The Sawmill River Valley War

The Sawmill River Valley War book is one which resulted from the author's initial study of his own family's history. But upon discovering that his ancestors were buried in the sleepy hollow cemetery next to the Van Tassels and Van Warts, Roger Jewell needed to learn more. Sleepy Hollow (New York), the center of many American Revolutionary War legends, must have a story in it to tell. After a trip to the National Archives and the Westchester County Archives, it was obvious there was an untold story about John Jewel and other gallant Dutch tenant farmers in the Westchester County militia. This book is the result of that extensive study.

The struggle for survival of these men, on what was called the neutral ground between the British Army in New York City and Washington's Army in the New York highlands, lasted eight years. During that time most of the Westchester County 1st Militia were killed, wounded or captured. Many received multiple wounds; some were taken prisoner as many as three times. Unlike militia in other parts of the country, they were almost constantly in action. This book rediscovers the history of the area, which to many that travel the well known Sawmill River Parkway, know probably very little about.

Paperback, 2009, 251 pages, notes, biblio, $15.95