Author: Earnest Lee Mowry
The story of Capt. Ream starts like many other of the 18th century. He was born in Lancaster County, Cocalico Township, Pennsylvania in 1737. His father was a pioneer settler Johann Eberhard Ream born in Leimen, Germany and his mother was Anna (Schwab) Ream. Andrew was the 11th of eleven children. Johann and Anna divided most of their land to their seven living sons. Tobias, Andrew older brother took his land and founded the town which he named Zohar, later to be known as Reamstown, PA. Tobias deeded Lot 54 to Andrew Ream and Jacob Rupp for a free schoolhouse, church, and burying ground. On September 11, 1777, during the Revolutionary War, a field hospital was set up here for wounded soldiers from the Battle of Brandywine, some of whom are buried in the cemetery.

On a hot summer day of June 28, 1778 Capt. Andrew Ream fought in the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, the longest battle of the American Revolution. The American and British forces clashed under the direction of Continental Army General George Washington and British General Sir Henry Clinton. Other American presented at Monmouth was General Charles Lee, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne, Major General Nathanael Greene, Major General Henry Knox, and Molly Hayes, better known as Molly Pitcher who on that unbearably hot day was bringing water to her husband and his fellow gunners as they fired their cannon. When she returned from fetching water she discovered that her husband had fallen in battle. Legend says that she immediately took his place, serving as a gunner for the remainder of the battle.

With the temp over 100 degree F, both sides lost almost as many men to heat stroke as the enemy. That night after midnight General Clinton retreated and continued their march eastward to New York. Some estimate the losses to be 1, 134 British and 500 American casualties.

This battle demonstrated the growing effectiveness of the Continental Army after its six month encampment at Valley Forge.