Battle of Paoli During the American Revolution

Battle of Paoli During the American Revolution The Paoli Massacre occurred on September 20-21, 1777, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). In the late summer of 1777, General Sir William Howe embarked his army at New York City and sailed south with the goal of capturing the American capital of Philadelphia. Moving up the Chesapeake Bay, he landed at Head of Elk, MD and began marching north towards Pennsylvania. Acting to protect the city, General George Washington attempted to make a defensive stand along the Brandywine River in early September. Meeting Howe at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, Washington was flanked by the British and forced to retreat east to Chester. While Howe paused at Brandywine, Washington crossed the Schuylkill River at Philadelphia and marched northwest with the goal of using the river as a defensive barrier. Reconsidering, he elected to re-cross to the south bank and began moving against Howe. Responding, the British commander prepared for battle and engaged the Americans on September 16. Clashing near Malvern, the fight proved brief as a massive thunderstorm descended on the area forc ing both armies to break off the battle. Wayne Detached In the wake of the Battle of the Clouds, Washington first retreated west to Yellow Springs and then to Reading Furnace in order to obtain dry powder and supplies. As the British were badly hampered by the rutted and muddy roads as well as the high water of the Schuylkill, Washington decided to detach forces led by Brigadier Generals William Maxwell and Anthony Wayne on September 18 to harass the enemys flanks and rear. It was also hoped to that Wayne, with 1,500 men that included four light guns and three troops of dragoons, could strike at Howes baggage train. To assist him in these efforts, Washington directed Brigadier General William Smallwood, who was moving north from Oxford with 2,000 militia, to rendezvous with Wayne. As Washington resupplied and began marching to re-cross the Schuylkill, Howe moved to Tredyffrin with the goal of reaching Swedes Ford. Advancing on Howes rear, Wayne encamped two miles southwest of the Paoli Tavern on September 19. Writing to Washington, he believed that his movements were unknown to the enemy and stated, I believe [Howe] knows Nothing of my situation. This was incorrect as Howe had been apprised of Waynes actions through spies and intercepted messages. Recording in his diary, British staff officer Captain John Andre commented, Intelligence having been received of the situation of General Wayne and his design for attacking our Rear, a plan was concerted for surprising him, and the execution entrusted to Major General [Charles] Grey. The British Move Seeing an opportunity to crush part of Washingtons army, Howe directed Grey to assemble a force of around 1,800 men consisting of the 42nd and 44th Regiments of Foot as well as the 2nd Light Infantry to strike at Waynes camp. Departing on the evening of September 20, Greys column moved down the Swedes Ford Road before reaching the Admiral Warren Tavern approximately one mile from the American position. In an effort to maintain secrecy, Andre reported that the column took every inhabitant with them as they passed along. At the tavern, Grey coerced a local blacksmith into serving as a guide for the final approach. Wayne Surprised Advancing around 1:00 AM on September 21, Grey ordered his men to remove the flints from their muskets to ensure that an accidental shot would not alert the Americans. Instead, he instructed his troops to rely on the bayonet, earning him the nickname No Flint.. Pushing past the tavern, the British approached around a set of woods to the north and quickly overwhelmed Waynes pickets who fired several shots. Alerted, the Americans were up and moving in a matter of moments, but were unable to resist the force of the British attack. Assaulting with around 1,200 men in three waves, Grey first sent forward the 2nd Light Infantry followed by the 44th and 42nd Foots. Pouring into Waynes camp, the British troops were able to easily spot their adversaries as they were silhouetted by their campfires. Though the Americans opened fire, their resistance was weakened as many lacked bayonets and could not fight back until they reloaded. Working to rescue the situation, Wayne was hampered by the chaos caused by the suddenness of Greys assault. With British bayonets slashing through his ranks, he directed the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment to cover the retreat of the artillery and supplies. As the British began to overwhelm his men, Wayne directed Colonel Richard Humptons 2nd Brigade to shift left to cover the retreat. Misunderstanding, Humpton instead shifted his men right and had to be corrected. With many of his men fleeing to the west through gaps in a fence, Wayne directed Lieutenant Colonel William Butlers 4th Pennsylvania Regiment to assume a position in nearby woods to provide covering fire. Wayne Routed Pressing forward, the British drove the disorganized Americans back. Andre stated, the Light Infantry being ordered to form to the front, rushed along the line putting to the bayonet all they came up with, and, overtaking the main herd of the fugitives, stabbed great numbers and pressed on their rear until it was thought prudent to order them to desist. Forced from the field, Waynes command retreated west towards White Horse Tavern with the British in pursuit. To compound the defeat, they encountered Smallwoods approaching militia who were also put to flight by the British. Breaking off the pursuit, Grey consolidated his men and returned to Howes camp later in the day. Paoli Massacre Aftermath In the fighting at Paoli, Wayne sustained 53 killed, 113 wounded, and 71 captured while Grey lost a mere 4 killed and 7 wounded. Quickly dubbed the Paoli Massacre by the Americans due to the intense, one-sided nature of the fight, there is no proof that British forces acted inappropriately during the engagement. In the wake of the Paoli Massacre, Wayne criticized Humptons performance which led to his subordinate preferred charges of negligence against his superior. A subsequent court of inquiry found that Wayne was not guilty of any misconduct but stated that he had made errors. Angered by this finding Wayne demanded and received a full court-martial. Held later that fall, it exonerated him of any blame for the defeat. Remaining with Washingtons army, Wayne later distinguished himself at the Battle of Stony Point and was present at the Siege of Yorktown. Though Grey had succeeded in smashing Wayne, the time taken for the operation allowed Washingtons army to move north of the Schuylkill and assume a position to contest a crossing of the river at Swedes Ford. Frustrated, Howe elected to move north along the river towards the upper fords. This forced Washington to follow along the north bank. Secretly counter-marching on the night of September 23, Howe reached Flatlands Ford, near Valley Forge, and crossed the river. In a position between Washington and Philadelphia, he advanced on the city which fell on September 26. Eager to rescue the situation, Washington attacked part of Howes army at the Battle of Germantown on October 4 but was narrowly defeated. Subsequent operations failed to dislodge Howe and Washington entered winter quarters at Valley Forge in December. Selected Sources British Battles: Paoli MassacreHistory of War: Paoli MassacrePaoli Battlefield

