For my birthday this year my wife gave me the new book by Rick Atkinson, The Fate of the Day, the newly released second book of his Revolutionary War Trilogy. Like his World War II Trilogy this series is very well written and researched and it is an absolute pleasure to read. I’m only about a quarter through it and I’m already looking forward to the third volume. It’ll be a bit of a wait as it hasn’t been written yet but it will be worth it I’m sure!

I was in Pennsylvania for a lacrosse tournament and I was looking at directions to the tournament when I saw the town of Paoli not ten minutes from where we were staying. As luck would have it I just read about the Battle of Paoli in The Fate of the Day not three days prior and figured a small detour would be worth it. The boys were getting together with their very stinky friends between games so it didn’t take me much effort to convince my wife to go with me!

From the American Battle Field Trust: “On the night of September 20, 1777, one of the most infamous events of the American Revolution took place: the Battle of Paoli sometimes referred to as the Paoli Massacre. While only 53 Americans perished in the nighttime British surprise attack, Patriot propagandists were able to vilify the tactics employed by the British, who cut men down with bayonets.”

The park is small but is very well maintained with a few walking paths, including a wooded area.

The entrance to the park.

In 1877 a monument was erected to honor the fallen.

The park has numerous plaques to explain the action at the battle.

During their retreat one of the American cannon lost a wheel blocking the escape route and slowing down the retreat.

The towns of Malvern, Paoli, and Chester County all lay claim to the oldest Memorial Day celebration in the country, honoring those Americans who perished at this battle.

While I wouldn’t drive too far out of my way for this small park it is well worth a visit if you are in the area. It’s close to King of Prussia so if you were dragged to that giant mall for some shopping it’s definitely worth the side trip to break free!

You can read more about the Battle of Paoli over at the American Battle Field Trust website.

-Wachtmeister