French & Indian War: Braddock Routed

July 9, 1755 - British troops under Maj. Gen. Edward Braddock (right) are routed at the Battle of the Monongahela. Following Lt. Col. George Washington's defeat at Fort Necessity the year before, Gen. Edward Braddock mounted an expedition to capture Fort Duquesne at the Forks of the Ohio (present-day Pittsburgh, PA). Departing Fort Cumberland, MD on May 29, 1755, Braddock's column moved slowly through the wilderness as a road was built to accommodate the army's baggage and artillery trains. Nearing the fort on July 9, Braddock encountered a smaller force of French and Native Americans after fording the Monongahela River. Utilizing the cover provided by the wooded terrain, the French and Native Americans were able to mortally wound Braddock and drive the British from the area. Suffering nearly 900 casualties, the British were forced to retreat back towards Philadelphia.

Photograph Source: Public Domain