Audio
Braddock's Grave
Transcript
One year after George Washington surrendered at Fort Necessity, the British launched a three-pronged attack to remove the French from what they considered British territory in North America. General Edward Braddock, a veteran of the elite Coldstream Guard, was the overall commander of the operation. He personally led the force to Ft. Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio river. He commanded a large army, and had supplies and gunpowder necessary to besiege and destroy the fort. Aware of this, the French chose to leave the fort and meet the British in the open. On July 9th, 1755, the two forces collided along a wooded road about six miles from Fort Duquesne. Unprepared for battle, the British force fell into disarray and was routed. General Braddock was mortally wounded and died during the retreat.
Washington, Braddock’s aide de camp, managed the retreat. He buried Braddock in the middle of the road and had the retreating army march over the grave to hide it from the pursuing warriors. Braddock’s remains were discovered some fifty years later and moved to the top of a nearby knoll where the monument now stands. As you cross the ravine on the way to the monument, you can find the original burial site about 25 yards down the ravine to your right.
Description
An audio clip from the self guided tour that describes what you may see at Braddock's Grave
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