Part 2

At this point, in plain view of the National turnpike, the road begins the ascent of Negro Mountain. Following a distinct trace for about a mile, the traveller reaches the farm now owned by G. W. Shaw. The road passes north of his house; and, at a point a quarter of a mile to the westward and about the same distance south of the National turnpike, it intersects a country road which extends northward to the turnpike. Continuing from this point in the same straight line, it crosses the turnpike one-fourth of a mile west of a milestone which bears the inscription "104 to Wheeling To Frostburg 16." Up the mountain for a distance of less than a mile the scar of the road is clearly seen, as far as the north fork of Spiker Run on the eastern slope. From this point, again, the line is easily followed westward for more than half a mile, until it passes immediately south of the Oak Grove or Mennonite church; but from here to the place at which it intersects the National road on the eastern slope of Negro Mountain, at a lane east of the house of H. C. Butler, there are but slight traces.

Along this lane for half a mile through slightly rolling depressions the road runs on to Puzzley Run, and after fording the run passes with a distinct scar north of a vacant log house over a very difficult pass to a lane east of William Augustine's house, and thence along this lane for several rods to the house, which is built on the very roadbed itself and less than one hundred yards from the National turnpike. From Augustine's house the line runs parallel to the turnpike, but a few rods south of it, for over two miles to Coon Spiker's house, showing here and there traces of the road that are more or less distinct. Apparently passing south of this house and on through a lane to the south of Stephen Spiker's house, it presently, a little to the westward, enters a stretch of woods, through which it proceeds over Keyser Ridge, where, although there is a very luxuriant growth of underbrush, the trace of the road for a little over two miles is so distinct as to leave no doubt in regard to its course over this rocky and very difficult pass. From the woods it emerges into the bottom of the north fork of Mill Run, less than half a mile from the Pennsylvania and Maryland boundary line at Oakton, Maryland.[46] Here, in one of the most picturesque places for an encampment along the entire route, was Bear Camp.[47]

Leaving Bear Camp, the road, after crossing Mill Run, intercepts the Pennsylvania boundary line, and a few rods farther on crosses the National turnpike less than one-fourth of a mile west of Oakton. It then continues its course over Winding Ridge, on which the traces of it are especially well marked. On the west side of this ridge the line passes north of an old milk house and of a stone house owned by William Miller. About half a mile westward it joins the National turnpike, which it follows for nearly six hundred feet, and then veers away in a northerly direction through some woods, crossing the headwaters of Laurel Run near an old chestnut tree, two hundred yards east of Edward J. Augustine's house. From this point to Addison, a little over a mile distant, the road parallels the turnpike less than quarter of a mile to the north of it.

From Addison the course westward for nearly two miles to John Augustine's house is well defined, though only here and there does one find noticeable scars of the road. Before reaching John Augustine's house one comes to Jasper Augustine's estate, where there was formerly on Braddock Road an old hotel known as the Old Granny Welsh House, of which nothing now remains but a few foundation stones. The exact location of the point at which Braddock Road crosses the National turnpike west of John Augustine's house is not quite clear; but the line seems to turn almost due south less than three hundred yards west of his house, winding round a hill and then passing through a lane to Jacob Miller's house.[48] A short distance southwest of this house it strikes north of the north branch of Braddock Run, and about half a mile beyond comes to the forks of the run. Between these forks, and possibly a short distance westward, is the ground which formed the seventh encampment, called Squaw's Fort.[49]

From this point the road follows Braddock Run to its mouth, fording (without bridging) the Big Crossings of the Youghiogheny at or near the mouth of Braddock Run, about half a mile above where the National road now crosses the river.[50] Keeping on down the west bank of the stream, it begins a sharp ascent of Wolf, or Turkey Garden Hill, at a point opposite Somerfield, and follows the northern side of this hill for some distance before entering Jockey Hollow. The slope of the hill is very steep and the scar distinctly marked; but from Jockey Hollow onward through the valley of Potter Run there are almost no traces of the road. After keeping a little way up this run through the valley of Stuck Hollow, the line turns at almost a right angle to follow the course of a small run leading to Second River Hill, which is less than two hundred yards south of the National road. At the beginning of the ascent on the eastern slope of this hill, just at the entrance to some woods, are three distinct scars that eventually converge into one road, which runs down the western slope and a little farther on passes less than ten rods south of the house of Isaac M. Thomas.[51] A short distance westward from his house the line runs to the north of the house of A. M. Thomas, thence into a township road, then on past Charles Umble's residence to that of B. F. Miller, and a little way from this place enters the woods on Division Ridge. No other part of the old Braddock Road presents such difficulties as this section of it over Division Ridge, for the underbrush is so thick in places that one is compelled to crawl on hands and knees in order to keep the road. The slopes are very rocky and the passes are exceedingly difficult, but with plainly marked scars. At the western foot of this ridge was situated the camp of the Twelve Springs, which Orme designated as "the camp on the east side the Great Meadows."[52]

