Conestoga Wagons in Braddock's Campaign, 1755

When the French and Indian War spread into Pennsylvania, a humble farm wagon evolved into the mighty Conestoga that would shoulder the colonies’ first big military supply runs. General Braddger’s 1755 push toward Fort Duquesne depended on a fleet of wagons and hundreds of horses, yet the colonial assemblies hesitated to set wages or even authorize the transports. Into this deadlock stepped a young Benjamin Franklin, who drafted bold advertisements, threatened impressments, and negotiated with reluctant farmers to marshal the needed wagons for the campaign.

The narrative follows Franklin’s frantic scramble to recruit, pay, and move these wooden workhorses across difficult terrain, while local officials and teamsters wrestle over costs, ferry fees, and empty‑back hauls. As the wagons finally roll toward Frederick and beyond, the story reveals the gritty bureaucracy, regional rivalry, and plain‑spoken determination that kept the army supplied—providing a vivid glimpse into the logistical heart of early American warfare.