Don Troiani, Ambush at Westchester, oil on canvas, 2018

On September 30, 1778

along the old Albany Post Road (today’s Broadway / Route 9) south of Dobbs Ferry (in today’s Hastings-on-Hudson) at Peter Post’s farm, a combined American force consisting of Continental infantry and cavalry, guided by local scout Isaac “Uck” Odell, ambushed a patrol of elite Hessian Jägers. Having received intelligence of Hessian patrols in the region, the Continental officer in charge deployed his soldiers in three groups along the east side of the Albany Post, with Major Henry Lee’s cavalry company in the center position. The cavalry of the approaching Hessian patrol advanced forward of the infantry, creating a gap in their lines, while one of the infantry units became bogged down crossing a large ravine. The center party of Continentals led by Major Lee sprang upon the Jäger cavalry company, while one Hessian infantry unit dispersed into the woods or towards the river, and the rearmost unit retreated backwards along the road.

Without suffering significant losses themselves the Continental party routed the encircled Jäger company, with perhaps 15 or 16 Hessians killed, although its commander Lieutenant Balthasar Mertz put up a gallant defense before being taken prisoner. The Battle of Edgar’s Lane was a rare American victory in the region between the lines in Westchester, and resulted from a perfect combination of local knowledge, advantages of terrain, coordinated maneuvers, and adaptation of cavalry and light infantry units to the geography of the region between the lines.

According to some accounts, Peter Post played a prominent role in the American victory. According to these accounts, the Continental patrol got to Peter Post’s tavern first, and Post reported that the Hessians had not yet come through. On this intelligence, the Continental forces set up their ambush along the roadside. When the Hessians arrived at Post’s farm, they demanded of Post whether he had seen any rebels nearby, but Post pretended not to know. Under Post’s deception the Hessians proceeded forward and fell into the trap. The angry Hessians returned after the battle, beat up Peter Post and left him for dead. Peter Post survived, however, and in 1785 he bought from the Commissioners of Forfeiture the 286-acre leasehold which he formerly occupied and which became the center of the village of Hastings (from Zinsser Park and Edgar’s Lane to “five corners”).

The encounter near Post’s farmhouse went unnamed at the time, but subsequently became known as The Battle of Edgar’s Lane, after William Edgar’s nineteenth-century residence on the east side of the Albany Post Road.