The Battle of Young's House in Westchester County on February 3, 1780 was a winter operation in the contested 'Neutral Ground' of Westchester — the zone between British-held New York City and American-held territory to the north that was subject to constant raids by both sides th…
The Battle of Young's House in Westchester County on February 3, 1780 was a winter operation in the contested 'Neutral Ground' of Westchester — the zone between British-held New York City and American-held territory to the north that was subject to constant raids by both sides throughout the war.
British forces under Robert Rawdon surprised an American outpost at Young's House, killing and wounding a number of the defenders and capturing others before withdrawing. The engagement was typical of the irregular warfare that characterized the Westchester theater throughout the war.
The Neutral Ground of Westchester was one of the war's most brutal local conflicts. Cowboys — Loyalist irregulars who stole cattle for the British — and Skinners — Patriot partisans who did the same for the Americans — terrorized the civilian population throughout the war. Regular military operations like the attack at Young's House occurred against this backdrop of constant low-level violence that made life in the region extraordinarily difficult.
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