From this point the road, after passing through some woods for over a mile and a half, crosses the Haydentown road near the house of Isaac Savage. About a quarter of a mile west of this place there is a large bog or swamp, a hundred or more yards across, which, if one may judge from present conditions, the expedition probably skirted to the north, and then went on westward in almost a straight line for about a mile and a half till it came to the present township road. From the camp of the Twelve Springs to this place one has very little difficulty in following the old road; but from this point onward for a little over a mile no distinct traces can be found. The most probable inferences, however, support the local tradition that the line coincides with the township road for a few rods, then crosses it north of an old burying-ground, to the east of which formerly stood an old hotel, and then, immediately rejoining it, coincides or closely parallels it for a distance of less than half a mile. At this point the road enters the farm of W. H. Hansel, and, proceeding in a northwesterly direction, presently enters a strip of woods, passes the old Bishop house (unoccupied), and then runs down Hager Hill south of James Bishop's, a quarter of a mile south of Fort Necessity.[53] For a mile and a half from the James Bishop house the road can be very accurately followed to the point at which it intersects the National turnpike,--a point, it may be noted, about a stone's throw south of the spot where lie the mortal remains of General Braddock.[54] At this intersection the road leaves the turnpike never again to rejoin it, and turns somewhat to the northwest in order to gain a favorable pass over Chestnut Ridge, the last mountain ridge to be crossed. About a quarter of a mile northward from Braddock's grave was "the camp on the west side of the Great Meadows," the Orchard Camp.[55]

A short distance from this camp the road runs south of Nemacolin's Wigwam,[56] and a few rods northward near a schoolhouse enters the wooded part of Chestnut Ridge, on the eastern slope of which it passes the spot called Peddler's Rocks. On the western slope a sort of transverse road, the traces of which are easily followed except for about a quarter of a mile, was cut to join a township road near the house of John Henry Rankin, three miles and a half from Braddock's grave. A few rods distant on the west side of the township road are the Half King's Rocks, better known as the Great Rock, where the old camp of the Half King was located; and close by these rocks and south of the road is "Washington Springs," the place of Braddock's tenth encampment, called Rock Fort,[57] two miles south of Dunbar's camp.

From Washington Springs the line follows the course of the present road for about a mile, with distinct marks at intervals along the sides; it then continues in a northerly direction eastward of the present road to a point east of Jumonville and of Jumonville's grave.[58] From here it keeps its northerly course along a very narrow crest of the mountain, past the Honey Comb Rock, and thereafter in the main follows the dividing line between North Union and Dunbar townships to a point about one mile south of the old Meason house on the Gist Plantation, when by a slight deflection northwestward it crosses Cove Run and the Pennsylvania Railroad to Gist's Plantation, the place of the eleventh encampment.[59] Between the tenth and eleventh encampments the traces of the road are so plain that one does not have to rely on inference.

The last mountain barrier had now been passed. Along this narrow road, cut but twelve feet wide and with the line of march often extending four miles at a time, the army had toiled on day after day, crossing ridge after ridge of the Alleghany Mountains, now plunging down into a deep and often narrow ravine, now climbing a difficult and rocky ascent, but always in the deep shadow of the forest. On such a thoroughfare, running between heavily-wooded forests on either side of the road and made still narrower and often several feet deep by usage, it was of course impossible for a vehicle coming in the opposite direction to pass; but on nearly all the mountain ranges, and especially in the low grounds, there were wider places where by some kind of signals or by some preconcerted understanding the packtrains and wagons, which frequently moved in caravans, could meet and pass one another. Thenceforward, however, the character and general aspect of the country were noticeably different. The land of active coal developments, including coke ovens, had been reached. For many miles to the northward the traveller passes over a vast extent of country from under which the coal has been taken, and from which the props have given way in many places, leaving deep and treacherous holes. Such crevices are especially frequent from Prittstown to a point east of Mount Pleasant, a circumstance which in some places materially interferes with the relocation of Braddock Road.

