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Westchester County, NY History |
The "Neutral Ground"
Part 1 of 3
by Charles Pryer
Part 1 of 3
by Charles Pryer
This page was last updated: Wednesday, 05-Nov-2008 15:18:17 MST
Source: Pryer, Charles. The "Neutral Ground" [New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1898], Half Moon Series, Vol. II, No. 12, December 1898.
Location of the "Neutral Ground"
During the War of the Revolution the County of Westchester, and particularly the lower towns (now forming the Borough of Bronx or Bronck's ¹), was the prey of the foraging parties of both armies, as it lay directly between them and was permanently occupied by neither. Being common property to both parties, it was, therefore, called the "Neutral Ground." The views of the inhabitants themselves at the outset of the struggle were much divided, and if popular sentiment was not absolutely loyal to the crown of Great Britain, it was much more conservative than in New England or in the southern colonies.
Views of its Inhabitants
Many of the leading families were staunch loyalists and afterwards prominent leaders of the Royalist Refugees. Amongst these were the Van Courtlandts, DeLanceys, Philipses, and Wilkinses, and these were the names which the people of that period were accustomed to follow. On the other side, however, were the Morrises, Livingstons, and Tomkynses, families who belonged in the same region, so that parties may be said to have been pretty evenly divided. The first meetings called to consider the question of electing delegates to Congress were broken up by the violent efforts of Philipse, Wilkins, and other Royalists, and when the matter was finally decided in the affirmative, the delegates chosen were instructed to do nothing disloyal to "the government of his Majesty the King," and it is an historic fact that New York was the last colony to authorize its delegates in the Continental Congress to sign the Declaration of Independence.
This conservatism, however, was not altogether induced by loyalty to the British government, but by a selfish interest. It was perfectly self-evident to such men as "Squire" Van Cortlandt, Oliver de Lancey, and others, that one of the main objects of the home government, in case of war, would be to separate the more southern from the New England colonies, and New York was the keystone of this position. With her deep harbor, and the broad Hudson stretching far to the northward, it would be easy for England to bring in her invincible fleet, and with it materially aid any army that might invade the State from loyal Canada; so what they feared, and what actually came to pass, was that the locality would be made the theatre of war and devastation.
Landing of the British Troops upon Staten Island
But let us follow events more in detail. Boston had been evacuated, and the brothers Howe had sailed from Halifax; already rumors were current that the General had been largely re-enforced, and that My Lord the Admiral had taken his entire command on board his magnificent and irresistible fleet, and was on his way to capture New York. Washington was even now in the city to defend it with the Continental army. On June 28, 1776, the British fleet appeared, and General Howe's troops were landed upon Staten Island without opposition. Washington had entirely too much ground to cover with his meagre force of eighteen thousand men, a large proportion being raw troops, and he found it impossible to defend that comparatively distant point.
Capture of Brooklyn Heights
It will be necessary here, to understand the campaign in the Neutral Ground, to give a short sketch of the capture of New York and Brooklyn Heights. It is now conceded that Washington made a mistake in attempting to defend New York with the very limited resources then at his command, but he was urged to do so both by the inhabitants and by Congress, and his own good judgment was entirely outweighed. Howe lost much time in vain attempts to negotiate a peace with the exasperated colonies. It may be here said to his credit, that he always carried the olive-branch with the sword, and fought with the greatest reluctance, so it was not until August 22, that he landed at Graves End, with twenty thousand men, his army in the interim having been augmented by the arrival of Sir Henry Clinton from the South. To oppose this force the Americans had nine thousand men under General Putnam. Most of these were behind earthworks on Brooklyn Heights, and on a wooded ridge commanding some of the roads from Graves End.
