Plaque Text for this Pennsylvania Landmark:
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.
More about Braddock’s Defeat:
General Braddock’s defeat was part of the Seven Years’ War, or French and Indian War, which officially ran from 1756 until 1763! This fight was over conflicting land claims in the Ohio River Valley between the French, the British, and those tribes who had to pick a side in the quarrel! In early 1755, cantankerous General Edward Braddock, and an aspiring lieutenant-colonel named George Washington, set off from Virginia to take down Fort Duquesne in modern day Pittsburgh!
About ten miles from their destination, these 1,500 British troops were ambushed by 900 French & Native fighters. The British troops panicked and fled, and General Braddock was fatally shot in the chest. Meanwhile, young Washington helped as many as he could escape back across the Monongahela River to safety, an act that would earn him respect in later years!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
532 Jones Ave
Braddock, PA 15104
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
Whenever the mood strikes you!
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