Part 7

Into the Spring of ‘78 the Volunteers were stationed under General Knyphausen of the Hessians as part of a large army composed primarily of loyalist regiments.  They garrisoned in the vicinity of Fort Independence in Southern Westchester county.  The main fighting was with Washington and Howe in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.  Even with the Saratoga victory and embarrassment of Burgoyne,  British hold on New York City and its surrounding areas was complete.

Strong efforts at recruitment and the subsequent training of new recruits occupied the army group’s focus for much of the year.  Westchester continued as a type of no-man’s land with American headquarters in the north county around Peekskill and British lines beginning about mid-way through.  Foraging parties were common as both sides required large amounts of foodstuffs and animal feed found on the county farms. 

Many of the foraging parties were led by James Delancey (brother of General Oliver Delancey) who had been the county sheriff in the six year period prior to 1776.  Even after having been captured and released on parole, Delancey rejoined the loyalist regiments and continued to work enthusiastically against the Whig population.  His name would become infamous as he continued to plague the surrounding areas until 1782.  After the war James Delancey’s forfeited lands would bring over $500,000 to the New York state government.

The Committee of Observation responded with a series of acts against loyalists.  All suspected loyalist leaning people were rounded up and put on trial for various acts in support of the British.  New loyalty oaths were required by all.  The laws began to come down concerning forfeiture of all lands owned by loyalists.  These harsh restrictions and new rules on forfeiture made recruiting for the loyalist regiments a very fruitful enterprise.

By late Fall Lt. Colonel Campbell had assembled a very large and well-trained loyalist army.  Some, like Sergeant Dusenberry, already had enough combat experience to qualify as hardened veterans.  When Clinton received orders from home to begin large scale operations in the southern colonies, the loyalist regiments felt confident and ready to take the lead.  The NY Volunteers dressed in bright red uniforms with blue frontcloth on the coats.    The sergeants had red white and blue ’trimmings’ while the officer uniforms added silver lace epaulettes.

elijahchapman American History, American Revolution, General History