Dr. Lewis Howell (1754–1778)

Surgeon for the 2nd New Jersey Battalion

Dr. Lewis Howell was the twin brother of Richard Howell. Lewis Howell was a participant in the Greenwich Tea Party. Dr. Howell was the Surgeon for the 2nd New Jersey Regiment from December 1774 until his death on 5 June 1778.

Dr. Howell inoculated his regiment by pulling a thread infected with the small pox virus through the skin with a needle. During the bitter winter at Valley Forge he purchased blankets with his own money for the men in his regiment. With the assistance of his Surgeon’s mate, Ebenezer Elmer, he performed amputations, musket ball extractions, sutured wounds, tended the sick and administered countless other medical procedures.

Below is a letter that Richard Howell wrote on June 20th — just 8 days before the Battle of Monmouth, which was fought on June 28, 1778. It contains vital enemy tactical intelligence for the planning of that battle, to be relayed from Arnold to General Maxwell. Source citations are at the end of this post. It also describes some of the atrocities the British were visiting on the civilians in New Jersey.