Camp Life

While on campaign, armies tried to keep baggage to a minimum, and because tents required wagons, the British left most of their tents on their ships and built shelters called wigwams out of brush, leaves, cornstalks, sod, straw, and fence rails; American sources called these booths. When Wayne was ordered to move behind Howe’s army, his tents were left with the main army, and Colonel Daniel Brodhead wrote that at 4 PM on September 20, six hours before the attack, the division received orders to prepare for a march, then because the weather was cloudy and threatening rain, was ordered to build booths to secure its arms and ammunition and 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 mixed backgrounds including frontiersmen, farmers, small shopkeepers, and craftsmen, and 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. Wayne’s force included approximately 2200 personnel, 9 infantry regiments, 1 artillery battalion with four light guns, 3 troops of dragoons, and an estimated 20-25 wagons, and the soldiers were supposed to receive daily 1-pound rations of flour and meat and a gill of spirits such as whiskey, rum, or gin to purify their water and ward off sickness.

Malvern, Pennsylvania · United States