On May 7, 2005, The Fort Edwards Foundation held a commemoration of General Braddock's march through Hampshire County. Guests were greeted by Foundation Vice President, Bob Flanagan, (above) and then they listened to a talk by Charles Hall (below) on the significance of Braddock's campaign. The background of the occassion was the beautiful valley were the North River joins the Cacapon River at a point called "Forks of Capon." It was here that Henry Enoch had his home; the year after Braddock's defeat Enoch had built a fort here where the guests are standing.

This is a very historic area for George Washington as a teenager had surveyed plots along both the North River and the Cacapon River and had surveyed land for Henry Enoch. This camp was the last one before Braddock's army faced the first of the western mountains. Guests could look to the east and see Bloomery Gap and to the west to see Spring Gap Mountain, the first difficult mountain pass. The Foundation would like to thank Miss Sophie Powell, the landowner, for inviting us to use this spot for the commemoration.

The commemoration ended with the reading of the names of the officers killed at the Battle of the Monongahela and the firing of a salute to all who lost their lives in the French and Indian War. The guests departed in silence as the rifle shots echoed across the wide valley which has changed little since Braddock's time here.

Click here for an aerial view of the Forks of Capon.