Leaving Gist's Plantation the line runs abruptly to the northward, evidently keeping the higher ground to a point about a quarter of a mile east of Leisenring, where it turns into the valley of Opossum Run and follows the stream to its mouth in the Youghiogheny. On the west side of the Youghiogheny, near Robinson's Falls, was the place of the twelfth encampment.[60] Although no trustworthy scars of the road from Gist's Plantation to this point are discernible, there can be little doubt that this was the line of march.[61]

Braddock forded the Youghiogheny at Stewart's Crossing, below the mouth of Opossum Creek, to a point on the opposite side of the river above the mouth of Mounts Creek, half a mile below Connellsville.[62] His next encampment, which was on the east side of the fording, a mile north of the mouth of Mounts Creek, cannot be definitely fixed; but most probably it was on Davidson's land, southeast of the Narrows.[63] Between this point and the battleground there were still some highlands to be crossed, which, though trivial in comparison with the mountains already traversed, were yet rugged enough to present serious difficulties to the troops, already worn out with previous labors and exertions.

From the camp the road passes through the Narrows, evidently along the present township road, until it strikes the boundary line between Bullskin and Upper Tyrone townships. This it follows in a northeasterly direction for a distance of some mile and a half, with a few noticeable deflections from the present township road, to a point about half a mile east of Valley Works. Here the course veers away to the northeast in almost a straight line to Prittstown, either paralleling or coinciding with the line between Bullskin and Upper Tyrone for the last mile or so. Then, continuing in the same direction beyond Prittstown for a mile and a half, it reaches the John W. Truxell farm (recently purchased by Elmer E. Lauffer[64]), where on the night of July 1 the army seems to have bivouacked in order that a swamp which extended for a considerable distance on either side of Jacob's Creek might be made passable. From the Truxell farm the line turns almost due north through the swamp, crossing Green Lick Run, and thence keeping a straight line west of the Fairview church to a point a short distance west of Hammondville. Here, at a place called Jacob's Cabin, still on the east side of Jacob's Creek, the army encamped. It must be admitted that very few reliable traces of the road from Connellsville to this point were found by the exploring party; but the topography of the country, the course of the road as shown on the earlier maps, the testimony of Orme's journal and of local tradition, all lead the writer to believe that the route between these two points as here laid down is correct in the main.[65]

Braddock appears to have crossed Jacob's Creek a short distance west of Pershing Station, on the Scottdale branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad near the spot where Welshonse's mill formerly stood.[66] On this side of the creek the road follows the township line a distance of one and one-half miles to Eagle Street in Mount Pleasant, and while still within the limits of the town crosses the Pittsburg and Mount Pleasant pike. From Mount Pleasant the course for the next few miles is quite evidently that of the township line between Mount Pleasant and Hempfield townships on the east and north and East Huntingdon and South Huntingdon townships on the west and south respectively. A portion of this line coincides with the road now in use. About a mile north of Mount Pleasant is a very deep scar in an old orchard on the John McAdam farm, a trace which continues to be visible for some rods farther north on the same farm. A little way beyond the point where the Braddock Road leaves the McAdam farm there is also a marked depression for over five hundred yards on the property of the Warden heirs. Extending a mile westward from the intersection of the Mount Pleasant, Hempfield, and East Huntingdon township lines is a great swamp of several hundred acres,[67] which the road skirts to the eastward and then keeps on to the Edwin S. Stoner farm, near Belson's Run, a tributary of Sewickley Creek. According to local tradition, this farm is the site of the Salt Lick Camp, a view in support of which there is much to be said.[68]

About a quarter of a mile from the Stoner farm the line crosses Belson's Run southeast of Combato's store to a private or secondary road known as Braddock's Lane, which it follows for three-quarters of a mile till it meets a township road. From this point it keeps the present township line to Sewickley Creek, at the point of intersection between Hempfield and South and East Huntingdon townships, half a mile southwest of Hunkers.[69] After crossing Sewickley Creek[70] the road veers away northwest, showing a slight depression a little farther on, south of David Beck's house. Continuing in practically the same straight line, it apparently joins the boundary line between Sewickley and Hempfield townships, and thence runs westward along this line to the D. F. Knappenberger farm,[71] which offers all the requirements favorable for a camp, and is probably the place of the sixteenth encampment, Thicketty Run.[72]

From this place, which is about a mile southeast of old Madison, the road seems to follow the township line northwestward; for southwest of Madison there are some well-marked scars, and a short distance beyond the town, near the fording of a run on the higher ground approaching the Little Sewickley, there are more traces. After fording the Little Sewickley it passes, still northwestward, through the John Leisure farm,[73] showing on the top of the hill beyond and westward toward the John C. Fox farm some trustworthy scars. At this point, about a mile northwest of the Little Sewickley, it crosses a township road over some falls between John C. Fox's house and barn, and thence with very perceptible traces keeps on in the same straight line to the William B. Howell farm. From a point one-fourth of a mile southeast of the Howell house it follows the present clay road to a point as far beyond, and thence continues westward to the Hezekiah Gongaware farm.[74] After leaving this place the line is unquestionably that of the present township road for about a quarter of a mile; then, going on in the same direction, it passes about a quarter of a mile south of Byerly's schoolhouse. At less than half a mile beyond the schoolhouse it joins the present township road again, and thus continues to Circleville, except for one short stretch of a few rods to the east of the road, where there is a very clear depression. In Circleville the road seems to pass east of Long Run church, and a few rods northwest of it crosses the Pittsburg and Philadelphia turnpike. Here, in the neighborhood of Circleville and Stewartsville, the army encamped again.

