At the time of the Battle of Long Island and the British capture of the city of New York, the New York Provincial Congress moved to safety in White Plains. Colonial roads intersected in the town, placing it in the path of the British attempt to encircle and capture George Washington’s army. The heights around White Plains, and intervening rivers and swamps, presented a natural defensive position for an American stand. On October 28th, 1776, the Continental Army under General George Washington defended the heights, checking the British advance across Westchester. From October 28th to November 1st, 1776, in five days of intermittent fighting, White Plains became a place of honor.
