A decisive French victory that ended the Braddock Expedition and kept the Ohio Country in French hands until 1758.
Key Facts
- Date
- July 9, 1755
- Location
- Braddock's Field, present-day Braddock, Pennsylvania
- Distance from Pittsburgh
- 10 miles
- British commander fate
- General Braddock mortally wounded, died on retreat
- French commander fate
- Captain Beaujeu killed in action
- Fort Duquesne recaptured by British
- 1758
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The British launched the Braddock Expedition in 1755, aiming to seize Fort Duquesne and gain control of the strategically vital Ohio Country from the French. General Edward Braddock led a mixed British and colonial force westward through Pennsylvania toward the French-held fort, with George Washington among the officers accompanying the march.
On July 9, 1755, Braddock's column was ambushed near the Monongahela River by French and Canadian troops under Captain Daniel Liénard de Beaujeu, supported by American Indian allies. The British force suffered a severe defeat; both Braddock and Beaujeu were killed during the engagement, and the British column was forced into a disorganized retreat southeastward.
The defeat ended the Braddock Expedition and left Fort Duquesne and the surrounding Ohio Country under French control. The British did not succeed in capturing Fort Duquesne until 1758. Before dying, Braddock asked George Washington to oversee his burial, an episode that reinforced Washington's growing military reputation.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
General Edward Braddock, George Washington.
Side B
1 belligerent
Captain Daniel Liénard de Beaujeu.