Braddock Road history offerings a must for students of early American events
The Westmoreland County Historical Society has recently compiled a publication dedicated to the old Braddock Road. The Society’s September, 2002 issue of the quarterly Westmoreland History is something of a must read for local history buffs or anyone with more than a passing interest in Major General Edward Braddock’s ill-fated military expedition against the French garrison of Fort Duquesne during the summer of 1755.The Braddock expedition was the second of three attempts by Britain and her New World Colonies to strike at the seat of French control of the valuable Ohio Valley. A key objective was control of the point at the headwaters of the Ohio River where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers meet at modern day Pittsburgh’s Point State Park. A young Virginia militiaman – George Washington – had commanded the first foray against New France in 1754. Defeated after making a stand at his “fort of necessity” in the mountains of present day Fayette County, Washington’s expedition set off an international conflagration between the British and French empires when his men skirmished with and defeated French soldiers camped under a rock ledge at today’s Jumonville Glen.
During the fight between the frontier militiamen and the French scouting party of 36 marines, all of the French were killed or captured but one who escaped to Fort Duquesne with news of the incursion. Among those killed was an envoy, Ensign Colon de Jumonville, and it was his death that provoked an international incident that led to what has been called the first world war.
It’s more than a footnote to the incident that Jumonville (an ensign is equivalent roughly to a lieutenant in rank) was not the commander of the small party. Major Druillion and Capt. LaForce both outranked him though most historians have missed this point. Jumonville, however, happened to be the half brother of a ranking French officer at Fort Duquesne – the Sieur de Villiers.
Whether Jumonville was a diplomatic envoy, or simply a French marine carrying a diplomatic message, is still debated among historians. When de Villiers, accepted the terms of Washington’s surrender at Fort Necessity (July 3-4, 1754) the terms included Washington’s admission that he had “assassinated” Jumonville during the skirmish at the glen. That French charge, (a charge Washington always strongly denied), was used to formulate the war against England. After all, Washington, and frontiersman Christopher Gist, had carried a message from Virginia Gov. Dinwiddie previously during the winter of 1752-3 to the French, asking for their removal from the forts around Lake Erie. Washington had returned safely with the French refusal. Now he had admitted to the wanton killing of a similarly protected diplomat. Here was cause for war.
All of these events are prologue to the Braddock Expedition of 1755 taken up by the September 2002 issue of Westmoreland History.
The first article, “The Last Days of General Braddock: The March Through Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties,” can only be faulted for its exclusion of Fayette in its title. The writing by Dr. Frank A. Cassell is not only important for details and footnoted sources, but also for its discussion of the wider picture – the overall strategy used by Britain to overcome the French foothold in North America.
Cassell interweaves personalities as diverse as Braddock, Lt. Col. Thomas Gage, frontiersman Daniel Boone, wagoneer Daniel Morgan, Capt, Horatio Gates, Sir John St. Clair, Col. Dunbar, and a young aide de camp, George Washington. Native American interests and battle tactics are also discussed and made poignant by the story of Monocatootha, the leader of the Indians who helped Braddock.
His son was killed by the”friendly fire” of the British who mistook him for one of the enemy during a skirmish several days before the army’s demise near present day Turtle Creek. The young man was buried with full military honors near the village of Madison where his grave is commemorated with a historical marker.
“A Tour of Braddock’s Road from Fort Necessity to Pittsburgh,” is a collective piece written by Cassel and his wife, Elizabeth. It describes some 23 sites along the march and is well detailed for anyone who wishes to retrace the path.
“A Road Not Lost: Rediscovering General Braddock’s Road Through Westmoreland County,” authored by James V. Steeley, adds a layman’s perspective to the subject. This approach leads the reader to important historical source material as well as some folk traditions, pulling together what Steeley terms, “the scattered record of the road.”
This writer and Steeley, who serves as executive director of the Westmoreland County Historical Society, discussed the route of the road and his project earlier this year. Steeley is working to properly mark the road in Westmoreland County.
It can only be hoped that his work will serve as an example to historians in Fayette and Allegheny Counties to likewise commemorate the trek for the 250th anniversary coming in 2005.
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Westmoreland History may be ordered by contacting the Society at 724-836-1800 or visiting its offices at the Greensburg Civic Center on the Old Salem Road in Greensburg. Copies are $5 each.
Franklin LaCava is author of “Bake Slow and Sure: Heirloom Recipes of the National Road Era.”