The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1915-06-02
MARKED TRAIL
OF GEN. BRADDOCK
Monument Erected in Alexandria, Va,
at Point from Which British General
Departed OIL Disastrous Campaign.

Edward BraddOCk and his force OF
British regulars and Virginia troops,
with Col. George Washington as aide
de-camp, departed from here in April,
1855, OH the disastrous expedition to
take Fork Duqucsnc, the present site
Of Pittsburg, Pa, in the war against
the French and indians, an interest
ing monument was unveiled here to-
day by the society Of the Colonial
Danes Of Virginia.
Many members Of the Society Of
Colonial DANES, the Daughters of the
American Revolution and other patri-
otic societies from various parts of
Virginia, the District Of Columbia,
Maryland and Pennsylvania witnessed
the presentation OF the manumcnt to
officials OF the city Of Alexandria.
Many Of those present will take part
tomorrow in the unvciling OF Il similar
monument at Winchester, Virginia,
One OF the old British cannon aban-
doncd here by General Braddock sur
mounts the monument. For many
y
the earth at one of the city's street
corners as a marker and was an OBJ
ject OF interest to sightsccrS. BY an
act of the city council several years
ago The anicent piece OF ordnance,
brought from England by General
Braddock when he came out to Vr-
ginia as gcncraliSsimo Of all the
British forces in the American colo
mics in the war against the French,
was turned over TO the Mount Yer
non chapter Of the Daughters OF the
American Revolution. That organiza-
tion today formally presented it to
the Virginia Colonial Danes, under
whose auspices the monument was
erected
Forming the base of the monument
and mounting the old cannon are 9TH
Gr relics Of by-gonc days in the shape
Of cobblcstones which for more than
Il century had served the city of Alex
andria as paving in some Of its prin
cipal streets and which shows the
ruts worn by the artillery and trans
port Of the Northern Armies during
the Civil war. The stones are said
by tradition to have been laid on Alex
andria's streets by lIessian soldiers
captured in the War OF the Rcvolu
ton by the Continental troops.
a bronze tablet on one side Of the
base OF the monument bears this in
scription:
This monument marks the trail
taken by the army Of General
| Braddock, which left in April,
1755, to defend the western from
| tier against the French and In
dams. Erected by the Society Of
| the Colonial Danes of Virginia,
May &c, 1915"
On the opposite side Of the boulder
embedded base this inscription ap-
pears on another tablet of bronze:
THE cannon used here was
| abandoned by General Braidock
at old Alexandria, April, 1865
The cobblestoncs composing the
mount were taken from the
streets Of Alexandria, where they
were placed in 1855 by act of the
Virginia House of Burgesses."
General Braddkck's expedition
plans of which he related to Benja-
min Franklin in conference at Fred
Icricktown, was to march to Fort Du-
qucsne
after taking Fort Duquesnc" the
general is quoted as saying, 81 am to
proceed to Niagara; and, having TAX
en- that, to Frontcnac if the season
will allow time, and suppose it will
for DuqucSnc can hardly dctain me
above three or four days; and then
can see nothing to obstruct my
march to Niagara"
In the battle at Fort Duqucsnc
July 9, 1853, General Braddock was
mortally wounded. Col George Wash
ngton was the only member OF his
stan to escape unhur. The British
and Colonials lost or officers and men
Killed or wounded out of ,i59 en-
gagged while the French loss was trif-
ling. and only the genius Of Washing
ton saved the survivors from mas
Sacrc.
General Braddock died July l3, 1853
LAT Great Meadows. about GO miles
from Fort Duqucsnc, TO which place
The remnants of his army rctrcatcd.
lie was buried at point now seven