Monongahela 1754-55: Washington's defeat, Braddock's disaster

Description

On 9 July 1755 amid the wilderness of North America, Britain suffered one of the most humiliating defeats in her history. General Braddock's army, a mixture of British regulars and American militia, was shattered, losing over 900 men from a force of 1,300. Braddock was killed and the remnants of his army rescued by his aide, Colonel George Washington. The origins of this defeat can be traced back to the death of a junior French officer little more than a year before in a relatively minor skirmish with a party of Virginian militia commanded by the same George Washington. Rene Chartrand examines the subsequent chain of events that ultimately sparked a world war.

Rene Chartrand was born in Montreal and educated in Canada, the United States and the Bahamas. A senior curator with Canada's National Historic Sites for nearly three decades, he is now a freelance writer and historical consultant. He has written numerous articles and books including almost 30 Osprey titles. He lives in Gatineau, Quebec, with his wife and two sons. Stephen Walsh studied art at the North East Wales Institute. Since then he has worked mainly for the American historical board-game market, fulfilling a lifelong interest in historical subjects. His American works include the best-selling Settlers of Catan. He has also produced many pieces of artwork inspired by J R R Tolkien. He is married with two children and lives in Macclesfield.