Designing a Campaign Forbes' March to Ohio

Brigadier General John Forbes’ march from Carlisle to the Ohio River in 1758 was the first successful campaign in North America. Furthermore, it became one of the major operations during the Seven Years’ War that decided control of the continent in favor of the British at the expense of the French. Winston Churchill later referred to this conflict as the first global war. As such, this campaign is worthy of further study. This paper analyzes the Forbes campaign through the lens of the elements of operational design as explained in Joint Publication 5-0 to determine the reasons for success. It also looks to synthesize some of the lessons of the campaign to apply them to contemporary operations. While the definitions of the elements of operational design are adequate, they offer no historical examples so that a reader can grasp more fully their application. The Forbes campaign – a coalition operation conducted over more than 200 miles of wilderness that required significant planning and preparation - is an excellent case study in designing a successful campaign.

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March to Disaster Major General Edward Braddock and the Monongahela Campaign

This study posits that the leadership of Major General Edward Braddock led to the defeat of the force that he recruited, trained, and led against Fort Duquesne in July 1755. This thesis places Braddock into the strategic context of the time, seeks to highlight relevant leadership decisions he made that yield insights for today’s combat leaders. The defeat at the Battle of the Monongahela resulted in a torrent of Indian attacks that claimed many civilian lives and reduced colonial trust in Great Britain’s ability to defend her colonies. This engagement set the conditions that fostered within the colonists a growing mistrust of Great Britain and her colonial policies.

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Henry Bouquet A Study of Three Military Campaigns in North America, 1758-1764

Henry Bouquet, a professional Swiss officer, served in the British Army from 1756- 1765 in the 60th or Royal American Regiment. Bouquet's service to the Crown involved his participation in three major campaigns in North America. During 1758 Bouquet served as the second-in-command to Brigadier General John Forbes in an expedition to secure from the French Fort Duquesne, later renamed Fort Pitt. In 1763, Bouquet returned to Fort Pitt, personally organizing and leading the relief column which broke the Indian siege of that critical frontier installation during Pontiac's rebellion. This action resulted in the Battle of Bushy Run. In 1764, Bouquet conducted an expedition against the Delaware and Shawnee Indians in the Muskingum River Valley of Ohio. In this campaign he succeeded in ending Indian resistance in the region without having to fight in a single battle or engagement. Bouquet was a competent and professional military leader. This study evaluates Bouquet's three campaigns. It relates Bouquet's performance to leadership, warfighting and campaigning concepts outlined in modern military doctrine.

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