Ben Powers & Bjorn Bruckshaw

Race & Brutality in the Neutral Ground

In the wake of the battles around New York City in 1776, the British army assumed the role of an occupying force in the city, while the troops of the Continental Army’s Highland department and supporting militia established a series of posts along the Hudson River line. Between these two forces sat the Neutral Ground. The first part of this session, conducted by Ben Powers, explores the Neutral Ground of Westchester County, New York and the conduct of partisan warfare between Patriot forces and Loyalist irregulars during the American Revolution. The Neutral Ground was contested terrain, with both armies vying for supplies, forage and support among the region’s farms and inhabitants. Partisan troops thrived in this environment, scouting and raiding in support of regular forces. Among the most active of these bands were the Loyalist irregulars operating under the command of James DeLancey, known colloquially as “Cowboys”, due to their propensity for stealing livestock. By 1781, De Lancey’s men had developed a reputation as particularly effective and brutal marauders, which culminated in their attack on Continental Army positions at a place known as Pine’s Bridge.

The second part of this session, led by Bjorn Bruckshaw, focuses on Colonel Christopher Greene, cousin of the more famous General Nathaniel Greene, and his role leading the Continental troops at Pine’s Bridge. Greene began his military career during the siege of Boston, and saw subsequent combat during the assault on Quebec, in the Philadelphia Campaign, and at the Battle of Rhode Island. Greene ultimately commanded the First Rhode Island Regiment, an integrated infantry unit with a high percentage of African American and Native American troops, who earned an enviable reputation for combat effectiveness. By May 1781, Greene and the First Rhode Island Regiment were serving as a screening force for crossings of the Croton River in the highlands of New York.

In that role, they detained a suspected loyalist who was affronted at being guarded by African American soldiers. Partially in revenge for this perceived slight, DeLancey’s Loyalist staged a raid on Greene’s headquarters, infamous for its violence, during which Greene lost his life. This session addresses the tactical aspects of the engagement, Colonel Greene’s final moments, and how the battle is commemorated today.

Together, these presentations reveal a lesser-known aspect of the American Revolution and highlight how the people experienced the war at the small unit level, divorced from the conflict’s larger, better-known campaigns.