The Battle of Edgar's Lane was a skirmish in the American Revolutionary War on September 30, 1778 between a force of 80

Hessian A Hessian is an inhabitant of the German state of Hesse. Hessian may also refer to: Named from the toponym *Hessian (soldier), eighteenth-century German regiments in service with the British Empire **Hessian (boot), a style of boot **Hessian f ...

s and 120 Continental

dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...

s under Major Henry Lee. The skirmish was fought in the village of

Hastings-on-Hudson, New York Hastings-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County located in the southwestern part of the town of Greenburgh in the state of New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of midtown Manha ...

. Peter Post, who owned Post's Tavern, heard word of a Hessian marauding party which would be coming through the next day. He sent word to the Continental troops, who organized a force of 120 dragoons to ambush the Hessians. When the Hessians rode through as expected the next day, Post directed them towards Edgar's Lane, where the dragoons were hidden in the surrounding trees. When the Hessians rode through, the Continental dragoons fired a volley, killing some Hessians. The surviving Hessians ran towards the ravine on the Hudson River, the dragoons giving chase. Many Hessians fell down the ravine. Some Hessians were shot in the water, others drowned, and the rest were taken prisoner. In all, the Continental dragoons killed 23 Hessians, winning the skirmish, along with losing no men. Today, a plaque stands on the corner of Edgar's Lane and Broadway, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, commemorating the battle. Part of the action of Austin Wright's novel Tony and Susan takes place on Edgar's Lane, and the battle is mentioned.

References

* {{Coord, 40, 59, 54, N, 73, 52, 53, W, display=title 1778 in New York (state) Edgar's Lane Conflicts in 1778 Greenburgh, New York Edgar's Lane