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 clash. 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, and 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, and 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.
Source: atlasobscura.com