Jules Verne The Father of Science Fiction essays

Jules Verne The Father of Science Fiction essays Jules Verne: The Father of Science Fiction The father of Science Fiction, a visionary French novelist, a short story writer, and a dramatist. This is the essence of the man we know today as Jules Verne. In his voluminous writings he foresaw a number of scientific devices and developments that were more than a century ahead of his time. Some of the inventions he imagined were created later in his lifetime, but some are still to be invented. He wrote over 80 books mostly before 1900 and a few of the things he described were helicopters, modern weapons, movies with sound, television and rockets. He was also the author of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, which was written in the 1800's - years before the first sub was invented. Jules Verne was an amazing writer who predicted the science future of the world. He was popular with all kinds of readers: rich, poor, young, old, scientists, artists and rulers. Jules Verne came into Nantes, France on February 8, 1828. As a son of a magistrate he was a very ambitious child who was always eager to learn and be knowledgeable. His parents were also very interested in traveling and going on safaris to new and undiscovered lands (Verne, Microsoft Encarta). This was thought to have a big influence on his later writings. When he was six years old he began attending boarding school and when he was nine he moved on to St. Stanislas, a secondary school, with younger brother, Paul (Verne, Something about the Author). When he was very young he ran off to be a cabin boy on a merchant ship, but he was caught and returned to his parents ("Jules Verne" Encyclopedia Britannica). In 1847 Jules was sent to study law in Paris. While there, however, his passion for theatre grew. Later in 1850, Jules Verne's first play was published. He then dropped out of Law School and began to explore the field of theatre and writing more intensely. However, his father was outraged when he h ...

Profiling Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Profiling - Term Paper Example Essentially, there are two types of profiling that are performed by criminologists and criminal investigators in the U.S. Inductive Criminal Profiling is theoretically associated with the creation of a psychological pattern of symptoms and the subsequent evidence of symptoms. This method involves generalizations and deductions based on statistics. Deductive Criminal Profiling is a less common method of profiling. This method puts emphasis on the profiler’s detachment from the situation and their ability to think critically. This discussion first examines the merits regarding the Inductive and Deductive Criminal Profiling methodologies then gives a detailed account of the intrinsic worth of racial profiling. For the purpose of giving a strictly textbook legal definition of criminal profiling, it is described as â€Å"a set of behavioral indicators forming a very characteristic pattern of actions or emotions that tend to point to a particular condition† (Moenssens, Starrs , Henderson & Inbau, 1995: 146). For a more practical description, a good example can be derived from the 1994 court case of the State of Oregon v. Lawson. The defense attorney in this case attempted to convince the judge that his client’s actions were not that of those persons who matched the usual profile observed of offenders that committed a similar type of crime. Therefore, his client could not be found guilty as a result of this logic. Essentially, Inductive Criminal Profiling is logical reasoning based on statistics and generalities resulting from analyzing data. The following (fictitious) example showcases the reasoning and logic involved in this type of profiling. Compiled statistics have shown that 75 percent of serial killers who have attacked nurses do so within 200 yards of a hospital, are white men who live alone, did not attend college, are between the age of 25 and 35 and drive small red cars. A suspect has been questioned by police who they believe to be the offender in the death of a nurse but they do not yet have sufficient evidence to make an arrest. They determine by profiling if this could be a person who is more likely than the majority of the population to have committed such a crime. Though the offender does not drive a red car and the nurse was killed far away from a hospital, the offender is a white male who lives alone and did not attend college, this person still fits the profile and is thus deemed worthy of further investigation (Turvey, 1998). The advantages of the Inductive method of criminal profiling are apparent. Primarily, it is a tool that is straightforward and simple to use. Profilers do not need a formal forensic education or other specialized training in the field of criminal behavioral studies to effectively implement this method. Moreover, general offender profiles can be collected by police agencies without expending a great amount of resources, time or effort and does not require the profiler to possess speci alized abilities. A typical criminal profile is usually a relatively short list illustrating unqualified offender similarities. â€Å"These generalizations can accurately predict some of the non-distinguishing elements of individual criminal behavior, but not with a great deal of consistency or reliability† (Turvey, 1998). Currently, the U.S is collaborating with Canada to integrate the many separate profiling databases via computer link-up. There are obvious disadvantages