When reenacting or acting as a historical interpreter, its good to have a few historical dates and stories to share. This series will publish a few.
October 28, 1776 Battle of White Plains.
Pursued by General Howe and his Hessian allies, George Washington retreated from New York following his defeats in Brooklyn and Manhattan. When they arrived in White Plains, New York, hey fortified the town with a line of breastworks. On the morning of October 28, the British, attacked. A sharp firefight erupted as American skirmishers tried to disrupt the British advance. The skirmishers eventually fell back to Chatterton Hill on the main American line, and held against repeated assaults. The British advance stalled as the army reformed and prepared another attack. Howe arranged his army for a flank attack, a tactic that had worked again and again against the poorly trained Americans.
The British and Hessians were met by determined musketry as they climbed the slopes of Chatterton Hill. Despite the fierce resistance, however, a Hessian force was able to dislodge the militia that protected the American right flank. The line began to unravel as more Hessians poured into the breakthrough. Washington ordered a fighting withdrawal with the 1st Delaware Regiment guarding the rear. The Continentals continued their retreat to North Castle, New York. General Howe declined to pursue that far, returning to Manhattan to deal with Fort Washington and Fort Lee.
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Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 