{"chunks_used":9,"query":"The Burning of Crompond","report":"**The Burning of Crompond: A Historical Synopsis**  \n\nThe Burning of Crompond during the American Revolutionary War was a pivotal event in Westchester County\u2019s history, marked by British raids, civilian hardship, and local resistance. According to Thomas Strang\u2019s 1847 interview, a British cavalry unit surprised Colonel Drake\u2019s forces at Crompond in June 1779, burning the Presbyterian Church and retreating via a concealed route near Delavan\u2019s house (Macdonald 1847). This attack, part of broader British forays into Westchester, disrupted local communities and left lasting scars.  \n\nThe incident is corroborated by Robert Bolton\u2019s 1881 history, which notes that the church was burned in July 1779, though the exact date remains contested. Bolton also recounts the harrowing experience of Hannah Sackett (or Charlotte), wife of Stephen Delancey, who was robbed by British soldiers while fleeing the burning meeting house. Her defiance\u2014demanding an escort after invoking her husband\u2019s name\u2014highlighted the vulnerability of civilians and the British military\u2019s mixed conduct (Bolton 1881). Strang\u2019s account further details the earlier disarming of local Tories by Connecticut troops under Henry and Joseph Strang, illustrating the region\u2019s partisan tensions (Macdonald 1847).  \n\nColonel James Holmes, a controversial Tory, is linked to the broader context of British raids. While not directly involved in the Crompond attack, his later role in the 1781 Westchester County Refugees underscores the complex loyalties of the era. The 1900 Shonnard and Spooner history notes Tarleton\u2019s June 1779 raid on Crompond, resulting in thirty American casualties or prisoners, aligning with Strang\u2019s description of the British strategy (Shonnard & Spooner 1900).  \n\nThe aftermath included the burial of Col. Green and Major Flagg in Crompond\u2019s burying ground, as noted in Strang\u2019s interview and Bolton\u2019s 1848 history (Macdonald 1847; Bolton 1848). Reverend Samuel Sackett, the church\u2019s minister, died in 1784, his tombstone reflecting the community\u2019s resilience. Discrepancies in dates and names (e.g., Hannah Sackett vs. Charlotte) suggest overlapping accounts or transcription errors, but the core narrative of British aggression and civilian resistance remains consistent.  \n\n**Sources Consulted**  \n- Macdonald, John. Interview with Strang, Thomas, 1763-1851; (1847-10-20). *John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851*, WCHS item 1344.  \n- Bolton, Robert Jr. *The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, Vol. II* (1881 revised ed.).  \n- Shonnard, Frederic, and W.W. Spooner. *History of Westchester County, New York, from its Earliest Settlement to the Year 1900* (1900).  \n- Bolton, Robert Jr. *A History of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II* (1848).","sources_consulted":["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.","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.","Macdonald, John. Interview with Strang, Thomas, 1763-1851; (1847-10-20). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1344. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026.","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."]}