The Remains of Continental Soldiers killed in the Battle at Young’s Corners.

This is the location of the burial site of 13 Continental and three British soldiers killed in the Battle of Young's House which took place on February 3, 1780. A Continental outpost commanded by Lt. Col. Joseph Thompson was attacked by an overwhelming British and Loyalist force of between 500 and 600 men commanded by Lt. Col. Chapple Norton and Loyalist James DeLancey. The memorial and soldier’s remains are located on the north side of Grasslands Rd. in the cloverleaf between the Sprain Brook Parkway and southbound entrance to the parkway. Joseph Young’s house was located on Unionville Rd. (Bradhurst Ave.) just north of the Upper Cross Rd. (Grasslands Rd.) near the present location of Blythedale Children’s Hospital. The house served as a Continental outpost and depot for military supplies from 1776 to 1780. 

In 1923, the remains of several Continental and British soldiers were uncovered just north of Grasslands Road, moved, and re-interred under a monument donated by the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution.)

Nearby Joseph Young's house served as the headquarters for Continental forces stationed to protect the area south of Bedford and east of the Hudson from British attacks, as well as, raids by British partisans called Cowboys. The house was located at a strategic location on high ground near the intersection of the Upper County and Unionville Roads.

Young’s house was attacked several times by British forces. In March of 1778, a small force of 32 men was sent by Col. Emmerick to raid farms in the area of Young’s Corners (Greenburgh) for cattle. Shortly after taking Joseph Young’s cattle, the British force was attacked by Continental militia and killed. 

Another attack occurred on December 24, 1778 when British forces under Major Bearmore attacked the outpost and captured the Continental commander, Capt. Williams, and 40 soldiers made off with supplies and cattle before burning the house and outbuildings. Joseph Young, the owner of the house, may have also been captured.

The most famous raid occurred on February 3, 1780. On February 2^nd a force of around 500 – 600 British, Hessian, and Loyalists under the command of Lt. Col. Chapple Norton, and Col. James DeLancey left Fort Knyphausen (Fort Washington) in Manhattan and traveled 20 miles through deep snow arriving at Young’s House around 9 AM on the 3rd. The Continental garrison at Young’s house consisted of 250 men from several Massachusetts units under the command of Lt. Col. James Thompson. They were posted along a five mile line running east to west and centered on the Young’s house which was Lt. Col. Thompson’s Headquarters. 

Lt. Col. Thompson was warned of the approach of the British forces by one of his scouts, a Westchester Guide named Campbell. Instead of following Campbell’s advice and retreating to a more defensible position, Lt. Col. Thompson elected to concentrate his forces around his headquarters at Young's house. The British forces were able to surround the house and a fifteen minute battle resulted in a British victory. Continental causalities were 14 killed, 37 wounded, and 76 captured including Lt. Col. Thompson and Joseph Young. British losses were 5 killed and 18 wounded. After the battle, the British burned the buildings and took Young’s property and military supplies. The dead from both sides were buried in a sandy field nearby. Following the raid Continental forces were moved north to the Croton River, which left area residents at the mercy of the British and paramilitary groups called Cowboys and Skinners.

After the war, the property was purchased by Isaac Van Wart, who together with John Paulding and David Williams, captured British officer, Major John Andre, with the plans for the West Point fortress hidden in his sock exposing General Benedict Arnold’s treason.

The intersection where Young’s house was located was also called Four Corners and is mentioned by James Fenimore Cooper in his novel, “The Spy: A Tale of the Neutral Ground” published in 1821. It was the setting for Elizabeth Flanagan’s Tavern where the spy, Harvey Birch, is held by Continental militia.

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