04/21/2026
For todayโs ๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฌ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฎ, weโre digging into a Revolutionary War mystery hidden in our own backyard: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐. ๐บ๐ธโ๏ธ
If you look for this battle on a map of Massachusetts, youโll come up empty. Thatโs because despite the name, this clash actually took place right here in Columbia County!
๐ต๏ธโโ๏ธ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐: ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ?
History usually names battles after their location, but this one was named after the people who fought it.
In May 1777, a signifigant Loyalist recruitment plot was uncovered in Livingston Manor. A desperate call for help went out, and the militia from Egremont, MA, grabbed their muskets and marched over the Taghkanic hills to assist our local 9th Albany/Claverack Regiment. Because the Egremont men were so instrumental in the victory, the name "Battle of Egremont" followed them homeโeven though the smoke cleared on New York soil.
๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป?
This didn't happen on a single battlefield...instead it was a tense, two-day pursuit through the rolling Columbia County landscape:
๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ด๐ต๐ธ๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ: The first shots were fired at the Jury Wheeler farm near the eastern border.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ: A major confrontation broke out near the "Great Lake." Imagine 100 Loyalists facing off against the militia right where families now spend their summers!
๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐น๐ฒ: The fighting continued as the militia pursued the Loyalists through the woods toward what was then known as "Nobletown."
๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ?
This wasn't just a small neighborhood spat. British General Burgoyne was preparing to invade from the north, and local Loyalists were secretly organizing to join him. By stopping this recruitment ring, these neighbors-turned-soldiers secured the Hudson Valley just months before the pivotal Battle of Saratoga.
๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ป๐ฒ๐
๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
...๐๐ฃ ๐พ๐ค๐ก๐ช๐ข๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ฎ!
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๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฌ ๐ง๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฎ is a series of weekly posts leading up to America's semiquincentennial on July 4th. Here in Columbia County, the celebration culminates in the Hudson Flag Day Parade and Festival on June 13th at noon.