Samuel Brady's actions in the Revolutionary War were especially remembered for his exploits at the American defeat, called the "Paoli Massacre" in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Following his defeat at the Battle of Brandywine Creek, General Washington retreated towards Philadelphia. The British commander, Lieutenant General William Howe moved his army through Chester County, Pennsylvania towards the Schuylkill River on his advance toward Philadelphia, the Colonial Capital. Washington deployed Major General Anthony Wayne's Division of Pennsylvania Continentals on the east bank of Schuylkill River to harass the British army from the rear. General Wayne advanced his Pennsylvanians near to the British rear and set up camp at the crossroads close to a tavern called the "General Paoli Tavern", named for a Corsican outlaw. Wayne's orders were to wait for the British to advance and then attack their supply wagons. There were many British loyalists living in this area and they informed the British of the Continental Army's deployments. Not only that, soldiers from both sides often fraternized in the same taverns between battles. As a result, British General Howe knew exactly where Wayne's Division was deployed and also knew pretty much the number in his forces. On September 20, 1777, General Howe attacked General Wayne's Pennsylvanians near the General Paoli Tavern, which gave the battle its name of "The Paoli Massacre". The British approached by night with no flints in their muskets so no shot would accidentally betray their approach. They forced a local blacksmith to guide them. They attacked Wayne's forces through adjoining woods. The surprised Pennsylvanians could do nothing but flee in disorder. The British killed some two hundred Colonials in the attack and were accused of executing some fifty five prisoners after the battle. There was an opening in the fence on the perimeter of the American camp through which some of Wayne's forces were able to escape. Lt. Samuel Brady was among those who escaped and helped others to escape. Belle Swope gives this account of this exploit, which perhaps says much about his ability to leap when necessary. "He escaped Paoli, at the time of the massacre, and leaped across a deep enclosure, which enabled him to assist in saving a number of lives. The chasm was so wide, that from his remarkable leap, he was called 'The Jumper'. The British were so close to him that as he jumped across a fence, they impeded his progress, by pinning with bayonets his blanket coat to the rails. He tore himself free, shot a cavalryman, who was close to him, ran to a swamp, where he with fifty five men who had escaped, joined the Army in the morning."Swope, p,157. See Battle of Paoli, Thomas J. McGuire, Stackpole Books, 2006.
