For Pennsylvania Dutch families, the Revolution was initially news received from distant places like Massachusetts and New York. That changed in the fall of 1777, when British and Continental troops arrived in Philadelphia County, occupying roads, fields, and even churches as they maneuvered across the region. Friends, families, and neighbors responded differently, shaped by loyalty, religious conviction, and the need to protect their farms, food, and lives.
Maria Grimly Keely’s Recollections
of the
Revolutionary War Encampment
In the fall of 1777, fourteen year old Maria watched as Washington’s army filled the fields along the Perkiomen Creek. Years later, she set down her memories for her grandson, one of the few firsthand accounts of that encampment.
The Grimly property, East Branch of the Perkiomen Creek
Section Two
Maria describes hearing the thunder of cannon from the Battle of Brandywine nearly thirty miles away and mentions George Washington speaking with her future father in law about the Paoli massacre.
O Yes I Remember well the army came to our place I was then a girl of about 13 years my husband felty Keely was about 19 to 20 years old at that time (of course we were both single yet) On the 11th of Sept 1777 Washington’s army was at the Brandy-wine we heard the Roar of the cannons at our place [about 30 miles] It Just appeared as Distant thunder all the time Father said he thought and was sure that they had a fight with the Englanders and we soon afterwards heard that they had a battle at the Brandywine. And Washingtons army was defeated. On the 20th of September 1777 they had a Kind of a Battle at Paoli our men had to retreat again and many of Washingtons Soldiers were Murdered there so Washington himself told old Henrich Keely.
Maria Grimly Keely 1846
In Section Three – Maria describes British and American troops fording rivers and criss crossing the countryside as Washington attempted to keep the British from capturing Philadelphia.
The Revolution began 260 miles away with the “shot heard round the world” at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
More than two years later, its distant echo reached Maria and her father as the low thunder of the Battle of Brandywine. The residents of this rural valley must have felt both fear and excitement when the war came so close they could hear it.
Two weeks after that, the Continental Army encamped on and around the Grimly farm.
“Murdered”
What happened at Paoli?
Was it a “Massacre” or a “Battle”?
Opinions differed but George Washington’s choice of the word murdered gives us insight into how he felt about the event, the British and perhaps even General Anthony Wayne.
Hearing cannons in a battle thirty miles away?
It sounds impossible yet Rev Henry Muhlenberg in Trappe also wrote about this in his journal.
Sound from distant cannon fire can reach a civilian listener miles away through a combination of atmospheric conditions, valley topography, low-frequency energy, and the simple absence of competing noise in a pre-industrial landscape.
September 12, 1777
This morning we heard heavy and long continuing cannonading some thirty miles away on Brandwine Crick, where the two armies were engaged in a hard struggle; both sides suffered great losses and the British held the field.
The following day he wrote
“We received one report after another to the effect that the losses in the American army were considerable.”
and ended with
“Now prepare thyself, Pennsylvania, to meet the Lord thy God!
Q & A
with Historians
Robert Wood and Alan G. Keyser
Click on the “V” symbol to the left of each question below to read the answer.
About Maria Grimly Keely’s Recollections of the 1777 Continental Army Encampment
Links to Our growing collection of articles
Click on any image or title in the three sections below to read the full article
Ordinary Days
