A British night assault on American forces near Philadelphia that shaped the Pennsylvania campaign and gained notoriety through wartime propaganda.
Key Facts
- Date
- September 20, 1777
- Location
- Near Paoli Tavern, present-day Malvern, Pennsylvania
- British commander
- Major General Charles Grey
- American commander
- Brigadier General Anthony Wayne
- Campaign
- Philadelphia Campaign, American Revolutionary War
- Popular name
- Paoli Massacre (attributed to American propaganda)
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Continental Army's defeat at the Battle of Brandywine and the aborted Battle of the Clouds, George Washington directed Brigadier General Anthony Wayne to remain behind with a detachment to monitor British movements as the enemy prepared to advance on Philadelphia, the revolutionary capital.
On the night of September 20, 1777, Major General Charles Grey led British forces in a surprise assault on Wayne's encampment near Paoli Tavern in present-day Malvern, Pennsylvania, inflicting significant American casualties in a swift night attack.
American propagandists falsely claimed that British forces gave no quarter, branding the engagement the 'Paoli Massacre.' This narrative spread widely in the United States, fueling anti-British sentiment, while the British continued their advance and subsequently occupied Philadelphia.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Anthony Wayne.
Side B
1 belligerent
Charles Grey.