Even in describing the French and Indian War, some textbooks leave out the
Indians! One of the worst defeats American Indians ever inflicted on white
forces was the rout of General Braddock in 1755 in Pennsylvania. Braddock
had 1,460 men, including eight Indian scouts and a detachment of Virginia
militia under George Washington. Six hundred to 1,000 Native Americans and
290 French soldiers opposed them, but you would never guess any Indians
were there from The American Tradition: “On July 9, as they were
approaching the fort, the French launched an ambush. Braddock’s force was
surrounded and defeated. The red-coated British soldiers, unaccustomed to
fighting in the wilderness [sic], suffered over 900 casualties. Braddock,
mortally wounded, murmured as he died, “We shall know better how to deal
with them another time.” Tradition thus renders Braddock’s last words
meaningless, for “them” refers not to the French but to Native Americans.
ron
(Ron)
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