Howe spent several days in reconnoitring, and it was not until August 27, that any serious advance was made; then he sent his brother, the Admiral, to threaten the city with the fleet and to keep Washington occupied, while he attacked the forces under Putnam. Four roads led from his Graves End camp towards the Continental lines, one of which ran along the shore, which was defended by General Lord Sterling with his division. Against this renegade Scotch peer, Howe sent General Grant with his Highlanders. Two of the remaining three roads joined near the village of Flatbush, and crossed the ridge which was defended by General Sullivan; and here advanced General Heister with his Hessians. The fourth was the Jamaica Road, along which the main body of the army marched with Howe himself, Clinton, Percy, and Cornwallis at their head. Their object was to march by the ridge where Sullivan was stationed, and then to wheel near the village of Bedford in order to attack him on the flank and rear. In this movement Howe undoubtedly out-generaled Putnam; Sullivan was completely routed, with the loss (including those of Sterling's division) of about four hundred killed and wounded, and one thousand taken prisoners; among the latter was the General himself.
Washington Retreats from Brooklyn
The troops of Sterling did much better fighting, and it was not until Sullivan was defeated, and the main army of Howe joined Grant, that the Maryland brigades gave ground. Even then they succeeded in gaining Putnam's main line without disorder. Howe's troops were now tired, and he did not advance at once against the works on Brooklyn Heights. Washington at first re-enforced Putnam, supposing an immediate assault would be made, but finding Howe was in no hurry to fight, and seemed rather inclined to lay siege to the position, he took advantage of a very dense fog on the night of August 29, evacuated the forts, and took his entire army over to the New York shore. This is one of the most masterly retreats in the face of a superior force on record, and if Howe had shown his ability in his flanking march on the night of the twenty-seventh, Washington more than equalled him by his brilliant retreat on the night of the twenty-ninth, or two days later. Washington, with the main body of the army, retired to Harlem Heights, where he established himself in a very strong position, leaving Putnam with four thousand men in the city proper.
Perilous Position of Putnam's Command
In 1776, the city of New York did not extend beyond Chatham Street, and the Island was much narrower at that period, as several blocks have been filled in on both rivers since those days; thus the command in the town did not have so much territory to cover as might appear at first sight, but it was perfectly self-evident that, from the moment that Long Island was lost, the city could not be held, and that Putnam's stay would be short; his position was, indeed, extremely perilous, for could Howe get some troops up either river in his ships, to a point between the city and the Continental army, he could land them, cut off the four thousand under Putnam, and capture his entire command.
Howe, seeing all this, sent two ships up the Hudson to Bloomingdale, disembarked his army on the other side of the Island at Kip's Bay (near the foot of the present East 34th Street), and attempted to cut off Putnam's division; but the genial gentleman was too strong for the soldier. Mrs. Robert Murray, understanding the condition of things thoroughly, and seeing Howe and his staff passing, invited the General and officers to lunch with her. A halt was immediately called, and the lunchparty commenced which saved the American cause one general officer and four thousand men; for while this entertainment was in progress Putnam marched his entire division northward and joined Washington.
General Howe in Possession of New York
Howe now had New York, but it was of very little use to him so long as Washington's army occupied a strong position extending from the mouth of "Harlem Creek" right across the Island to the Hudson. The British commander, however, had two alternatives besides a direct assault; he could pass between Forts Lee and Washington with his fleet, ascend the Hudson, and make the position of the Americans untenable by landing in their rear. But to do this he would have to stand the fire from the forts, which might do considerable damage to his men-of-war and transports. The East River, or Sound, was, however, entirely free from forts, and afforded him almost as good an opportunity of getting into the rear of the Americans as the Hudson; this alternative was therefore selected, and on October 12, 1776, Howe embarked the greater part of his army and sailed up the Sound or East River as far as Throg's Neckª (now a portion of Greater New York), where he landed, leaving Lord Percy to keep Washington occupied at Harlem. He hoped by this movement to get directly in the rear of the Continental army, and so force it either to surrender, or entirely to rout and scatter it; but the rebels had not been sleeping.
