{"chunks_used":7,"query":"At Davenport House, Before Sunrise","report":"**Research Synopsis: The Attack at Davenport House, May 13, 1781**  \n\nThe attack on Davenport House, a pivotal event in the American Revolutionary War, occurred on **May 13, 1781**, just before sunrise, as documented in multiple primary sources. Davenport House, located on the Crompond Road near the Croton River, served as the headquarters of Colonel John Greene of the Rhode Island regiment. Greene, along with Major Flagg, a young officer, and 27 soldiers, were ambushed by British Loyalist forces known as \u201cRefugees\u201d under Colonel DeLancey (Ruttenber, 1872; Bolton, 1848; Bolton, 1881). The assault, described as a \u201csurprisal\u201d by General Heath, exploited a critical tactical oversight: American guards had removed night sentries after sunrise, assuming the enemy would not attack during daylight (Bolton, 1848).  \n\nThe attack\u2019s catalyst, according to Lydia Vail\u2019s 1847 interview with John Macdonald, was a young officer firing two pistols from a window at the advancing Refugees. This act of defiance enraged the Loyalists, who declared, \u201cKill all the d__d Rebels!\u201d (Macdonald, 1847). The resulting volley killed Greene, Flagg, and the officer instantly. Greene, who had expressed hope for peace to Lydia\u2019s grandfather hours earlier\u2014\u201cI envy you much\u2026 I hope this unnatural war is drawing to a close\u201d\u2014was dead within 12 hours (Macdonald, 1847). The Refugees retreated toward Pines Bridge via a wooded lane south of the modern route, carrying Greene on a horse until he collapsed from wounds.  \n\nThe aftermath revealed a grim scene: Davenport House\u2019s floors and walls were \u201ccovered with the blood of the dead, wounded, and dying\u201d (Bolton, 1881). Two enslaved servants of the Davenport family were wounded, and the three slain officers were buried together in a single grave at Crompond. The attack\u2019s strategic failure for the Refugees was noted by General Heath, who criticized the American forces\u2019 lack of preparedness during daylight hours, a vulnerability the British exploited (Bolton, 1848).  \n\nDiscrepancies among sources highlight differing perspectives. While Vail\u2019s account emphasizes personal tragedy and the immediate cause (the officer\u2019s gunfire), Bolton\u2019s histories focus on broader military miscalculations and the role of DeLancey\u2019s forces. However, all agree on the attack\u2019s timing, the tactical surprise, and the profound loss of life. The event underscores the brutal toll of partisan conflict in Westchester County, where Loyalist and Patriot tensions often erupted into localized violence.  \n\n**Sources Consulted**  \n- Macdonald, John. *Interview with Vail, Lydia* (1847-11-19). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1353.  \n- Bolton, Robert Jr. *A History of the County of Westchester, Vol. II* (1848).  \n- Bolton, Robert Jr. *The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, Vol. II* (1881 revised ed.).  \n- General Heath\u2019s account, cited in Bolton\u2019s histories.","sources_consulted":["Bolton, Robert Jr. A History of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II. New York: Alexander S. Gould, 1848.","Macdonald, John. Interview with Vail, Lydia, b.c.1772; (1847-11-19). John M. McDonald Interviews, 1844-1851, WCHS item 1353. Westchester County Historical Society. Transcribed by history.croton.news April 2026.","Bolton, Robert Jr. The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II. New York: Charles F. Roper, 1881."]}