44. Letter, Hancock to Washington, “Philada. Septr. 17th, 1777,” Smith et. al., Letters of Delegates 7, 687.
45. Rice, Chastellux, 312, n. 63.
46. Pickering Journal, entry for September 14.
47. “Journal of Hawkins,” entry for September 14.
48. Letter, Wayne to Mifflin, “Radnor, 14th Mile Stone Sepr. 15: 1777,” Wayne Papers.
49. Letter, Washington to Smallwood, “Bucks Tavern on the Lancaster Road, September 14, 1777,” Fitzpatrick, Washington 9, 222.
50. Letter, Smallwood to Washington, “Oxford Meeting House 7 Miles above Nottingham Septr. 15 1777,” Washington Papers online. A return was included with the letter: Smallwood had 5 regiments, with 106 officers, 83 sergeants and corporals, 14 drummers and fifers, and 1,210 privates, of whom only 866 had “good guns.”
51. Letter, Washington to Hancock, “September 15, 1777,” Fitzpatrick, Washington 9, 227–28.
52. McMichel, “Diary,” 151.
53. George Ewing, The Military Journal of George Ewing (1754–1824), a Soldier of Valley Forge (Yonkers, NY: Privately Printed by Thomas Ewing, 1928), 22–23.
54. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 452.
55. Gruber, Peebles Diary, 135.
56. “Sept. 5th—Three Rebels Light Horse deserted to us—all Irishmen—some with the clothing of our 8th Regt. on—with a rifle shirt.” Montrésor, 447. Later in the month, Washington chose to use the uniforms for deception: To Comte Pulaski: “You will immediately form a Detachment of at least fifty Horse of which part are to be of Colo. Moylans, in their Red Uniforms, which will serve to deceive both the Enemy and Country people.” Washington to Pulaski, “Pennypacker's Mills, Sept. 30, 1777” (Fitzpatrick, Washington 9, 288–89).
57. Frazer, Frazer Memoir, 161.
58. Henry Stirke, “A British Officer's Revolutionary War Journal, 1776–1778,” edited by S. Sydney Bradford, Maryland Historical Magazine 56, no. 2 (June, 1961): 170–71. Stirke was a lieutenant in the Light Infantry Company, 10th Regiment of Foot. Interestingly, Frazer's parole, which is pictured opposite 234 of the Frazer book, is dated September 26, 1777, and is signed by Captain Stirke as a witness.
59. Parker, entry for September 16. Unfortunately, the manuscript has many holes in it and is only partially readable.
60. Frazer, Frazer Memoir, 161, 167.
61. Letter, Grant to Harvey, “Philadelphia 20th Octor. 1777,” Grant Papers.
62. André, Journal, 89–90.
63. Futhey and Cope, Chester County, 78–79.
64. Kirkwood, Journal and Order Book, 175.
65. Parker Journal, entry for Sept. 16.
66. Stirke, “Journal,” 171.
67. Parker Journal, entry for September 16.
68. Ewald, Diary, 88–89.
69. Patten Deposition, Pension Files.
70. Letter, Grant to Harvey, “Philadelphia 20th Octor. 1777,” Grant Papers.
71. Quoted in Futhey and Cope, Chester County, 83.
72. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 454.
73. Ewald, Diary, 89.
74. Dann, Nagle, 10.
75. Parker Journal, entry for September 16.
76. Beatty Journal.
77. Dann, Nagle, 8.
78. Von Münchhausen, Diary, 32.
79. Gruber, Peebles Diary, 135.
80. Parker Journal, entry for September 16.
81. Letter, Joseph Reed to Washington, “Swedes Ford, 16th September, 1777,” William B. Reed, Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Lindsay and Blakiston, 1847), 311.
82. Letter, Thos. Hartley to William Atlee et. al., “Camp Septr 17th 1777,” Force Papers.
83. Letter, Henry Knox to Lucy Knox, “Pottsgrove, September 24, 1777,” Commager and Morris, Spirit of Seventy Six 1, 619.
84. Letter, Hartley to Atlee, September 17, 1777.
85. “Prisoners with the Rebels of the Detachmt. from the Brigade of Foot Guards, April 1778,” Orders of British Troops.
86. WO 71/84, PRO, 262–66.
87. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 454.
88. Von Münchhausen, Diary, 34.
89. Ibid.
90. Lee, Memoirs, 91; Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 455.
91. Syrett and Cooke, Papers of A. Hamilton, 326–28.
92. Letter, Hancock to Washington, “Philada., Septr. 18th. 1777 10 O'Clock P. M.,” Smith et. al., Letters of Delegates 7, 694.
