07/09/2026
On this day in history July 9th 1755, General Braddock and his men are defeated a major battle of the French and Indian War. Braddock was killed, and Wagons and horses from York Co Farmers and wagoners are lost in this great battle in western Pennsylvania, in what became known as Braddock's defeat and the Great Wagon Affair! Here's a little more on Benjamin Franklin's only visit to York county in the Spring of 1755 calling for wagons and horses for the king's army ......
The French and Indian War, Benjamin Franklin's only visit to York Co. , The Great Wagon Affair, and Wilson's Tavern ( Hoke House)!
APRIL-MAY 1755
- We must remember at this time, King George ll is ruler of Britain and all her Colonies and to the west and north, in presents day Canada and the United States, France claims these territories. Caught in the middle will be the Native Americans and the colonists.
On July 3,1754 the battle of Fort Necessity takes place in presents day Fayette Co. PENNSYLVANIA. In those days that part of Pa was considered by the British Crown as part of the Colonie of Virginia, it also was considered by France to be their Teratory, and 7 different tribes of Native Americans who lived in the Wilderness of these Colonies , had enough of the push of British Colonialism across their lands and would side with the French. The tribes names were, Huron, Huron of Loretta, Nipissing, Algonquin, Odowa of Ottawa, Shawnee, and Abenaki ! A young Colonel George Washington, in command of the Fort Necessity would have his men put up a good fight, but they where overwhelmed by the larger force of Natives and French and on July 4, 1754 surrendered the Fort. This ended the first major Battle in what would become the "First " global Word War!
With the fall back of British forces in the Wilderness of modern day Pennsylvania, the French and Natives, in small war parties, made a push across the frontier killing any settlers they came across and burning them out! Soon many refugees would choke the road ways, moving back threw Cumberland, York, and Lancaster Counties looking for safety.
The crown would respond by sending 2,000 British troops under the command of General Braddock who landed at Alexander Virginia on February 20,1755. He chose to land at Alexander because he was not in firm belief that the Pennsylvania's would help the cause as many on the Assembly where Quakers and the areas where made up of Mennonites, Dunkards, and other German faiths that did not believe in war.
Virginia and Maryland were expected to furnish the wagons and supplies needed for the march, they failed to do so. The Army had march to Fredrick MD by April 21st ( around 50 miles from Wilson Tavern), but with very few wagons, horses, or supplies it could not move forth. Benjamin Franklin and his son were sent to meet Braddock, on postmaster business, but they were actually sent by the Pa Assembly to build up Braddock's faith in the Pa Assembly. They found the General "Mad", of the 2,500 horses and 200 wagons promises by the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, only 200 horses and 20 wagons arrived! Braddock threatened to impress in to service the things he needed from the country side! Franklin asked if he might try and ask the country men of Pennsylvania before the General set out taking wagons in the name of the crown. Franklin was given a commission and money for the job. He set a printer to making hand bills and posters for advertising and sent his son, William, to Carlisle to advertise and procure wagons and horses their. Franklin himself would move back threw Pennsylvania up the old Monocacy trail to do his procuring of Wagons and Horses.
*Franklin left Fredrick MD on April 23rd and was in Lancaster on the 26th. He was Entertained at the Richard McAllister's Tavern at Hanover and it's hard to imagine he would have passed up any of the other Taverns along the way to advertise for wagons and horses. At any rate, Benjamin Franklin would have been around Wilson's Tavern ( Hoke House) April 24th or 25th, 1755!
In Lancaster, Franklin started collecting wagons, men ,and Horses he put David Mc'Conaughey and Michael Schwoope in charge in York ! He printed a list of expectations for the driver's and sent them to meet Braddock at Will's creek. With in 2 weeks time, Franklin and the others had sent 150 wagons and over 259 horses to add to Braddock's army, and more would arrived daily. Many of these wagons would pass by the Wilson Tavern (Hoke House) in early May 1755.
Braddock would advance his troops into modern day Western Pennsylvania and meet the French and Indians in the Wilderness along the Monongahela River! On July 9th, 1755 Braddock would be defeat and killed! He refused to listen to his office who had fought on the frontier before, and chose to fight in the feild as one would have in Europe. This became a disasters for the British! One of the officers who pleaded with Braddock was Col. George Washington.
Benjamin Franklin was praised for his help in procuring the wagons and horses in the Great Wagon Affair of 1755, and although already famous in the Colonies this work in this mater helped in his future political career.
- Shawn D Carbaugh
Ps. Their is much more to be learned on this topic. And I hope we get to do more research! We have forgotten more about the French and Indian War in America then we remember. And I am no expert!
Research came from...
-https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-06-02-0008
-Prowell's History of York 1906 pages 149-150 and page 807
-Gibson's History of York Co 1886 pages 100-104
- document picture from Christy's Auction gallery
