May 21, 2014

The Battle of the Brandywine severely tested the Quaker’s dedication to peace, as did the entire Revolutionary War. Locals in the Chadds Ford area — often called the heart of the Quaker community — suffered tremendously, as their land was ravaged. Throughout the battle, both sides marched across the farmland. Throughout the war, either army could accuse the Quakers of subterfuge and treason if the opposing side was given access to the land.

There are specific examples of such pillaging. Charles Dilworth, a Whig (and founder of the Dilworthtown Inn, though it wasn’t called that until 1821), suffered immense damage when the battle was over and the British lingered in the area for five days. They stole horses, cattle, sheep, salt, potatoes, rum, and also broke doors and the staircase. As for the farming population, the British robbed them of food, seeds for future harvests, livestock, as well as domestic items such as candlesticks, culinary items and anything else that piqued their fancy. They even confiscated grindstone used to pummel seed.

The reality is that, during the Revolutionary War, the Quakers were, for the most part, trapped between the polarizing enemy forces of the Loyalists and the Revolutionists. Their fidelity to peace and their staunch belief that violence only perpetuated wars and did not end them, made their culture suspicious to those who were convinced that the battlefield was where change occurred. They were both ostracized and judged for their beliefs. Persecution was not uncommon.

There is the misconception that Quakers, due to their pacific intentions, were Loyalists, which many were not. Taxation was a principle issue that both sides used as justification for punishment and cruelty. Refusing to pay any taxes that would be supplication for military endeavors on either side made a Quaker susceptible to legal retaliation from both armies. To be a Quaker during the Battle of the Brandywine, (and throughout the war), meant having to navigate the treacherous terrain of not paying taxes to anything supporting war efforts — including roads that a military might use — and accepting the painful reality that incarceration might be the result. It meant that a Quaker had to accept that they could be fined for not serving office and that they could be condemned for not using whatever was the current currency at the time at in the particular region, depending on the occupying force. It is also important to note that Quakers could be disowned by other Quakers if they did pay war-related taxes. During 1777, there were 82 disownments; 1778 saw 83 and in 1779, there were 210.

In looking at the Quaker way of life, perhaps the greatest testament is:

“In the colonial era, the laws of England initially failed to grant any privilege of affirmation until the Society of Friends (Quakers) posed a major religious challenge to English laws regarding oaths. Quakers recited Matthew 5:34 (“swear not at all” – KJV) and James 5:12 (“swear not” – KJV) to justify their stance as the true Christian position. As a result of their refusal to swear, Quakers suffered imprisonment, loss of property, and ineligibility to testify in court” (http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/commentary/161/entry).

By not swearing fidelity to either side, a Quaker could not contest legal issues or defend themselves in a court of law.  The fact of the matter is, approximately 3% of Quakers during this period were helpful to the Loyalists, while the other 96% were on the side of the Americans.

Quakers have had to endure the erroneous reputation that they feel that their faith makes them confidant that their beliefs entitle them to judge others. There is nothing farther from the truth. The bottom line is that the Quakers have had to live in a violent world without creating violence, even in self-defense.  But this is not a new struggle for their faith. In 1660, The Society of Friends declared to Charles II that, “we utterly deny all outward wars and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for, any end, or under any pretense whatsoever; this is our testimony the whole world” (http://www.friendsjournal.org/files/1660PeaceTestimony.pdf)”. The statement goes on to say that there is nothing that will compel the Quakers to “fight and war against any man with outward weapons, neither for the Kingdom of Christ nor for the Kingdoms of this world…Therefore we cannot learn war anymore.”

So, what was it like to live as a Quaker during the Battle of the Brandywine? It was to recognize that there was inevitable punishment for not capitulating to the notion that violence was the only way that conflicts were resolved and that day-to-day life would be disrupted, (if not destroyed), by refusing to pay taxes and not acquiescing to the demands of one army or another. The Quaker lifestyle has never been about living a life of superficial perfectionism, but to live a life of sublime peace, no matter how many struggles have to be endured. The Battle of the Brandywine tested that resolution, and, to this day, in the aftermath of that war, and all the wars that have followed, Quakers still stand against the futility of warfare.

About Erin Moonyeen Haley

After graduating from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia with a degree in Writing for Film and Television, Erin made the cross-country road trip to Los Angeles where she worked nights at Disneyland before landing assistant gigs at agencies and various production companies. After five years, she decided on a career change and returned to the East Coast, enrolling in West Chester University to earn a Masters in English. Now, she is going on to earn her teaching certificate to teach English in the high school classroom. Throughout all of these years, she's been able to keep her resume eclectic, interning at the Cannes Film Festival, studying art history in Florence, Italy, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and writing freelance articles for such websites as EHow.com, garden guides.com and suite101.com. In the end, writing, traveling, and teaching remain her ultimate passions.

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