93. Smith, History of 1st City Troop, entry for 19th [sic] September.
94. Letter, Joseph Reed to Washington, “Falls of Schuylkill, 18th Sept., 9 o'clock P.M.” Reed, Reed, 312.
95. Letter, John Hancock to Dorothy Hancock, “York Town in Pennsylvania 90 Miles from Philada., 1st Octor 1777,” Smith et. al., Letters of Delegates 8, 39–40.
96. Letter, Henry Laurens to John Lewis Gervais, “York October 8, 1777,” Smith et. al., Letters of Delegates 8, 80–81.
97. John Adams, diary entry, 21st Sept., Smith et. al., Letters of Delegates 8, 8–9.
98. Letter, Washington, “Readg. Furnace 6 OClock PM, September 18, 1777, Fitzpatrick, Washington 9, 235–36.
99. Letter, Wayne to Washington, “Paoli one-half after 7 OClock AM 19th Sepr 1777,” Washington Papers online, ser. 4, reel 44.
100. Letter, Wayne to Washington, Paoli three-quarters After 10 AM 19th Sepr. 1777,” ibid.
101. Letter, James Lovell to Robert Treat Paine, “Philada. 24th Sepr. A.M.,” Smith et. al., Letters of Delegates 8, 15.
102. Parker Journal, entry for Sept. 20.
103. Hartley's Testimony, paper marked “E,” Force Papers.
104. Wayne's Defense, version 1, Wayne Papers.
105. Von Münchhausen, Diary, 34.
106. Gruber, Peebles Diary, entry for Sept. 19.
107. Von Münchhausen, Diary, 34.
108. Cantelupe Diary, entry for September 20.
109. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 455.
110. Robertson, Diaries, 148.
111. Cantelupe Diary, entry for September 20.
112. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 455; Orders of British Troops.
113. Muhlenberg, Journals 3, 77–78.
114. Fitzpatrick, Washington 9, 243–44.
115. Cliffe, October 24, 1777. Cliffe Papers.
116. Wayne's Testimony, version 1, Wayne Papers.
117. Brodhead's Evidence, Paper marked “I,” Force Papers.
118. Letter, James Cox to Mary Cox, “Downing's Town on the Lancaster Road, Sept. 20, 1777,” Scharf, Chronicles, 165.
119. Hunter, Journal, 30.
120. Parker Journal, entry for Sept. 20.
121. Testimony of Colonel Hartley, paper marked “E,” Force Papers.
122. Letter, Hartley to Atlee, et. al., “Camp Sepr ye 20th 1777, 6 o'Clock PM,” Force Papers.
123. André, Journal, 50.
124. Ibid., 49.
125. Hunter, Journal, 31.
126. Mentges’ Evidence, Paper marked “L,” Force Papers.
127. Hunter, Journal, 49.
128. Letter, St. George to Imperial, “September 11–October 2,” Wayne Papers.
129. André, Journal, 50.
130. Letter, Maj. Samuel Hay to Col. Wiliam Irvine, “Camp at the Trap, Sept, 29, 1777,” Irvine Papers, vol. 1, 94, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
131. Hunter, Journal, 31.
132. Letter, St. George to Imperial.
133. Letter, A. Wayne to Washington, “Red Lion 21st Septr. 1777: 12 OClock,” Wayne Papers, vol. 4.
134. Wayne's Defense, version 1, inserted at the end, Wayne Papers.
135. Hunter, Journal, 31.
136. Parker Journal, entry for Sept. 21.
137. Hay's Evidence, Paper marked “B,” Force Papers.
138. Hunter, Journal, 31.
139. Hartley's Evidence, paper marked “E,” Force Papers.
140. Letter, Adam Hubley to William Atlee, “Camp at Jones's Tavern Septr. 23, 1777,” Force Papers.
&
nbsp; 141. Lord Cantelupe's copy of A List of the General and Staff Officers…Serving in North America, published in Philadelphia in early 1778, has a watercolor diagram drawn on the flyleaf and titled, “Sr. Willm. Howe's British Army in Philadelphia. 1778.” Cantelupe shows the breakdown of the grenadier and light infantry battalions by company and has two boxes marked “71” in the 2nd Battalion Light Infantry. This would make sense, considering the unusual size of the regiment.
