Historic Pelham

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The Battle of Pelham was fought along, and in the countryside adjacent to, Split Rock Road and today's Wolfs Lane on October 18, 1776. The battle began in an area within today's Split Rock Golf Course in Pelham Bay Park and continued toward Prospect Hill, then along Wolfs Lane to today's Colonial Avenue (Old Boston Post Road) where the Americans crossed the Hutchinson River and the British halted their pursuit and encamped.

I have written extensively about the Battle of Pelham. For a list of my 46 previous articles addressing aspects of the battle, see the bibliography of articles (many of which, like today's, document research regarding the battle) at the end of today's posting.

One of the most controversial issues regarding the Battle of Pelham concerns how many casualties were suffered by the British and German troops during the battle. American casualties seem uncontroverted. In his well known letter from Mile Square dated October 22, 1776, Col. John Glover (who led American troops during the battle) stated: "I had eight men killed and thirteen wounded, among which was Colonel Shepard, a brave officer." (Shepard was wounded in the throat, but recovered.)

The issue of British and German casualties during the battle has been hotly debated for more than 165 years. No dispositive records reflecting German casualties have been located by researchers. Additionally, British reports included aggregated figures for a number of skirmishes and engagements leading up to, and including, the Battle of Pelham making it difficult to sort out clear numbers. Enemy deserters questioned by American forces shortly after the battle claimed losses by the British and German forces of between 800 and 1,000 men, claims that do not seem consistent with available evidence or even a hint of reality.

Today's Historic Pelham article transcribes an "Extract" of a letter from General William Howe, who led the British and German troops during the battle, to Lord George Germain (whose last name is misspelled "Germaine" in the Maryland newspaper that published the extract). Lord George Germain was a British soldier and politician who was Secretary of State for America in Lord North's cabinet during the American War of Independence. The extract of Lord Howe's letter appeared in the May 1, 1777 issue of The Maryland Gazette published in Annapolis, about six and a half months after the Battle of Pelham.

This account appears to be a more extensive description of British casualties over a similar period of time (September 17 through October 18, 1776) than a similar extract dated December 8, 1776 about which I previously have written. See Wed., Feb. 17, 2010: British Report on Killed, Wounded and Missing Soldiers During the Period the Battle of Pelham Was Fought on October 18, 1776. The extract of the December 3, 1776 Howe letter indicates that among the dead and wounded tallied in the letter were a sergeant and three rank and file service members who were killed on October 12, 1776 when a boat ferrying men and equipment overturned in the East River.

The Maryland Gazette that published the extract is one of the oldest continuously-published newspapers in the United States. William Parks (1699-1750) who was a printer and journalist in England and, later, colonial America founded the newspaper in Annapolis in 1727. Extant copies of the newspaper serve as a rich record of colonial America including, in this instance, a record related to the Battle of Pelham.