Braddock's Road (Rock Fort Camp)
Posted by: Kordite
N 39° 50.995 W 079° 39.423
17S E 614886 N 4411962
Marker on U.S. 40 about 6 miles Southeast of Uniontown at Summit.
Waymark Code: WM3YF
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 11/20/2005
Views: 42
The marker text reads: "Braddock Road (Rock Fort Camp) General Braddock's tenth camp, June 26, 1755, on the march to Fort Duquesne, was at the Half King's Rock, one mile NE of here. The Rock was named for Washington's friend Tanacharisson, the Iroquois viceroy (half king) of the Ohio Indians. Washington met him here in 1754."
Actually, it was two years earlier in 1753 when Tanacharisson had accompanied a then 21 year old Washington on his expedition to Fort Le Boeuf (Erie) in an effort to convince the French not to build forts in the Ohio Country (specifically Ft. Duquesne). That mission failed.
The next year, Washington was on a scouting party when Tanacharisson sent word that a French party was planning on attacking him. Washington's troops attacked first, slaughtering the French when they were just waking to have breakfast. The wounded and captured French Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville had his head bashed in by Tanacharisson. Afterwards, Washington's troops had to retreat, hastily building Ft. Necessity and eventually being defeated by the enraged French.
When Washington returned with Braddock's army in 1755, he knew the terrain well. This was Braddock's tenth camp on his march to attack Fort Duquesne. The massive rocks afforded safety to the encamped troops and the nearby spring, now called Washington's Spring, provided water.
Marker Name: Braddock Road (Rock Fort Camp)
County: Fayette
Date Dedicated: 06/17/1952
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: U.S. 40 ca. 6 miles SE of Uniontown at Summit
Category: Military, Native American, French & Indian War, George Washington
Website: Not listed
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