WPCNR NORTHEND EPITAPH. October 25, 2004: Gunsmoke and its sharp, pungent smell of death shrouded Purdy Hill in White Plains Sunday afternoon. The boom of muskets and the cries of charging Redcoats commemorated the Battle of White Plains, the turning point of the American Revolutionary War. The big battle unfolded across Chatterton Hill and Battle Hill, 228 years ago this Thursday,October  28, 1776, and was recognized in a ceremony staged by the White Plains Historical Society on an overcast Sunday made for remembrance.

A crowd of  some 50 persons gathered. The White Plains High School Marching Band played The Star Bangled Banner and other selections, and the names of the first patriots, residents of White Plains who died that day were read with respectful reverence by John Volperian.

Gunsmoke! Enactors of the 4th Colonials, White Plains Militia and Pawling's Levies fire on Redcoats of General Howe on Purdy Hill Sunday. Photo by WPCNR News.

Overlooking the site of the Battle of White Plains, which unfolded left to right to the West side of the city up the slopes of Battle and Chatterton Hills, Enactors of the 23rd Regiment of Foot Royal Welsh Fusiliers, at left, and Colonial troops and militia stand at Mourning
Rest, as names of White Plains' 21 patriot dead who lost their lives defending White Plains, were announced with solemn dignity: 

James Carpenter, Jacob Cypher, John Drake, John Faulkner, William Field, Elizah Fisher, John Fisher, Moses Fowler, Robert Graham, Daniel Hatfield, Joshua Hatfield, Daniel Horton, John Hosier, Benjamin Lyon, John Martin, Caleb Merritt, Anthony Miller, Cornelius Oakley, Jospeh Prior, Jacob Purdy, and John Travis.

Photo by WPCNR News.

John Volperian read the names of the Battle of White Plains dead. Roseanna Washington, at left, who conducted the ceremony said the remembrance honored all the men and women who sacrificed their lives in the service of our country in all of the nation's wars, and remembered the police, firemen, and civilians who died in the World Trade Center, Pentagon terrorist attacks, and members of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Photo by WPCNR News.

Alex Piekarz, Senior at White Plains High School played Taps with Zach Glass adding the "Echo Taps" to close the honoring. Mr. Piekarz, mellow, mournful, hauntingly paced delivery, each note stately, dignified, defiant was at once a rugged and elegant elegy.Photo by WPCNR News.

"Run you Rebels. You Cowards!" Cry the Redcoats,  renacting their charge up Chatteron Hill to the West, the 23rd Regiment of Foot Royal Welsh Fusiliers fire on retreating colonials and White Plains Patriots. Purdy Hill, site of the enactment and ceremony was fortified during the Battle of White Plains and served as a retreat  redoubt for the wounded broken American lines on Chatterton Hill. The British encamped in the Plains below, did not charge Purdy Hill. Five hundred British and Colonial Troops died in the battle. The significance of the battle was that the colonial army was not split and destroyed by British General William Howe, who noting the casualties at White Plains refused to go after the colonials allowing them to fight another day. That day would come two months later on Christmas Eve when George Washington attacked Trenton beginning a string of victories by the Colonials, eventually ending in American Independence in 1783. Photo by WPCNR News.

John Grassi, a Fusilier from White Plains, explained that the muskets of 1776 used by the Colonials, White Plains Militia and the British troops had round barrels with no grooves in them. They fired, he said roundshot which would bounce from side-to-side in the barrel. This, Mr. Grassi said, meant the ball depending on how it bounced would go high, left, right, or down, depending on its last bounce at the end of the barrel after firing. Aim was notoriously inaccurate, and the rifles only had killing range up to 100 yards. To set up withering fire, troops would fire in a line, setting up a cross fire to take out troops in front of them. This is why what seems like crazy tactics to us (straight lines of troops firing at each other), the revolutionary war was fought in straight battle lines. The bayonet on the end of Mr. Grassi's musket, was equipment the colonials and the militia did not have -- one of the tactical reasons why Chatterton and Battle Hill defenders retreated. Photo by WPCNR News.

First Patriots: Members of the Pawling's Levies, 4th New York Continentals and White Plains Militia march down Purdy Hill to the flagpole. Note lack of bayonets. Photo by WPCNR News.

Crowd looks on as enactment enfolds at Purdy House. Photo by WPCNR News.

WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BAND played The Star Spangled Banner. Photo by WPCNR News.