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Major General Edward
Braddock
General
in Chief of His Majesty's Forces in North America
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250th
Anniversary of Braddock's Defeat
The
Battle of the Monongahela, July 9, 1755
A Commemoration in Braddock, Pennsylvania
On a beautiful July day under a  blue sky full of billowing white clouds people gathered to commemorate the most important military disaster of colonial American history. The setting was the famous Carnegie Library in Braddock as well as two sites on the original battlefield and a point atop a nearby hill giving a magnificant panarama of the Monongahela River Valley where the action happened 250 years ago to the day.
The morning began early with a  series of four talks on the Battle and its aftermath. The presenters were well known authors or historians who are recognized authorities on the campaign. They included Paul Kopperman, author of Braddock at the Monongahela, Burton Kummerow on "The Famous Alumni of the Braddock Expedition", Martin West, Director of Fort Ligonier, on "Washington and Braddock" and Walter Powell, President, Braddock Road Preservation Assoc., on "The
Aftermath of Braddock's Defeat."
Walter Powell speaking in the theater of the Carnegie Library.
Robert Griffing signs a poster of his new painting "The Wounding of
General Braddock"
that was on display upstairs with some historical documents including a full display
interpreting George Washington's hand written remembrances of the battle.
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Of course, there was a sales table with lots of interesting books and souvenirs.
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After the lectures the crowd followed a march to the site of the farthest advance of Braddock's troops where a volley was fired in honor of all the fallen soldiers of the battle.
The volley was given at the site of an early monument to the battle. More recently the bronze placque has been moved to a more secure and accessible place on the side of the nearby apartment building. After the ceremony some reenactors stayed at the site to interpret the battle action for the visitors.
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The monument is  just across the street from an open area that recently housed a car dealership. It is across from the apartment building that sits approximately where the British and the enemy rushing from Fort Duquesne first had contact. The empty auto dealership may someday become the home of a museum interpreting this historic battle.
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The Museum opened on August 18, 2012; we are waiting for link info!
 
Reenactors talk to the crowd before an historical marker at the actual site of the battle that occurred two hundred and fifty years ago to the day. This interaction between the living history interpreters and the crowd was one of the most captivating parts of the day. Shuttle busses took visitors between these interpretative sites.
One of the most spectacular sites was the view from the Grand View Golf Course above Braddock. Click the link below for a large panorama.
View
toward Pittsburgh - the skyscrapers in the distance.
For a Panoramic View Click Here! - Large File!
Our congratulations to the Braddock's Field Historical Society and the Braddock Carnegie Library for all they and the volunteers did to make this a memorable day. The General would be proud.
See Events Calendar for activities this coming weekend (July 6-17) at Jumonville and Fort Necessity.
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