Westchester County in the American Revolution: Neutral Ground

After the 1776 Battle of White Plains, Westchester County became known as the ＂Neutral Ground.＂ But there would be no peace here. Occupied by neither side, it was a place where no one could remain neutral amid clashes by detachments of the contending armies, as well as violence by groups of bandits, vigilantes and partisans. Families were driven from their homes, and violence flared between once peaceable neighbors. Espionage played a major role as well, culminating in the Arnold-André conspiracy, which nearly ended the war in a British victory. Local historian Stephen Paul DeVillo details the colorful personalities and diverse military units that shaped the course of the conflict.

Stephen Paul DeVillo is a local historian, author of The Bronx River in History and Folklore (History Press), The Battle of White Plains: Washington and Howe in Westchester (History Press) and The Bowery: The Strange History of New York’s Oldest Street (Skyhorse Publishing.) He is a longtime walking tour guide for the Bronx River Rambles and has given numerous talks and webinars on topics of Revolutionary War and local history. A firm believer in on-the-ground research, his particular interest is the Revolutionary War and its events in the New York area.