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Posted on 06/10/2004 12:00:49 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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The events leading up to the Battle of White Plains in October 1776 flowed from the British defeat of Washington's troops in the Battle of Long Island that previous summer. The American commander evacuated Long Island with his army intact to fight again another day. (Estimated 14,000 men.)  Gen. Sir William Howe, British Commander-In-Chief and his tory sympathizers, had a stronghold in New York City, while patriot fervor was stronger in upstate New York. Westchester County was considered to be the neutral ground though lower Westchester was more loyalist oriented. (Estimated troop strength; 15,000 disciplined, highly trained soldiers.) Washington had concentrated his forces in Ft. Washington and Kings Bridge and slowly moved north to White Plains along the Albany Road. The rear, brought up by Gen. Charles Lee's Virginia Division, laden by baggage and provision, started out on October 18th travelling the west side of the Bronx River and took nine days to reach White Plains. There they joined Washington's advance unit which started arriving October 21st and were fortifying Chatterton, Purdy, Merritt, Hatfield and Miller hills. Along the way, occasional skirmishes broke out across the Bronx River as the rival forces from time to time tested one another. (There is the story of Col. Rufus Putnam reconnoitering for the colonials who stopped, reportedly at Wayside Cottage to pick up intelligence on British strength and local tory sympathy.)  Lord Howe landed about 4,000 men at Throg's Neck, October 12th, with the intention of encircling Washington's army and bringing the rebellion to an early end. He was met by Col. Ed Hand's crack Pennsylvania riflemen who destroyed the bridge and causeway leading from Throg's Neck to the Westchester mainland. Howe's men were isolated for six days before they re-embarked and landed at Pell's Point in Pelham Manor on October 18th. Col. John Glover and his weakened brigade of Marblehead troops fortunately were posted in the right position, as a rearguard to Washington's northerly movement, assigned to protect the Boston and White Plains Post Roads. Glover commanded three regiments under Cols. Baldwin, Read and Shepherd. Glover placed his regiments in a succession of ambush points along the route of Howe's army. The ensuing enfilade and leapfrog ambush tactics triggered by Glover's daring headlong charge into the British and Hessian advance guard was cited later by the colonials, for training purposes, on how a small force could hold up a larger advancing troop. Casualities: Americans, 8 killed and 13 wounded, British, 11 killed and 44 wounded, A few historians have theorized that the Hessian losses, not reported, could have been as high as 800 men! Assuming this to be true, "the Battle of Pelham' could have exceeded the 500 estimated combined number of soldiers killed at the Battle of White Plains.  Gen. George Washington Howe, normally cautious and deliberative, became even more so. The main body of the British and Hessian mercenaries proceeded up North Avenue in New Rochelle. The first column, under Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, marched up Quaker Ridge Road to Weaver to Old Mamaroneck Road through East Scarsdale towards White Plains. An historic marker at Weaver and Cornell reads, "A detachment of British troops on their way to the Battle of White Plains marched along this road and encamped near this spot on Oct. 27, 1776. Gen. Wilhelm von Knyhausen, Hessians!' The second column of Hessians marched up Mamaroneck Road to Secor Farm and bivouacked in the Heathcote area. Howe took up quarters at the Griffen House (still standing at Mamaroneck and Garden Roads in Scarsdale) on October 25th and remained until November 4th. Many Scarsdale families, i,e., Varians, Barkers, Griffens and Cornells, of patriotic persuasion, fled as the British advanced in strength. The Secors and Tompkins, among the few exceptions, stayed to later recount for posterity their eyewitness accounts of unfolding events in Scarsdale. The Hessians, particularly in the forefront of the advance, pillaged and plundered the countryside regardless of friend or foe. (Helen Hultz reports that Hessian sabre marks can still be seen on the Wayside Cottage door where legend has it the Varians managed to hide their cow in an underground area.)  Gen. Sir William Howe Caleb Tompkins drove the family cattle before him to safety behind Washingtons lines in White Plains. One account states that at one point he hid in a swampy area immersed up to his neck. British movement, as previously reported, did not go unchallenged. On October 22nd, Washington dispatched Col. Haslett's Delaware Regiment and Col. Green's 1st and 3rd Virginia Regiments, 750 men in all, to harrass the right wing of Howe's army stationed in Heathcote where Col. Rogers Queen's "American" Rangers (loyalists) were encamped. Haslett's guides in a nighttime raid, ran into Roberts' pickets. Fierce hand-to-hand fighting ensued. The brief skirmish left 25 British dead (buried in an orchard near the school house that served as Rogers' headquarters). Haslett returned with 36 prisoners including John and James Angevine - whose house at 164 Mamaroneck Road still stands. Thereafter, the Queen's Rangers became ineffective and disintegrated as a fighting unit though whether as a result of this engagement, history does not make clear.
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Morning E.G.C. Cloudy again this morning but it looks like maybe there's a break out west.
Good Morning Mayor. I need that coffee to get me kick started this morning.
Hi tax-chick.
Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!
Great cartoon PE. Thanks.
Morning HiJinx.
It's surprising that people don't understand something that simple.
Morning CholeraJoe.
I heard some of the news commentaters complaining about "over coverage" of Reagan. Gee I don't remember them complaining about Abu Gahrib being "over covered."
Good Morning Feather
Hey Sam.
Good Morning, Foxhole -- Another Great Revolutionary Thread. Here's to our U.S. Armed Forces who honorably serve our Commanders In Chief through life, death, and beyond.
Great links! Who knows I might actually learn something.
It could happen.....really it could
Check out article "Voice of Slience" on new web site "www.nationalmorality.com"
Morning early bird!
Good morning EGC. Has your weather calmed down?
They had Tornado Warnings East of OKC. Some damage but thankfully no injuries.
Morning tomball.
Been watching the tributes to President Reagan, the main stream Press is just totally confused by it all. :-)
LOL! I seem to have heard that mentioned lately. :-)
I've been wanting to do that for a while now.
The media just doesn't (or chooses NOT to) get it.
1 problem surfaces
2 problem identified
3 responsibility placed
4 those responibe punished
5 corrective measures taken
6 repeat as neccessary
If this was another country I could name (hint france) they'd still be denying anything happened.
please note that Sarah & I are collecting VHS & DVD movies for the entertainment of the wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Hospital.
Sarah will deliver them for you, if you have any to donate when she goes for her 3x weekly physical therapy.
FReepmail me if you need/want our mailing address.
THANKS!
free dixie,sw
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