Thursday, April 26th

Today, the cadets had lesson #3 - "La Petite Guerre".

• Cadets learned about the difference between the ways of Europeans in warfare to those of the Native Americans in North America. The European way of fighting in large, organized armies in rows and ranks spread out over large areas will not work well in North America. North America was a wilderness. The Indian way, or as the French called it - "La Petite Guerre" focused on surprise attacks and ambushes, while hiding behind trees, rocks, and other cover. Sometimes the attack was quick and then the Indians dispersed, only to launch another surprise attack later.
• Case study for today was Braddock's Defeat. Cadets examined the Battle of Monongahela and the resulting disaster on the part of the British and Major General Edward Braddock. We also reenacted the battle in class. Complete chaos and the British were routed again!

La Petite Guerre