 1948. It reads: "July 9, 1755 Gen. Braddock’s British forces en route to capture Fort Duquesne were ambushed and routed by French and Indians within present limits of Braddock and North Braddock, forcing retreat and failure of the expedition."