Which British general became commander-in-chief after Braddock's death?

William Shirley became commander-in-chief of British forces in North America after General Edward Braddock’s death in 1755. Shirley was then governor of Massachusetts and already held military responsibility for a British expedition aimed at Fort Niagara.

Braddock was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755, and died two days later. With the senior British commander gone, Shirley temporarily assumed overall command. His authority covered British regulars and colonial forces during a critical phase of the French and Indian War.

Shirley faced enormous difficulties. British forces were scattered, supply lines were weak, colonial governments resisted centralized control, and the French controlled key waterways and forts. His own expedition stalled while trying to strengthen the defenses at Oswego, and the British position there was captured by the French in 1756.

Shirley’s command was temporary. John Campbell, Earl of Loudoun, arrived in 1756 and replaced him. The other options were associated with later commands or different operations, but William Shirley is the specific successor to Braddock in this context.