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Battle of White Plains
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The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776 in the area surrounding White Plains, New York.
PreludeAt the end of September 1776, Washington's army held only a small position on the northern tip of Manhattan Island. Howe was determined to outflank the American positions with a landing at Throgs Neck.
Washington withdrew his main army to White Plains when the British landing began. At the insistence of the Second Continental Congress, a garrison of 2,000 men, was left to defend Fort Washington. Howe's army followed Washington via New Rochelle and up the Bronx River.
Washington halted his army and chose a position near White Plains that he fortified with two lines of entrenchments. The trenches were situated on raised terrain, protected on the right by the swampy ground near the Bronx River.
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1776 American Revolutionary War: Battle of White Plains: British forces arrive at White Plains, attack and capture Chatterton Hill from the Americans.
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The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776 in the area surrounding White Plains, New York.
PreludeAt the end of September 1776, Washington's army held only a small position on the northern tip of Manhattan Island. Howe was determined to outflank the American positions with a landing at Throgs Neck.
Washington withdrew his main army to White Plains when the British landing began. At the insistence of the Second Continental Congress, a garrison of 2,000 men, was left to defend Fort Washington. Howe's army followed Washington via New Rochelle and up the Bronx River.
Washington halted his army and chose a position near White Plains that he fortified with two lines of entrenchments. The trenches were situated on raised terrain, protected on the right by the swampy ground near the Bronx River. Beyond that, on the right, was Chatterton's Hill, which commanded the plain over which the British would have to advance. The Hill was occupied by John Haslet's 1st Delaware Regiment, with two cannon, and supported by another brigade, in total about 1,600 men.
BattleAlthough the British outnumbered the Americans, Howe did not think it was wise to launch an attack on the main American posistion until they had taken Chatterton Hill. Howe decided to send Alexander Leslie and his brigade, along with 3 regiments of Hessians to take the hill. In total, the force numbered about 4,000 men. The British forded the Bronx, and were fired upon by American guns on the other side of the river.
The first attempt to take the American posistions failed, as they offered stiff resistence. Another attempt was made to take hill, with a Hessian regiment going around the back of the hill to attack the American Flank. As the main assault began to push the Americans back, the Hessian Regiment came in from behind and the Americans retreated, taking their cannon with them.
AftermathWhile the battle was a victory for the British, Howe refused to interfere with the American withdrawal, letting slip yet another opportunity to capture Washington and much of the Continental army and in the process suffering heavier casualties than the Americans.
LegacyEach year on or near the anniversary date, the hosts a commemoration of the event at the Jacob Purdy House in White Plains, New York. Two ships in the United States Navy, CVE-66 and AFS-4, were named for the Battle of White Plains.
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