Braddock Cannon

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

Braddock Cannon

(North Side):
This monument marks the trail taken by the army of General Braddock which left Alexandria on April 20, 1755 to defend the western frontier against the French and Indians.

Erected by the Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Virginia, May 26, 1915

(South Side):
The Cannon used here was abandoned by General Braddock at Old Alexandria April 1755.

The Cobble-Stones composing this mound were taken from the streets of Old Alexandria which were paved by legal enactment in 1785.


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Here follows an excerpt from the Atlas Obscura website:

Braddock Road Cannon
Alexandria, Virginia
This cannon dating to 1755 has stood guard at this suburban intersection since 1915.

Believed to have been abandoned by British General Edward Braddock in 1755 during the French and Indian War, this cannon was placed here in 1915 at the intersection of two rural dirt roads at what is now the intersection of Braddock and Russell Roads.

Braddock was commander-in-chief of the 13 colonies during this conflict. His forces were defeated during a mission to capture Fort Duquesne from the French in what is now Pittsburgh. Braddock died during the Battle of the Monongahela in July of 1755, which was a major setback.

Following the loss, a young George Washington emerged as a leader of the nascent nation.

The cannon sits atop a base made from cobblestones from the streets of Alexandria and features engraved markers on the north and south sides.

The monument marks the trail taken by the army of General Braddock, which left Alexandria on April 20, 1755, to defend the western frontier against the French and Native Americans. The structure was erected by the Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Virginia, May 26, 1915.