The Fight of Pelham's Neck
General Heath, with a force of several thousand men, had been sent to defend the causeway and tear down the bridges across Westchester Creek, so it would be impossible for Howe to gain the rear of the Americans without a fight. Howe did not care to advance through a marsh in the face of so strong a force, and delayed on the Neck six days, in which little but ineffective skirmishing was accomplished. At the end of this period he took to his boats again, proceeded northeast about three miles, landed his forces on Pell's Neck3 or Pelham Neck, (now Pelham Park), and advanced towards the Albany and Boston roads. Heath threw a couple of brigades in his way, and attempted to check his progress. For a time quite a spirited fight was the result; but the Americans were out-numbered and compelled to retire with a loss of about ten killed and forty wounded. Howe had at last succeeded in reaching the place he wanted, but it was too late for his purpose of capturing the Continental army; for the Americans had evacuated Manhattan Island, except Fort Washington, and were now comparatively safe on Chatterton Heights, near the village of White Plains. For a few days Howe's army covered a wide field, and we hear of some of his troopers almost as far north as the Connecticut line. This, however, was probably done merely in search of forage, for he soon concentrated them on the Albany Road near the scene of the recent engagement.
The "Great Review" of General Howe's Army
It was a beautiful autumnal morning, October 23, 1776, that the greatest military pageant took place that the fair county of Westchester ever saw, at all events in the eighteenth century. Howe, preparatory to following Washington, drew up his entire army for review, along the road and on the meadows (very near the present boundary-line between the city, and the now much curtailed County of Westchester), then known as Pelham and Eastchester flats. Some ten thousand men took part in the ceremonies, and the effect must, indeed, have been inspiring and beautiful. The bright scarlet of the British regulars, contrasted well with the more sombre green of Knyphausen's Hessians, and with the background of the yellow sedge grass covered with sparkling frost. This was a fine picture by which, on that chill October morning, to impress the inhabitants with the invincible power of England's chivalry, and the politic commander had thought it wise to invite a few of the more distinguished proprietors of loyal tendencies to witness the affair. There was the fiery Philipse, and the philanthropic colonist who is said to have sprung from the grand old House of "Kourlandt" (Cortlandt), to witness the glorious return of their sovereign's banner, and, while the bands played and the sun glistened upon the bright arms of the troops, this little band of officers and gentlemen rode along the lines and inspected the army. As the sun rose higher in the heavens the day became warm and genial with that Indian summer balminess, so common to our American autumn. By noon the party before alluded to, were glad to halt for refreshments under the golden shade of what, even then, must have been a group of grand old chestnuts. That lunch just before the march to White Plains has become historic, and the old resident can still point out the trees with pride to any visitor who may be passing that way. Let us hope, however, that the meal of these fine gentlemen was not spoiled by the presence of that rough old German, the Count von Knyphausen, who, though a dashing soldier and a brave man, was no courtier, and anything but a pleasant dining companion. All that is left of this gallant assembly, are the old trees that have defied all change in this change-loving land, and as recently as the beginning of the winter (1897-98) still stood, the only landmarks of those long-departed days. But, old trees, you are not to stand here always. Though you may have seen the Indians of the seventeenth century; Washington, Howe, and Clinton, of the eighteenth; and all the celebrities of the nineteenth; yet those trunks of yours, sixteen feet in circumference though they be, are but hollow shells; the gales of two hundred winters have lopped many a fair limb, and ere the twentieth century shall grow old the squirrel will no longer play on your boughs, nor the frosts of autumn turn your leaves to gold!
In the fall of 1876, just a hundred years after the day of the "Great Review," two gentlemen were lunching under the same old trees. "The days of old" were discussed, and the historic spot examined in all its bearings; but after a time the conversation flagged, and they sat gazing up into the shady trees, whose leaves were fast turning into those brilliant hues with which the American forest-trees bid good-bye to summer, when the elder man turned to his companion and said: "Here is the pistol which my grandfather carried when with General Howe on the day of the 'Grand Review,' when they lunched under these trees just before the Battle of White Plains; now, as I want you to remember this occasion, I present you with the derringer as a memento of the anniversary of that parade." As they gazed upon this weapon of a former age, the nineteenth century seemed to fade into the Indian summer mist, and they could only see the scarlet of the British regulars and the green of their Hessian allies; the figures of the chivalric Cornwallis; the gallant but peace-loving Howe, and the rough old soldier, Knyphausen.
But to return to our narrative. The day after the "Grand Review" Howe went in pursuit of the Continental army and on October 28, stormed Chatterton Heights near White Plains, and forced Washington to retire to North Castle. He himself, however, did not go farther, but soon withdrew to the city proper, to rest and refresh his troops, evidently thinking, he had done enough for one campaign.
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