Battle of Paoli: The Revolutionary War Massacre Near Philadelphia, September 1777

Thomas McGuire brings to life the events leading up to and including the "surprise" attack near Paoli Pennsylvania. It is clear that a lot of research went into this book that reveals that what appeared to be just another early revolutionary war lost battle for the continentals was more than what appears on the surface.

The following excerpt is from a review in the Tredyffrin Easttown History Club Quarterly, January, 2003, Vol., XVI, No. 1."The Battle of Paoli" provides a long awaited in-depth analysis of the movements of the Continental Army and the British Army in September 1777, both preceding and after the Battle of Paoli, more commonly referred to as the "Paoli Massacre". The TE History Journal carried two well researched articles on the subject by Franklin M. Burns, our local historical authority, in its April and July 1940 editions. The articles provide an interesting departure point for a review of Mr. McGuire's book.The battlegrounds themselves are in Willistown Township and in the present borough of Malvern, Chester County, Pennsylvania. However, much of the activity before and after the battle took place in Tredyffrin and Easttown Townships. We will particularly review these events as described in the book and attempt to identify the present locations in Tredyffrin and Easttown where the activities took place."POSITION OF THE BRITISH ARMY AT TREDYFFRIN THE 19TH OF SEPTEMBER 1777"The British troops which overwhelmed Anthony Wayne's two brigades on September 20-21, 1777 were encamped in Tredyffrin Township along the north slope of the southern ridge which defines the Great Valley. Their positions are shown in a manuscript map made by Captain John André of the British Army and another beautifully reproduced map which shows the same positions as "drawn by an officer on the spot." Franklin Burns prepared his own map, TEHCQ, Vol. II, No. 2, p. 33, (the Burns map) on which he endeavored to combine the data from the published maps with "the traditional sites and the cartographer=s knowledge of the terrain." The maps commonly show the positions of many units of the British Army but not all units are commonly shown. Comparing positions shown on the three maps and relating them to known present day locations is a fascinating exercise. The topography shown on the Andrè, the "officer on the spot", and the Burn's maps conform quite well to the present topography considering the absence of a scientific survey for the old maps. The encampment maps reproduced in the McGuire book show four small hills along Swedesford Road and three larger hills extending west to east further to the south. These hills are discernable to the present day viewer with a little imagination. Today the area is covered with office parks, retail centers and housing developments. However, it can be viewed from the bounds of Swedesford Road, Valley Forge Road, Hickory Lane, and Howellville Road. Tea Garden Park, D'Ambrosia Park and the Little League ball fields are on the site of the British encampment and Cold Stream Drive runs through the center of it.GENERAL PAOLI TAVERN This tavern was a reputed gathering place for local revolutionaries including Anthony Wayne, whose home, Waynesborough, is less than a mile away. It is mentioned in the McGuire book as a place the Britis

And nowhere, probably, as much as in the Philadelphia area, where I have spent my life. McGuire has used the papers from the court of inquiry into the Battle of Paoli to debunk some of the myths surrounding this particular episode. He shows, for example, that it was not the "Paoli Massacre," as it has come to be known in our area, and that neither madness, drunkeness, nor a mercurial temper, on the part of Anthony Wayne, were responsible for this tragic defeat.I will admit that part of the excitement, for me, in reading this book is that I live a mere five miles from the site, and often travel the same roads as the Continental and British armies (albeit, in heavy traffic). Indeed, I thought one of the most poingnant parts of this work was contained in the epilogue. On the placement of the monument, forty years after the battle, Maj. Isaac Barnard noted "...in a few short years the place of their internment would have been in doubt and uncertainty...fruitless would have been the zeal of the patriots..." The same words could have been repeated just two years ago, when the site of the Battle of Paoli was just barely saved from developers. Thank heavens for people like Thomas McGuire who remind us of the treasure trove of historical sites we are in danger of losing.

During my sixty-nine years of residence in Tredyffrin Township I have learned a lot of local history, particularlly concerning the Paoli Massacre. However, Mr. McGuire has meaninglfull recorded all this history in one magnificent, easily readable book. I am so delighted with the book that I have begun documenting present locations of the events and I hope to mark a modern topographical map with the locations. Perhaps somone, possibly Mr. McGuire, has already done this. It is not easy because many of the buildings, i.e. Howell's Tavern and the Paoli Tavern, have been torn down and the roads have changed. Nevertheless, it wil be an exciting exercise. Thank you for this wonderful book. Dick Kurtz [email protected]

As someone who has been studying the American Revolution for over 25 years, Mr. McGuire's book is one of the best to date. He quells the myth that the British snuck up on the sleeping Colonials and bayonetted them in thier sleep. He has gone into Anthony Wayne's court martial records to uncover the truth about this incident. He also draws from the numerous journals left behind by the combatants and tells the story through their eyes as well. His writing is solid and his style is such that the book does not read like a school history text. Anyone with any interest in the American Revolution will find this book to be a wonderful addition to their library.