Ku qor sii wadida cutubkan - Ewell wuxuu ku dhashay Georgetown, Degmada Columbia. Wuxuu ku soo koray degmada Prince William, Virginia, laga soo bilaabo da'da 3, oo ku taal meel u dhow Manassas oo loo yaqaan "Stony Lonesome". Wuxuu ahaa wiilka saddexaad ee Dr. Thomas iyo Elizabeth Stoddert Ewell; awowga Benjamin Stoddert, Xoghayaha ugu horeeya ee Ciidanka Badda ee Mareykanka; awowga Kornaylka Dagaalkii Kacaanka Jesse Ewell; iyo walaalkii Benjamin Stoddert Ewell. Wuxuu ka qalin jabiyay Akadeemiyadda Milatariga ee Mareykanka 1840, isagoo ahaa kii 13-aad ee fasalkiisa oo ka koobnaa 42 arday. Saaxiibadiis waxay ugu yeeri jireen "Old Bald Head" ama "Baldy". Waxaa loo magacaabay taliye labaad oo ka tirsan ciidanka ugu horeeya ee Mareykanka waxaana loo dalacsiiyay taliye ugu horeeya sanadkii 1845. Laga soo bilaabo 1843 ilaa 1845 wuxuu u adeegay Philip St. George Cooke iyo Stephen Watts Kearny oo ku jiray waajibaadka raacitaanka ee Santa Fe iyo Oregon Trails. Dagaalkii Mexico iyo Maraykanka, oo uu ka hoos adeegay Winfield Scott, waxaa loo aqoonsaday oo loo dalacsiiyay kabtan geesinimadiisa Contreras iyo Churubusco
Waxaad Contreras, wuxuu ku sameeyay kormeerka habeenkii injineer Robert E. Lee, oo ah taliyaha mustaqbalkiisa.