Benjamin Franklin shared George Washington’s doubts about Braddock’s
ability to capture Fort Duquesne. As a public-spirited citizen, Franklin
had taken the initiative in collecting wagons from Pennsylvania farmers
to transport the army’s supplies. His comments on Braddock, written many
years later, come from his autobiography.
This general was, I think, a brave man, and might probably have made a
figure as a good officer in some European war. But he had too much
self-confidence, too high an opinion of the validity of regular
troops, and too mean a one of both Americans and Indians. George
Croghan, our Indian interpreter, joined him on his march with one
hundred of those people, who might have been of great use to his army
as guides, scouts, etc., if he had treated them kindly; but he
slighted and neglected them, and they gradually left him.
In conversation with him one day, he was giving me some account of his
intended progress. “After taking Fort Duquesne,” says he, “I am to
proceed to Niagara; and having taken that to Frontenac, if the season
will allow time; and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain
me above three or four days; and then I see nothing that can obstruct
my march to Niagara.” Having before revolved in my mind the long line
his army must make in their march by a very narrow road, to be cut for
them through the woods and bushes, and also what I had read of a
former defeat of fifteen hundred French who invaded the Iroquois
country, I had conceived some doubts and some fears for the event of
the campaign. But I ventured only to say, “To be sure, sir, if you
arrive well before Duquesne, with these fine troops, so well provided
with artillery, that place, not yet completely fortified, and as we
hear with no very strong garrison, can probably make but a short
resistance. The only danger I apprehend of obstruction to your march
is from ambuscades of Indians, who, by constant practice, are
dexterous in laying and executing them; and the slender line, near
four miles long, which your army must make, may expose it to be
attacked by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut like a thread into
several pieces, which, from their distance, can not come up in time to
support each other.”
He smiled at my ignorance, and replied, “These savages may, indeed, be
a formidable enemy to your raw American militia, but upon the king’s
regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should make
any impression.” I was conscious of an impropriety in my disputing
with a military man in matters of his profession, and said no more.