<i>A Dreadful scene of havock</i>, depicting the British <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/light_infantry" class="extiw" title="w:light infantry">light infantry</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragoon" class="extiw" title="w:Dragoon">light dragoons</a> attacking the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Army" class="extiw" title="w:Continental Army">Continental Army</a> encampment at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Paoli" class="extiw" title="w:Battle of Paoli">Paoli</a> on 20 September 1777. The picture was painted in London and was commissioned for a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Army" class="extiw" title="w:British Army">British Army</a> officer who had participated in the battle, possibly a Lieutenant Martin Hunter of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/52nd_(Oxfordshire)_Regiment_of_Foot" class="extiw" title="w:52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot">52nd Regiment of Foot</a>, the only British officer wounded in the battle.
<ul><li><i>Left</i>: Horsemen of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_The_Queen%27s_Lancers" class="extiw" title="w:16th The Queen's Lancers">16th Light Dragoons</a> charge Continental infantry, while horsemen of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Continental_Light_Dragoons" class="extiw" title="w:1st Continental Light Dragoons">1st</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Continental_Light_Dragoons" class="extiw" title="w:2nd Continental Light Dragoons">2nd Continental Light Dragoons</a> ride away firing their sidearms.</li>
<li><i>Center foreground</i>: Captain William Wolfe of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/40th_(2nd_Somersetshire)_Regiment_of_Foot" class="extiw" title="w:40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot">40th Regiment of Foot</a> lies dead, while Lieutenant Hunter bandages his right hand.</li>
<li><i>Center background</i>: Two Continental platoons fire on greenjackets, likely <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_Rifle" class="extiw" title="w:Ferguson Rifle">Ferguson's Riflemen</a>. A supply wagon is captured, and a Continental line fires from the woods to cover the main column's retreat.</li>
<li><i>Right</i>: British light infantry bayonet Continental soldiers by their camp huts.</li></ul>
Xavier della Gatta
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