Clarksburg in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Dowden's Ordinary: A French & Indian War Site
On the 15th: Marched at 5 in our way to one Dowden's, a Publichouse ... and encamped upon very bad ground on the side of a hill. We got our tents pitched by dark when the wind shifted from the South to the North - from a sultry hot day it became excessively cold, and rained with thunder and lightning till 5 in the morning, when in 10 minutes it changed to snow, which in 2 hours covered the ground a foot and a half.
What were British soldiers doing at Dowden's Ordinary in the middle of a spring snowstorm? The answer begins in 1754 when Great Britain and France renewed their war for control of North America - a war that became known as the Seven Years' War in Europe. The war's spark occurred when George Washington's Virginia volunteers fired on a French scouting party in southeastern Pennsylvania. The French counterattacked and forced Washington from the area. In response to this defeat, the British in 1755 sent Major- General Edward Braddock to America to expel the French from Fort Duquense (Pittsburgh).
Concerned about limited supplies, Braddock divided his forces, sending the 44th Regiment of Foot and his artillery to Winchester, Virginia and the 48th Regiment of Foot (about 700 troops) under Thomas Dunbar to Frederick by way of the Great Road through Rockville and Clarksburg. At Clarksburg, Dunbar's troops were caught in the snowstorm. Following a few days later, General Braddock took the same route to Frederick as the 48th Regiment, possibly enjoying a meal or spending a night at Dowden's Ordinary.
On July 9, 1755, a combined French and Indian force attacked Braddock's troops outside Fort Duquesne. Mortally wounded, Braddock died five days later. Washington and Dunbar led the remaining British and colonial troops to safety. [Picture included]
By 1758, the war shifted in Britain's favor, and in 1763 France surrendered, losing its territory in North America. As a result of the war, Great Britain imposed taxes on the colonists to help pay for its mounting war debt. Colonial opposition of taxes without consent became an important cause of the American Revolution.
The Cannon
[Picture included]
The three - pound cannon is a replica of a British brass field piece, three pounds being the weight of an individual cannon ball. The cannon along with its carriage, weighed about 500 pounds and was drawn by two horses. Along with a six-pounder cannon, these lighter weight field pieces were more suited to the rough roads of colonial America during the French and Indian War.
[Map included]
Route of General Braddock's doomed wilderness march to expel the French from the Ohio Valley.
Erected by Montgomery Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, French and Indian. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1858.
Location. 39° 14.21′ N, 77° 16.657′ W. Marker is in Clarksburg, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker is on North Frederick Road (Maryland Route 355) south of Stringtown Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Clarksburg MD 20871, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Archaeology at Dowden's Ordinary (a few steps from this marker); Tavern Life at Dowden's Ordinary (a few steps from this marker); Dowden’s Ordinary (within shouting distance of this marker); Dowden's Ordinary: The Elephant Comes to Clarksburg (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Froggy Hollow (approx. 1.9 miles away); Waters' Mill (approx. 2˝ miles away); A Real Field of Dreams (approx. 2.7 miles away); Black Hill Gold Mine (approx. 2.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Clarksburg.
Regarding Dowden's Ordinary: A French & Indian War Site. There is a reference to the war start in southeastern Pennsylvania; should have been southwestern.
Additional keywords. Dowden's Ordinary: A French & Indian War Site
Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 23, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,314 times since then and 27 times this year. Last updated on February 17, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 23, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.