The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1917-04-05
DPIKE" NOT
BRADDOCK ROAD
James W. Thomas COrrects a
Popular Error.

The Republican cheerfully gives pub
icity to the following paper by James
W. Thomas, of Cumberland. for the
purpose of correcting popular error
about.the location of the "Braddock
Trail' or ''Braddock Road"
Mr.. Thomas treats this matter in de-
tail and with historic accuracy. His
paper on this subject is as follows:
Much interest is now beng manifest
ed over the proposed rehabilitation Of
that part of the old National road,
which passed out Green street and over
the mountain by way of Sandy Gap.
This, for many reasons, is eminently
proper and the movement cannot be too
highly commended. In dong so, how
ever, do not rob it of its appropriate
name, and thereby divest it of its his
toric interest.
This was the early trail westward
of the aborigines who inhabited this
section OF the Countrywide Shawanese
Indians; it was the primitive road,
blazed out in 1851, by Colonel Thomas
Cresap, and his Indian guide, Menace
lin, for the Ohio Company; it was the
road which Washington traversed in
making his perilous journey in 1853
from Fort Cumberland to Lake Erie,
on his important mission of diplomacy
to the commander of that post; it was
the route which Washington also took
from Fort Cumberland to the Great
Meadows, and where the first action
at arms took place between the French
and English for supremacy oyer the
Mississippi Valley; it was the first Sec
ton of the National Road to be built
connecting the East and the West, the
hopeful dream of Washington, and a
vital part of the history of that great
highway. IL Is, therefore, distinctiyely
a Washington Road, and by that name
it should be known, and especially so
now, since Washington street has
practically become part of 1t.
1T was never "Braddock's Road. "
which it is sometimes called, and it is
unhistorical and misleading to refer to
it as such. 1t is doubtful, indeed. if
General Braddock was ever on this
road, and certain it is. that he did not
go over it when marching in 1855 on his
Inflated expedition from Fort Cumber-
land to Fort Duquesne. His line of
march then was through the Cumber.
land Narrows, and thence with the
course of Braddock's run, and hence
the present name "Braddock' 5 run.
1T is true, Major Chapman, with
small detachment, and who preceded
General Braddock by several DAYS,
marched out from Fort Cumberland
over the Washington or Sandy Gap
Road, but Lieutenant Spendelow. who
accompanied Chapman to assist in
clearing the way, was so impressed
with the impossibilitY OF moving the
artillery over that road, that at the end
of the first days march, and when only
few miles had been made, returned to
, Fort Cumberland, and the next dav.
with corps of engineers, and a body
! of 100 men, proceeded to build the Brad
: dock Road through the Narrows. and in
four days had it completed General
! Braddock then marched out from Fort
! Cumberland over the Narrows route.
, with his army in three divisions, and
, this was the route afterwards used for
all Of military poOUanap+c
mo other road, in fact, as far as it
is known, was ever thought of as the
G Braddock Road for nearly a century,
and not until lS47, when Mr.. T. C. At.
, kinson, while engaged in surveying a
route for the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road wrote and published an interest
o ing sketch of Braddock 5 entire line of
march from Alexandria Virginia, to the
Monongahela, and in which, as evidence
Of his imperfect knowledge of local con-
ditions, he has Braddock passing the
Narrows while still on the Oldtown
Road before he reached Fort Cumber-
[ land, and going over the Sandy Gan
route IN leaving Fort Cumberland
TINS account was subsequently pub
o lished in Lowdermilk's History of Cum
e berland, and while Colonel Lowdermilk,
=, its author, knew that the BraddocIz
a route was the road through the Mar
e rows, and most clearly and afirmatively
e states that fact in his history, ne mad
n vertently failed to note the error OF
G Mr.. Atkinson.
JAMES W. THOMAS"
e Step Lively" is Coming.