Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 102, Mnongah Healer. In our last episode,

we looked at the aftermath of the disaster at Fort Necessity. Word raced across the Atlantic to London,

where events were set in motion. Against the advice of Newcastle, a plan by Cumberland was adopted

with the support of Halifax.

It was a ridiculous plan where the commander-in-chief, Braddock, was supposed to oversee four simultaneous campaigns across the North American continent.

Braddock was to campaign in Ohio, then link up with his second in command, William Shirley, the governor of Massachusetts, whose actions were severely annoying James Delancey, the lieutenant governor of New York.

William Johnson was to lead a third expedition with support from the Mohawks, and another expedition was to be

taken against the French on the Nova Scotia Isthmus from Boston. It was expensive, relied on

non-existent supply routes, and the obedience of independently minded governors. Today we'll have a look at just how this turned out.

After meeting with the governors in Virginia, Braddock left to catch up to his troops, which he found near Fredericktown in Maryland, on April 22nd, 1755. He used wagons which were supplied by

Pennsylvania through the influence of the Deputy Postmaster General for the colonies, our old friend

Benjamin Franklin, and Washington volunteered to join Braddock's force. He had been offered

to the command of the Virginia Provincials, but you'll recall that after Fort Necessity,

Washington had written to Dinwiddie, requesting to be placed under the command of an experienced

officer. He wanted to learn, rather than have his own command.

By volunteering to join the force, he was a gentleman who would not be paid, but would

serve as a junior officer.

However, he joined the force with the recommendation of Dinwiddie, and he had better knowledge of the Ohio country than any other Virginian gentleman.

Therefore, Braddock made him his aide-de-camp.

Will's Creek and Fort Cumberland were hives of activity for several weeks while Braddock prepared his campaign.

But he made the critical mistake of neglecting an Indian delegation, barely concealing how little he regarded them, both as allies

and enemies. The Indians from the Ohio were willing to support the British in removing the French, provided

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