Atlantic Politics, Military Strategy and the French and Indian War (War, Culture and Society, 1750-1850)

1755 marked the point at which events in America ceased to be considered subsidiary affairs in the great international rivalry that existed between the colonial powers of Great Britain and France. This book examines the Braddock Campaign of 1755, a segment of the wider ℓ́ℓBraddock Planℓ́ℓ that aimed to drive the French from all of the contested regions they occupied in North America. Rather than being an archetypal military history-styled analysis of General Edward Braddockℓ́ℓs foray into the Ohio Valley, this work will argue that British defeat at the infamous Battle of the Monongahela should be viewed as one that ultimately embodied military, political and diplomatic divergences and weaknesses within the British Atlantic World of the eighteenth century. These factors, in turn, hinted at growing schisms in the empire that would lead to the breakup of British North America in the 1770s and the birth of the future United States. Such an interpretation moves away from the conclusion so often advanced that Braddockℓ́ℓs Defeat was a distinctly, and principally ℓ́ℓBritishℓ́ℓ, martial catastrophe; hence allowing the outcome of this pivotal event in American history to be understood in a different vein than has hitherto been apparent Preface Atlantic Politics, Military Strategy and the French and Indian War 6 Summary 6 Acknowledgements 8 Contents 10 List of Figures and Maps 12 CHAPTER 1: Introduction, Book Structure and the Context of Historiography 19 Book Structure 20 “Braddock’s Failure” Within the Context of Historiography 26 Notes 33 chapter 2: The Causes of the French and Indian War and the Origins of the “Braddock Plan”: Rival Colonies and Their Claims to the Disputed Ohio 38 New France and Its Claim to the Ohio Valley 44 The Iroquois and the Ohio Valley: The Pre-French and Indian War Failure of Anglo-American Native American Diplomacy 48 1749–1754: The Failure of Britain’s Colonies to Press Their Advantages in the American Interior 53 Notes 58 Chapter 3: Metropolitan Intervention: Britain’s Strategy for a New Colonial War 67 Britain’s Intercession in Colonial Affairs 68 The “Hawks” Take Control: The Cumberland-Fox Drive for American Pre-eminence 77 Edward Braddock III: A Brief Biography 88 Early Career 89 Beyond the Army 95 Notes 103 Chapter 4: “Stupid Brutes Led by an Eighteenth-­Century Colonel Blimp?” The British Army of the Eighteenth Century 112 Tracing the Origins of Army Stereotyping: The Misapplication of Historical Literature 116 Cultural Origins of the Resistance Towards a Standing Army 119 Recruiting the British Army 124 Weaponry and Tactics: Explaining Conventional Eighteenth-Century Warfare 131 The British Army and Discipline: “The Torture of the Lower Classes”? 135 The British Army and Irregular Warfare: The Background of American Martial Tradition 141 Petite Guerre in Europe: The Experiences of the British Army 144 A Tortured Mass Led by Colonel Blimps? 149 Notes 151 chapter 5: Edward Braddock in America: Provincial Politics, Indian Alliances and the Prolonged and Arduous March to the Monongahela 159 Setting a Recurrent Trend: Braddock’s Arrival in America 160 Preliminary Political Problems 161 The Congress of Alexandria 166 Logistical Difficulties and Colonial Intransigencies 171 Franklin Renews Hope 176 To Wills Creek 178 “He Looked Upon us as Dogs...” Contextualizing Braddock, Native American Alliances and the Ultimate Failure of Indian Diplomacy 183 The Final March to the Monongahela Begins 186 Notes 191 chapter 6: The Battle of the Monongahela: A Clash of Military Cultures 199 The Battle of the Monongahela: A Historiographical Debate 200 The Battle Rejoined 203 The French Move to Counter a Threat 205 The Armies Collide 208 “The storys that were heard...” Frontier Tales and the Collapse of British Morale: ”Blue on Blue” PSYWAR 216 Panic, Command-Level Collapse and the Ultimate Effect of Friendly PSYWAR 220 Why Was Braddock Defeated? 227 Notes 231 Conclusion: Braddock’s Defeat and Its Legacy 240 Notes 248 Bibliography 250 Primary Sources 250 PhD Theses 256 Secondary Sources 257 Journal Articles 267 Websites 270 Index 271 1755 marked the point at which events in America ceased to be considered subsidiary affairs in the great international rivalry that existed between the colonial powers of Great Britain and France. This book examines the Braddock Campaign of 1755, a segment of the wider ĺlBraddock Planĺl that aimed to drive the French from all of the contested regions they occupied in North America. Rather than being an archetypal military history-styled analysis of General Edward Braddockĺls foray into the Ohio Valley, this work will argue that British defeat at the infamous Battle of the Monongahela should be viewed as one that ultimately embodied military, political and diplomatic divergences and weaknesses within the British Atlantic World of the eighteenth century. These factors, in turn, hinted at growing schisms in the empire that would lead to the breakup of British North America in the 1770s and the birth of the future United States. Such an interpretation moves away from the conclusion so often advanced that Braddockĺls Defeat was a distinctly, and principally ĺlBritishĺl, martial catastrophe; hence allowing the outcome of this pivotal event in American history to be understood in a different vein than has hitherto been apparent 1755 marked the point at which events in America ceased to be considered subsidiary affairs in the great international rivalry that existed between the colonial power of Great Britain and France. This book examines the Braddock Campaign of 1755, a segment of the wider 'Braddock plan' that aimed to drive the French from all of the contested regions they occupied in North America. Rather than being an archetypal military history-styled analysis of General Edward Braddock's foray into the Ohio Valley, this work will argue that British defeat at the infamous Battle of the Monongahela should be viewed as one that ultimately embodied military, political and diplomatic divergences and weaknesses within the British Atlantic World of the eighteenth century. These factors, in turn, hinted at growing schisms in the empire that would lead to the break up of British North America in the 1770s and the birth of the future United States. Such an interpretation moves away from the conclusion so often advanced that Braddock's Defeat was a distinctly, and principally 'British', martial catastrophe; hence allowing the outcome of this pivotal event in America history to be understood in a different vein than has hitherto been apparent Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Introduction, Book Structure and the Context of Historiography....Pages 1-19 The Causes of the French and Indian War and the Origins of the “Braddock Plan”: Rival Colonies and Their Claims to the Disputed Ohio....Pages 21-49 Metropolitan Intervention: Britain’s Strategy for a New Colonial War....Pages 51-95 “Stupid Brutes Led by an Eighteenth-Century Colonel Blimp?” The British Army of the Eighteenth Century....Pages 97-143 Edward Braddock in America: Provincial Politics, Indian Alliances and the Prolonged and Arduous March to the Monongahela....Pages 145-184 The Battle of the Monongahela: A Clash of Military Cultures....Pages 185-225 Back Matter....Pages 227-266 Introduction, Book Structure And The Context Of Historiography -- The Causes Of The French And Indian War And The Origins Of The Braddock Plan : Rival Colonies And Their Claims To The Disputed Ohio -- Metropolitan Intervention : Britain's Strategy For A New Colonial War -- Stupid Brutes Led By An Eighteenth-century Colonial Blimp? The British Army Of The Eighteenth Century -- Edward Braddock In America : Provincial Politics, Indian Alliances And The Prolonged And Arduous March To The Monongahela -- The Battle Of The Monongahela : A Clash Of Military Cultures. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 237-257) And Index.