A Revolutionary General and a Revolutionary Surprise

Historical personalities can make local history come alive for history buffs and even for professional historians, especially when a figure prominent in our own scholarship unexpectedly turns out to be buried nearly in our own back yard. This was recently the case with a revolutionary officer I came to know well—Brigadier General Daniel Brodhead.

Daniel Brodhead of Pennsylvania  

Brodhead (1736-1809) grew up in what is now East Stroudburg, Pennsylvania. Daniel made his way as a middling farmer, miller, and surveyor; and after the death of his first wife, he married Rebecca Mifflin, sister of influential Pennsylvania politico and revolutionary Thomas Mifflin—a connection that likely guided Brodhead to the patriot cause. In 1776 Daniel was commissioned a Continental lieutenant colonel, and he discovered a talent for soldiering. He fought throughout the war, held some responsible commands, and ended the conflict a brigadier general.

What was special about this Continental?

General Washington, the patriot commander-in-chief, came to appreciate Brodhead’s service, but feelings were not always reciprocated. Over late 1777 and early 1778, Mifflin, Brodhead’s brother-in-law, was a prime mover in the so-called Conway Cabal, an effort among some patriots to replace Washington with another general. Brodhead, like other patriots concerned that Washington was losing the war, for time (although he got over it) was critical of Washington and would not have been sorry to see him replaced—something Washington never knew.

A Brodhead Surprise

The Conway Cabal is the subject of my recently completed book, Cabal! The Plot against General Washington, in which I look at the motives of the patriots—and they were patriots—who questioned Washington’s leadership. And as one of those patriots, Daniel Brodhead claimed my attention. I wrote a good deal of the book at our summer home near Milford, Pennsylvania; and in stumbling across a local history of the area, to my surprise I found that Brodhead, whose family had economic interests in the region, is buried in the Milford cemetery.  We’ve driven through it any number of times—but last fall we visited looking for the grave of the general I had come to know.  We found him, and he’s been there since 1809.

Brodhead’s grave and monument, Milford Cemetery, Pennsylvania  The monument tablet reads: “An officer in the Revolutionary Army. Col. Commandant of the Western Military Department from Mar. 1778 to Nov. 1781.  He received the unanimous thanks of Congress for his efficient services: was a friend and confidant of Washington, and for many years Surveyor General of Penna. Died at Milford Nov. 15, 1809.” The monument was erected in 1872.