{"chunks_used":9,"query":"The Burning of Crompond","report":"**The Burning of Crompond: A Historical Synopsis**\n\nThe village of Crompond, located in the present-day Town of Yorktown, Westchester County, was a site of significant conflict during the American Revolution, particularly due to its position within the \"Neutral Ground\" and its association with prominent Loyalist families. The area was frequently harassed by British forays, culminating in a notable raid in June 1779. Shonnard and Spooner (1900) clarify that this engagement occurred on June 21, 1779, when British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton and Major John Graves Simcoe\u2019s Rangers attacked an American militia force. This assault resulted in approximately thirty American casualties, with prisoners subsequently transported to the notorious Sugar House prison in New York City. Bolton (1881) corroborates the timing, noting that \"about 200 of the enemy's light horse\" arrived before the morning of June 24, surprising militia pickets and killing or capturing several men, including James de Lancey.\n\nA central feature of the raid was the burning of the Presbyterian meeting-house, an event closely tied to the local clergy and their families. Rev. Samuel Sackett, the Whig Presbyterian minister of Crompond, had served the congregation for twenty years until his death in 1784 (Bolton, 1881). His daughter, Hannah Sackett, was married to Stephen James de Lancey, a grandson of the prominent Loyalist James de Lancey. During the chaos of the burning, Hannah de Lancey attempted to escape on horseback. According to an interview with Thomas Strang recorded by John Macdonald (1847), she was overtaken about one mile north of Crompond by British cavalry who robbed her of her shoe buckles and demanded she dismount. Strang\u2019s account highlights her defiance; she refused to dismount, citing the improper treatment of females, and demanded to see the commander. Upon revealing her identity as the wife of Stephen de Lancey, she was granted an escort to safety, though she notably concealed her relationship to the Patriot minister, Mr. Sackett.\n\nBolton (1881) provides a nearly identical narrative of Hannah de Lancey\u2019s escape, specifying that she was robbed of her shoe buckles and ear-rings and was mounted on a \"fine bay horse.\" He emphasizes her strategic silence regarding her father, Mr. Sackett, to avoid further endangering herself or her family. This incident underscores the complex social dynamics of the region, where familial ties crossed political divides. The de Lancey family had previously used their residence in the area as an asylum for persecuted individuals during the war (Bolton, 1881). The raid also impacted other local figures; Bolton (1881) notes that Mrs. De Lancey (Anne, widow of James de Lancey) died in 1779 and was initially buried at Crompond before her remains were moved to Heathcote Hill in Mamaroneck.\n\nDiscrepancies exist regarding the specific details and perpetrators of the violence. While Shonnard and Spooner (1900) attribute the raid to Tarleton and Simcoe, they also address local rumors implicating Colonel James Holmes, a former Patriot who had turned Loyalist. Shonnard and Spooner argue that Holmes\u2019s connection to the burning was \"unjust\" and that he was not present with Tarleton\u2019s party, portraying him instead as an \"unfortunate\" figure rather than a bloodthirsty aggressor. Furthermore, there is a slight variance in the date of the main engagement, with Shonnard and Spooner citing June 21 and Bolton citing the morning of June 24, though both agree on the general timeframe of late June 1779. The aftermath of the war saw the burial of notable figures such as Colonel Green and Major Flagg in the Crompond burying ground, near Brom. Dyckman, marking the site as a resting place for those who served in the conflict (Macdonald, 1847).\n\n**Sources consulted**\n\n*   Bolton, Robert Jr. *The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time*, Vol. II. New York: Charles F. Roper, 1881.\n*   Bolton, Robert Jr. *A History of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time*, Vol. II. New York: Alexander S. Gould, 1848.\n*   Macdonald, John. Interview with Strang, Thomas, 1763-1851; (1847-10-20). *Experiencing the Neutral Ground of the American Revolution: The McDonald Interviews*, WCHS item 1344. Transcription courtesy of the Westchester County Historical Society.\n*   Shonnard, Frederic, and W.W. Spooner. *History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900*. New York: The New York History Company, 1900.","sources_consulted":["Shonnard, Frederic, and W.W. Spooner. History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900. New York: The New York History Company, 1900.","Bolton, Robert Jr. A History of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II. New York: Alexander S. Gould, 1848.","Bolton, Robert Jr. The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II. New York: Charles F. Roper, 1881.","Macdonald, John. Interview with Strang, Thomas, 1763-1851; (1847-10-20). Experiencing the Neutral Ground of the American Revolution: The McDonald Interviews, WCHS item 1344. Transcription courtesy of the Westchester County Historical Society (No copyright - United States)."]}