Major General Edward Braddock General in Chief of His Majesty's Forces in North America   Braddock's Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia

    John Carlyle was born in Scotland in 1720 and emigrated to Virginia. He became a wealthy merchant in Alexandria where he built this grand home along the Potomac River. Carlyle married Sarah, daughter of William Fairfax; thus he was Lawrence Washington's brother-in-law.

    When Gen. Edward Braddock came to Alexandria with his two regiments of soldiers he chose this home as his headquarters and the place where he would meet five colonial governors to explain his plans for fighting the French. Gen. Braddock was not successful in his hopes of convincing the governors to give financial aid and supplies to his campaign. The Governors complained that they could not force their burgesses to appropriate money for this campaign in the backcountry. Little did Gen. Braddock know when he left this grand home that he would be even more unsuccessful in his military duties then he had been in the political campaign.