Could You Survive the French and Indian War? | Braddock's Defeat 1755

Could you survive one of the toughest military campaigns in history - the Braddock expedition to the North American wilderness in 1755? Watch to find out. Don’t forget to test Consensus for your next research project - an AI search engine linked to 200m peer-reviewed studies 👉 https://get.consensus.app/survivehistory

With the 250th anniversary of the United States approaching and the release of the new Young Washington film, there's never been a better time to explore the brutal frontier campaign that helped shape the future first President of the United States and planted the seeds of the American Revolution.

This documentary follows the exact historical events depicted in Young Washington, placing you in the boots of an ordinary British soldier during General Edward Braddock's disastrous 1755 expedition into the Ohio Valley.

Known in North America as the French and Indian War—and as part of the global Seven Years' War—this campaign was one of the most punishing military expeditions of the eighteenth century. Presenter Louee Dessent joins Pulteney's 13th Regiment of Foot, the 6th Virginia Regiment, and the Worcestershire Cavalry to discover what it was really like to endure the hardships, fear, and chaos of one of Britain's greatest military disasters.

In this episode you'll experience:
⚔️ The Wilderness Road to Fort Duquesne
March 125 miles through the unforgiving Ohio wilderness as Braddock's army carves a road across the Appalachian frontier using axes, saws and gunpowder—often advancing less than two miles a day.

🌲 Life as a Redcoat on the Frontier
Discover the harsh realities of eighteenth-century military life, including disease, starvation rations, brutal discipline, exhausting labour and the constant fear of attack.

🦅 George Washington Before the Presidency
Follow the remarkable role played by the 23-year-old George Washington, whose courage during Braddock's Defeat helped launch one of history's most extraordinary careers.

🏹 Native American & French Frontier Warfare
Learn how French regulars, Canadian militia and warriors from around twenty Indigenous nations used woodland tactics to devastating effect against traditional European linear warfare.

💥 The Battle of the Monongahela (Braddock's Defeat)
Experience the confusion, terror and slaughter of one of Britain's worst defeats in North America, where nearly 60% of Braddock's force became casualties in a matter of hours.
Could you survive exhaustion, disease, starvation, relentless marching—and one of history's most devastating woodland ambushes?

Support Survive History
Every episode takes months of historical research, filming and collaboration with outstanding living history groups to bring the past to life as accurately as possible.
Special thanks to Pulteney's 13th Regiment of Foot, the 6th Virginia Regiment, and the Worcestershire Cavalry for helping recreate this extraordinary campaign.

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00:00 Introduction
04:30 The French and Indian War begins
06:40 Redcoats and recruitment in America
09:45 Tensions between regulars and colonials
11:37 Preparing for the wilderness campaign
14:26 Meeting General Edward Braddock
19:35 Drunkenness and poor discipline
22:03 Drill and training at Fort Cumberland
23:59 The march through the wilderness begins
26:18 Crossing the Allegheny mountains
28:45 Indians, disease and desertion
31:47 Security on the march
34:22 Crossing the Monongahela
36:26 Battle of the Monongahela begins
39:28 General Braddock is shot
42:06 Could you survive the campaign?

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