"The Paoli Massacre: A Battle Won By Bayonet" Topic

"To gain a better understanding of this battle in particular, it is important to be familiar with the events leading up to it. According to The Encyclopedia of American Studies, in the summer of 1775 Major General George Washington took command of the American militia shortly after a decisive battle at Bunker Hill. Throughout the rest of 1776, the British landed several decisive blows against Washington and his troops. The Redcoats defeated Washington in the Battle of Long Island, took control of New York City, won another battle at White Plains, and forced the Americans to abandon their garrisons at Forts Washington and Lee. By the turn of the year, however, Washington had defeated the Hessians (German soldiers hired by the British) at the Battle of Trenton, and was also victorious at Princeton. Then came the Philadelphia Campaign. After being out-maneuvered by the British at the Battle of Brandywine, and a demoralizing rainout at the Battle of the Clouds, the American troops were in need of a victory. Instead, they were massacred by the British…"

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Armand

For all the years working in Malvern finally stopped one nice day early summer. There is a unlikely scenario posted there of a whole in the fence line that the Colonials had to get their artillery though to escape capture, they didn't lose any pieces. The story is one gun crossing this defile lost a wheel trapping troops for some time on the other side of the fence.
In a game of like period wouldn't treat a fence as a barrier to infanty any more than a slight ditch.

But then came the near-victory at Germantown and news that Burgoyne had been defeated and surrendered his army to the Americans.

The result: the French Alliance.

"the British came howling through the woods right into the slumbering American troops."

"Not only were the majority of the American troops sleeping…"

"The Americans had little to no organization at the time…"

"The account of one Hessian soldier, found in The History of Chester County, Pennsylvania,states that, "We killed three hundred of the rebels with the bayonet. I stuck them myself like so many pigs.."

"The British had no problems attacking defenseless men with their swords and bayonets.."

It's difficult to understand how the writer could have read Thomas McGuire's Battle of Paoli and still have written such drivel.

(As for 'forcing the Americans to abandon Fort Washington', I guess taking a position by storm will do that)

Thanks!

Armand

I remember hopping through the field for the 225th re-enactment, struggling with a new pair of shoes among the briars on the ground. LoL

I agree with 42nd. :-)

"the British came howling through the woods right into the slumbering American troops.""Not only were the majority of the American troops sleeping…""The Americans had little to no organization at the time…"

Those quotes are unfortunately wildly misleading…Wayne had been forewarned of the British attack and had alerted his regiments and so nobody was "slumbering" and they were deployed in the fields while he attempted to organize his supply wagons.

At that point the wheels came off, the infantry deployed in the field formed a march column which was supposed to march away from the field but got stuck behind the wagons, which themselves got delayed moving through a fenceline. The British did suddenly charge out of the darkness, hitting the rear of the stalled column and then things really went from bad to worse.

Thanks also…

Armand

At that point the wheels came off…

Literally. A field piece shed a wheel in the gateway of the field whereby Wayne's brigades were to exit the clearing and the orderly withdrawal ground to a halt with disorder ensuing as the British light infantry 'dashing in' emerged from the woods.

Shame not heading in that direction today would stop by.

REMEMBER PAOLI!
It was on way home today on the anniversary but only sprucing up the fields because Saturday is the Battlefield memorial day.