BIG CITY GETAWAY

Warren County NJ Tourism presents BIG CITY GETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

PAOLI BATTLEFIELD HISTORICAL PARK MONUMENT AVE & WAYNE AVE, MALVERN, PA 19355 484-320-7173 • pbp nc.org

When writing about the events and places of our Revolutionary War we tend to stick with the wins, and not the losses.

But Backroads is here to tell the whole story – the good and the bad.

After getting their muskets handed to them at Brandywine by Cornwallis and the British, General Washington made yet one of many tactical retreats.

The British remained in Goshen until the weather cleared, and on September 18th marched to Tredyffrin intending to eventually cross the Schuylkill River. Lord Cornwallis’s Division, about 6000 men, marched on the Lancaster Road past the Paoli Tavern and took up positions on the heights of Tredyffrin about two miles east of Paoli, while the rest of the British force, about 8000 strong, marched on Swedesford Road. Later that same day, Washington detached General Anthony Wayne’s Division of 9 regiments numbering about 2200 men, with four cannons and three troops of dragoons, with orders to get behind the British and, if possible, cut off their baggage train as they crossed the river.

Wayne arrived at the Paoli Tavern, only two miles behind the British, early in the morning of September 19, and wrote to Washington:

“Paoli ½ past 7 A.M…On the Enemies Beating the Revillee I ordered the Troops under Arms and began our March for their left ank — But when we Arrived within half a Mile of their Encampment found they had not Stired, but lay too Compact to admit of an Attack with Prudence…if they Attempt to move I shall attack them…There never was, nor never will be a ner opportunity of giving the Enemy a fatal Blow than the Present — for God’s sake push on as fast as possible.”

Later this was received by Washington from Wayne:

“The Enemy are very quiet, washing & Cooking — they will Probably Attempt to move towards Evening…I believe he knows nothing of my Situation — as I have taken every precaution to Prevent any intelligence getting to him…I have not heard from you since last night.”

Unbeknownst to Wayne, the courier carrying messages from Washington to him was either captured or deserted, and the British were already aware of his presence behind them.

Shortly after Wayne sent this message, the drums in the British camp beat “to arms”. A British force was being sent quickly over to Valley Forge to help secure the area. Hearing the alarm, Wayne decided to pull his force back from the Paoli Tavern and took up a position about a mile and a half to the west, on top of the South Valley Hill above the Warren Tavern in some elds surrounded on three sides by woods. Here he established camp for the night of September 19 and awaited reinforcements. This spot became the site of the Paoli Battle eld. Wayne thought his presence was unknown to the British. Mad Anthony was wrong.

British intelligence determined that Wayne’s forces were encamped near the General Paoli Tavern near present-day Malvern, Pennsylvania. Wayne also made the mistake of leaving his camp exposed. At 10 pm on September 20, 1777, British troops under Major General Charles Grey pounced on the unsuspecting Americans. Grey had ordered his men to unload their muskets and remove their its, to ensure total surprise. The British would rely solely on the bayonet for their business that night.

Grey’s men took the American camp totally by surprise, emerging from the woods that hid their movements. Americans ed in panic and the encampment was destroyed as the British went about their bloody work. Wayne’s entire division was routed, losing 272 men, most of them taken prisoner. Because the British did not have ints in their muskets, Grey was dubbed, “No Flint” Grey.

Grey repeated this technique at the Battle of Tappan, known as the ‘Baylor’s massacre’ on 27th September 1778. Grey was promoted to lieutenant general and was due to take command of the British forces in America, but the Revolutionary War ended. Grey became the 1st Earl Grey. ‘Earl Grey Tea’ is named after his son, the 2nd Earl Grey.

Wayne was brought up on charges of misconduct but was found not guilty by the rst investigation into the event, although he was deemed to have made a tactical error. The mercurial Wayne argued for a full court-martial to exonerate him. The court-martial determined that Wayne had acted with honor.

Eyewitness accounts by Continental soldiers engaged in the surprise attack fanned the fuel of American propagandists, telling tales of how as men tried to surrender they were given no quarter.

“I with my own eyes,” wrote Lt. Colonel Adam Hubley of the 10th Pennsylvania Regiment, “see them, cut and hack some of our poor men to pieces after they had fallen on their hands and scarcely shew the least mercy to any…” “The annals of the age cannot,” reported Major Samuel Hay of the 7th Pennsylvania Regiment, “produce another such scene of butchery…” Wayne would have his revenge later when he stormed the ramparts of Stony Point, New York exhorting his men to “Remember Paoli” and returning the favor on the British. Today the scene of the Battle of Paoli is a beautifully maintained place – part 40-acre park and part solemn memorial. The Paoli Memorial Association owns the adjoining gravesite, memorials, and 23-acre parade grounds where volunteers trained for the 1812, Mexican, and Civil Wars. In 1817, a stone monument was erected on the burial mound of 53 American soldiers who lost their lives in the battle by veterans of the War of 1812. It is the 2nd oldest war memorial in the United States – the oldest being The Revolutionary War Monument in Lexington, Massachusetts. In 1877, a larger granite obelisk was erected on the 100th anniversary of the Battle. The canons anking the gravesite were recovered a century after they were hidden from the British at nearby Chester County iron forges. The Battle of Paoli site has been a gathering place to commemorate American veterans, drawing thousands to “Remembrance Day” on the September 20th anniversaries. After the Civil War, the annual celebration’s name and date was changed to coincide with the popular Memorial Day. The Malvern Memorial Parade started in 1868, is the oldest, continuously-held Memorial Parade in America! The site has remained as farm elds and woods since the battle, making it our nation’s most pristine Revolutionary War battle eld. A shaded ¾-mile trail takes visitors on a selfguided tour with interpretive panels telling the story of the Battle and its legacy. Sturdy, period-accurate, split rail and “snake” fences illustrate how these obstacles slowed down the Continental Soldiers. Today, there are additional trails for walking and jogging in the wooded area and the Park has become a favorite for local events, walks, picnics, and other recreational use.

Although they have a sign saying No Motorcycles, we rode in and when a local police car came in a bit later the of cer just nodded his head hello and we did the same. So we do not think it’s an issue.

The Paoli Battle eld Historical Park is an amazing look back and a place of remembrance for the men who were butchered by an unforgiving enemy led by a cruel leader. It is both beautiful and solemn and a park well worth seeking out when riding in southeastern Pennsylvania.,