In the 71st, “Short Land Pattern muskets were issued to all enlisted men, while officers and sergeants carried fusils, and each man also carried a Highland broadsword and steel-mounted side pistol. Unlike the 42nd, the 71st resolutely clung to their Highland plaids and weapons, however impractical, long after the senior regiment [the 42nd] had discarded their own for American service. This can be partly explained as a matter of stubborn pride, as Fraser's men were almost entirely Highland-born, while the 42nd had many Lowland Scots in the ranks.” Don Troiani, Earl J. Coates, and James L. Kochan, et. al., Don Troiani's Soldiers in America (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1998), 43.
142. Parker Journal entry for September 21, 1777. Most British accounts of Paoli mention that a sergeant was killed, and investigation of the surviving muster sheets shows Pvt. Daniel Robertson of the 49th as killed September 20. Parker identified the sergeant as being from the 71st Regiment. The muster sheets of the 71st are not in the Public Record Office/National Archives in London. They either have not survived or are in an unknown location. Thus the identity of the sergeant who was killed at Paoli remains unknown.
143. Letter, St. George to Imperial.
144. Hartley's Evidence, Paper marked “E,” Force Papers.
145. Letter, Anthony Wayne to Washington, “Camp near White Ma[r]sh 22nd Octr. 1777,” Wayne Papers, vol. 4.
146. Hubley's Evidence, Paper marked “N,” Force Papers.
147. Boyle, Thomas Sullivan Journal, 231.
148. Hunter, Journal, 31.
149. Letter, Hartley to Atlee, et. al., “Camp Red Lyon Sepr. Ye 21st 1777,” Force Paper.
150. Hazard, Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd ser., vol. 10, 548.
151. Benjamin Burd, Pension Narrative, Revolutionary War Pension Papers, film 27, reel 409, National Archives, Washington, DC.
152. Letter, William Smallwood to Go. Thomas Johnson, “Bucks [sic; Berks] County Jones Tavern Sept. 23, 1777,” MSS 1875, Maryland Historical Society.
153. Letter, St. George to Imperial.
154. Revolutionary War Muster and Payrolls, National Archives.
155. Smallwood to Johnson, September 23, 1777.
156. Hubley to Atlee, September 21, 1777; Letter, Hubley to Atlee, “Camp at Jones's Tavern Septr 23 1777,” Force Papers. The British dead are most likely buried at St. Peter's-in-the-Great Valley. See Thomas J. McGuire, Battle of Paoli (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2000), 133–34.
157. Parker Journal, entry for September 21.
158. George English, Pension Certificate, Revolutionary War State Pension File, RG-4, roll 2, Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg.
159. Hunter, Journal, 32.
160. Letter, Abraham Robinson to Anthony Wayne, “East Town Septr. 22nd 1777,” Wayne Papers, vol. 4.
161. Osborn Letters, vol. 3, no. 100. “In the campaign of 1760, that excellent general and true genius of a partisan the prince of Brunswick, was situated at some distance from Zerenberg, at that time in possession of the French, and being informed by two Hanoverian officers who had been in the town disguised like peasants, that the garrison were very remiss in their duty, trusting to the vicinity of their army, and the distance of ours. The prince was resolved to surprise them, and after appointing a corps to sustain him, he advanced in the night with Major Maclean of the 88th regiment, and two hundred Highlanders, with bayonets fixed and their arms not loaded, following at a distance. Upon the first centry's challenging, the prince answered in French, and the centry seeing but two persons advancing, (whom he believed to be French), he had no distrust, so that the major getting up to him, stabbed him, and prevented his giving the alarm. The Highlanders immediately rushed in and attacked the guard with their bayonets, and carried the town, having killed or taken the whole garrison of eight hundred men.” Roger Stevenson, Military Instructions for Officers Detached in the Field: Containing a Scheme for Forming a Corps of Partisans, Illustrated with Plans of the Manoeuvres Necessary in Carrying Out the Petite Guerre (Philadelphia: R. Aitkin, Front Street, 1775), 192–94.
162. Parker Journal, entry for September 21.
163. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 456.
164. Letter, Grant to Harvey, October 20, 1777.
165. Von Münchhausen, Diary, 34–35.
166. Gruber, Peebles Diary, entry for September 21, 1777.
167. Ewald, Diary 90–91.
168. British Memorandum, entry for September 22.
169. Letter, F. Z., microfiche 45, 112–18, entry for September 22. Hessian Documents, Morristown NHP, Morristown, New Jersey.
170. Osborn Letters, vol. 3, no. 100.
171. Gruber, Peebles Diary, 137.
172. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 457.
