Braddock's Field
 Location of Braddock's Field in the Pittsburgh area
|
|
| Location | 549 Jones Ave., Washington Statue Park, Braddock, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°24′11″N 79°51′48″W / 40.40305°N 79.86337°W |
| PA marker dedicated | September 12, 1994 |
Braddock's Field is a historic battlefield on the banks of the Monongahela River, at Braddock, Pennsylvania, near the junction of Turtle Creek (Monongahela River), about nine miles southeast of the "Forks of the Ohio" in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Here, in 1755, was fought the Battle of the Monongahela which ended the Braddock Expedition.
Native Americans inhabited the region in the 18th century. In 1742, Queen Alliquippa, a local Seneca leader, gave John Fraser several hundred acres of land. He was probably the first white settler west of the Allegheny Mountains.
The place became known as "Braddock's Field" after French and Indian forces from Fort Duquesne defeated British General Edward Braddock there, on July 9, 1755, in the Battle of the Monongahela. Braddock himself was mortally wounded, dying several days later. The bones of the soldiers killed in the battle were visible to passers-by for years after the battle.
Braddock's Field also was the site of a rally of rebellious militiamen and farmers during the Whiskey Rebellion, prior to a massive march on the city of Pittsburgh on August 1, 1794.
The Edgar Thomson Steel Works is located nearby and may cover the former site of John Fraser's cabin.
Braddock's Field was also the location of Camp Copeland, a rendezvous for men who had been drafted into the Union forces during the American Civil War. At Camp Copeland the men would be trained and sent to their assigned regiments. Poor conditions and several deaths in March 1864 invited inspections and changes to the Camp. The Camp name was briefly changed to Camp Reynolds, but the old name was adopted again. Camp Copeland closed on April 29, 1865.
...
Wikipedia