This site is the battleground where the Paoli Battle of the Revolutionary War took place. On September 21, 1777, a significant battle was fought by a heroic Continental force right here in Malvern. Just after the serious defeat at Brandywine, Gen. Anthony Wayne camped here and prepared to attack the rear of British forces under Gen. Howe. During the night the British forces attacked with muskets unloaded and bayonets fixed. Revealing their own position by firing their muskets, Wayne’s men were easy targets. SOURCE
Daybreak revealed a grim reality. At least fifty-three Americans were dead and scores were wounded. The graves of those fifty-three men are located to the east of the flag pole in the Paoli Memorial Park, the site of today’s Memorial Parade Activities. The actual graves are under the original monument. There is a long mound under the memorial.
There is an organization which runs the battlefield site. I took the following excerpt from their site: "The Paoli Memorial Association is a privately held non-profit organization that is separate from either PBPF or the Borough of Malvern. Its 20+ acres includes a Parade Ground with many commemorative monuments as well as the mass grave of 53 Continental soldiers killed in the Battle of Paoli and site of an 1817 obelisk, recognized as the second oldest memorial to American soldiers in the United States. Part of the Paoli Battlefield National Historic Place, portions are used for other community purposes, including athletic fields, playgrounds and a log cabin for Boy Scout activities.". SOURCE
There are many components to this site. It is similar to a historic district, only more compact with one singular purpose. All totaled, there are two contributing buildings, two contributing sites, and five contributing objects included on the listing. They are the Paoli Battlefield Site, Paoli Parade Grounds, Paoli Massacre Monument (1817), Paoli Massacre obelisk (1877), World War I monument (1928), World War II urn (c. 1946), and caretaker's house and garage (1922).
To make it clear there are two distinct parts. The Parade Grounds are what one would see when they first enter and come around the curved or horseshoe driveway. This is where the monuments are located and a tract of ground in the center. There are also a ball field, tennis courts and a playground to the right, also part of the old parade grounds. Past the 1817 monument to the left or east of the parade grounds are 40 acres of grass, dotted with interpretives that constitute the battleground.
One is never at a loss to understand what happened here or figure their relative position to the sites as eight, attractive and well-constructed interpretives dot the landscape as well as several other minor signs of history. Each interpretive is held in a thick, black frame, about 3 feet high and tilted at such an angle for suitable and easy reading. The markers seem to follow a kind of walking trail which concludes way out on the preserved battlefield. The marker is located at where the path first enters the woods. I believe the marker was produced or paid for by the Pennsylvania Society if Sons of the Revolution and the Color Guard as their insignia is at the bottom right of the interpretive. The interpretive reads:
While on campaign, the armies tried to keep their baggage to a minimum, and tents required wagons. The British left most of their tents on their ships, so they built shelters called “wigwams” out of brush, leaves, cornstalks, sod, straw, and fence rails.
American sources refer to the wigwams as “booths.” When Wayne was ordered to move behind Howe’s army, his tents were left with the main army. Colonel Daniel Brodhead wrote that at 4 PM on September 20, six hours before the attack, “We Received Orders to prepare for a March. Accordingly the Division formed but the weather being Cloudy and threatening Rain we were Ordered to build Booths to secure our Arms & Ammunition & go to Rest.” Washington repeatedly ordered his troops not to destroy farmers’ fences, and Wayne’s men removed fence rails only where necessary to allow movement in and out of camp.
Most of Wayne’s soldiers were Pennsylvanians from a mixture of backgrounds: frontiersmen, farmers, small shopkeepers, and craftsmen. Many were foreign born, mostly in Northern Ireland and Germany. The dragoons included Virginians and Connecticut men, and the artillerymen were from Massachusetts and New Jersey. The highest ranking officer killed was Major Marien Lamar of the 4th Pennsylvania, who shouted, “Halt, boys, and give these assassins one fire!” and was bayoneted on horseback.
There were approximately 2200 personnel in Wayne’s force: 9 infantry regiments, 1 artillery battalion with four light guns, and 3 troops of dragoons, and an estimated 20-25 wagons. The soldiers were supposed to receive daily 1-pound rations of flour and meat, and a gill [4 oz.] of “spirits” (whiskey, rum, or gin) to purify their water and ward off sickness.
Additional Information on the Marker
The interpretive features a portrait of Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, a Division Arrangement by Acting Division Commander Brigadier General Anthony Wayne, and various weapons that would have been found around camp, including a British Long Land Pattern Musket, an American Musket imported from France, a British Bayonet and an American carved powder horn with images of Philadelphia.