173. Parker Journal, entry for September 24.
174. Downman, Services, 35.
175. Montrésor, Montrésor Journals, 457.
176. Muhlenberg, Journals, 79.
177. Reed, Reed, 314.
178. James Grant Wilson, “A Memorial of Colonel John Bayard,” Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, 2nd ser., vol. 5 (1877–79): 150–51. The daughter is identified only as “Mrs. Kirkpatrick.” Christopher Marshall confirmed the details of these stories in his diary a few weeks later: “Oct. 8- In my son's letter [his son lived in Providence Township] are many instances of the wanton cruelty they exercised in his neighborhood, amongst which is the burning of the house where Col. Reed did live, the house where Thompson kept tavern, with every thing in it, all the hay at Col. Bull's, fifteen hundred bushels of wheat, with other grain, his powder mill and iron works; destroyed all the fences for some miles, with the Indian corn and buckwheat, emptied feather beds, destroyed furniture, cut books to pieces at Col. Bayard's; at one place emptied some feather beds, and put a cask of yellow ochre, cask of Spanish brown [and] cask of linseed oil, and mixed them all together. So brutal and cruel are all their steps marked, it would be tiresome tracing them with a pen.” Marshall, Remembrancer, 133–34.
179. Von Münchhausen, Diary, 35.
180. Muhlenberg, Journals, 79.
181. Parker Journal, entry for September 25.
182. Ewald, Diary, 91.
183. Drinker, Diary, 234–35.
GLOSSARY
OF EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY MILITARY TERMS
The definitions in italics are taken from Capt. George Smith, An Universal Military Dictionary (London: J. Milan, 1779; reprint, Ottawa: Museum Restoration Service, 1969).
Battalion. “An undetermined body of infantry in regard to number, generally from 500 to 800 men…. Sometimes regiments consist of but 1 battalion; but if more numerous are divided into several battalions, according to their strength; so that every one may come within the numbers mentioned…each battalion is divided into four divisions, and each division forms two platoons.”
The term battalion was confusingly applied to regiments in Pennsylvania in 1776. In the British Army, battalions were units of men put together for battle. The grenadier and light infantry battalions were made up of companies from many different regiments. Sometimes understrength regiments with small numbers of men or missing officers were battalioned together, such as the 40th and 55th Regiments.
Brigade. “In military affairs, implies a party, or a division of a body of soldiers, whether horse, foot, or artillery, under the command of a brigadier [general]…. A brigade of the army is either foot or dragoons, whose exact number is not fixed, but generally consists of three regiments, or six battalions. Brigadier, a military officer, whose rank is the next above that of colonel; appointed to command a co
rps, consisting of several battalions or regiments, called a brigade.”
The Continental Army brigades in this campaign were generally organized by state and numbers. Most of them seem to have been in the range of 1,500 to 2,000 men, but some brigades were larger and some were smaller. The British brigades mostly consisted of four regiments.
Brigade of Guards. The Brigade of Guards was authorized by the king in February 1776 to consist of 1,000 men drawn by lottery from three regiments of foot guards. A grenadier company was included, and a light company was formed specifically for the American service. The Brigade of Guards functioned as an independent unit, often like light infantry, and unlike the other regiments, it retained its flank companies on campaign. The uniforms and headgear were modified for America, and the men wore round hats in the battalion companies. The flank companies wore light infantry caps.
Chasseur. See Jäger.
Company. “In a military sense, means a small body of foot or artillery, the number of which is never fixed, but generally from 45 to 110, commanded by a captain, a lieutenant, and an ensign, and sometimes by a first and second lieutenant, as in the artillery. A company usually has 2 sergeants, 3 or 4 corporals, and 2 drums [this actually means two musicians, a drummer and a fifer].”
Most British regiments consisted of ten companies: eight battalion companies and two flank companies—light infantry and grenadiers—so called because they occupied the flanks on parade. The grenadiers were in the “position of honor” on the right of the line.
Most American regiments had eight or nine companies, one of which was light infantry. Some units had rifle companies, and a very few regiments, such as Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment, had a grenadier company.
Corps de Battaille. “The main body of an army drawn up for battle, whereof the first line is called the van, the second the main body, and the third the body of reserve, or rear-guard.”
Division. “Of an army, are the number of brigades and squadrons [cavalry] it contains; of a battalion, are the several platoons into which a regiment or battalion is divided.”
Divisions are usually commanded by major generals. In the 1777 campaign, with the derangement of the American officer corps, many officers were brevetted, assigned to command positions but not given the rank permanently. Anthony Wayne was a brigadier general commanding Maj. Gen. Benjamin Lincoln's Division. The two brigades were commanded by colonels. The number of generals was determined by Congress, and the army had to function within the assigned number; promotions were an endless source of contention, especially with foreign professionals regularly arriving.
The Philadelphia Campaign Page 50