At this point General Braddock, after causing an examination of the country between the camp and Fort Duquesne to be made, abandoned his design of approaching the fort by the ridge route, being deterred by the deep and rugged ravines of the streams and by the steep and almost perpendicular precipices to the eastward of Circleville and Stewartsville.[75] Turning westward, therefore, at almost a right angle at or near Stewartsville, possibly at Charles Larimer's barn, the route strikes out in a shorter line coincident with the present county road, undoubtedly following the course of this road for about a mile; thence continuing in the same direction for a little over a mile along a ridge on either side of which is a narrow valley, it intersects the White Oak Level road about half a mile east of the boundary line between Alleghany and Westmoreland counties. From this point it follows naturally down the valley of Long Run, past what was Samson's old mill,[76] and across Long Run at or near the present bridge to a point about two and a half miles westward, where the army encamped at a very favorable depression now known as McKeesport, two miles north of the Monongahela River and about four miles from the battlefield. A magnificent spring of water marks the site of this encampment, which was called Monongahela Camp.[77]

On the morning of July 9 the army turned into the valley of Crooked Run down what is now known as Riverton Avenue, fording the Monongahela to the north of the mouth of the run in order to avoid the narrow pass on the east side of the river.[78] The route follows down the western bank of the Monongahela through what is now Duquesne, fording the river a second time a short distance west of Turtle Creek. Here, on the eastern bank of the Monongahela, the battle took place.

From a point about a mile southeast from Circleville to Braddock's Field there are no trustworthy scars of the road; but the topography of the country is such that the line between these two points can be readily determined. Some of the older citizens pointed out to the writer the place at which Braddock forded the Monongahela, for marks of the passage have been visible until within a few years.[79] Recently, however, the whole complexion of the ground on the west side of the river has been changed to so great a degree, not only by the erection of steel works with their large deposits of slag along the banks, but also by the improved methods of navigation, that all traces of Braddock's movements are forever obliterated. On the eastern side of the Monongahela and west of Turtle Creek, at what is now Braddock, where the battle occurred, encouraging efforts are now on foot that promise to lead to a satisfactory settlement of the point at which the fording actually occurred, as well as of the location of the route through the battlefield and of the ground on which the British and the French troops took position.[80]

In the hope of finding some signs of the path through the battlefield, the writer made a somewhat careful examination and study of the place; but the contour of the ground over which the line of march extended was found to be so much altered that even the slightest traces of its course were not perceptible. From a study of the Mackellar maps,[81] however, it would appear that from a point a few rods west of Turtle Creek, eastward and northward of Frazer's Cabin, the road veered away to the northwest,[82] evidently crossing the Pennsylvania Railroad at or near Thirteenth Street (where there was formerly a hollow way or ravine, it is said), and thence more than probably following the course of the railroad to Robinson Street, and on to a point northward of the old Robinson burying-ground. From here the line would seem to have kept east of the Pennsylvania Railroad and station until it reached a point about six hundred yards beyond the station, between Jones Avenue and Sixth Street. This street may be identified as the second ravine, through which Frazer's Run flowed and in which the advance column of Braddock's army was attacked by Captain Beaujeu[83] and his party.[84]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] During the month of August, 1908, the writer conducted the following party over the Braddock Road: Charles Francis Abbott of Somerville, Mass., a sub-master in the Somerville English High School; Henry Temple of Washington, Pa., professor of history at Washington and Jefferson College, and his son John, a student at Washington and Jefferson Academy; Claude S. Larzelere of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, professor of history in the Michigan State Normal School; Ernest K. Weller of Washington, Pa., photographer; Edward B. Murdoch, Esq., and his brother, John H. Murdock, a senior at Washington and Jefferson College. During the months of June and July, 1909, he conducted a second party over the road: Andrew Jackson Waychoff, professor of history at Waynesburg College; Rev. George P. Donehoo of Connellsville, Pa.; Charles P. McCormick of Bentleyville, Pa., principal of the Bentleyville Public School; Edward Westlake of Washington, Pa., principal of the Fifth Ward School at Washington, Pa.; and Ernest K. Weller of Washington, Pa., photographer.