Interpreting Communities in Conflict: Utilizing Captain Johann Ewald’s Journal as a Lens to Analyze the Paoli Battlefield

Summary

Upon arriving at Head of Elk, Maryland, General William Howe led his British and Hessian forces on a march through the Mid-Atlantic colonies on a quest to capture Philadelphia.  Hessian jaeger Captain Johann Ewald documented the march, the engagements, and the litany of individuals he encountered during the Philadelphia Campaign.  Utilizing his journal as a unit of analysis, this paper seeks to understand the diversity of individuals and groups that played a role in the Philadelphia Campaign.  Although Ewald was not present at the Battle of Paoli, his journal provides insights that can aid how researchers can interpret the archaeological remains of the battle.  Moreover, Ewald’s writings provide a greater context for understanding how warfare does not simply affect the combatants, but also those who live in the surrounding communities, as seen at the Battle of Paoli. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• "Not A Trade For One To Follow Who Has No Knowledge Of It": Captain Johann Ewald And The Historical Archaeology Of The 1777 Philadelphia Campaign   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2016

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 533