Well I live <20 miles from New York, but that would be no fun. So....
The Battle of Pascack Crossroads - August 23rd, 1779 - ARW.
Following the declaration of war on Great Britain by France, British forces in North America were suddenly in quite a precarious position. What with Washington's rebel forces ringing New York City, and the newly landed French Expeditionary Force in Rhode Island, General Clinton, commanding British forces in New York and on Long Island, was unable to plan any major offensive operations.
However, a standard practice of the war was for the British to lead raids on colonial settlements near New York, for field practice, and to obtain badly needed forage and cattle. After three years of occupation, the supplies of these on Long Island and Staten Island were seriously depleted. The most common raiding ground by this time was across the Hudson River, in the old Dutch settlements of the Hackensack River Valley, in northern New Jersey.
Washington and the Americans usually stood pat and watched from the highlands in Orange County, New York (including current-day Rockland), but due to the lack of good defensible positions in Bergen County, New Jersey, was unable to directly oppose the British advances. However, in 1779 luck favored the rebels.
(BP) Thanks to the American's greatly improved spy ring in the City, Washington knew when and where the great summer British raid would take place. This year it would consist of two columns. One would be floated up the Hudson to Closter landing, and march west. The other would sail up the Passaic River towards Glen Rock, and march east towards Paramus church. Once united, the British column would march southeast, re-cross the Hackensack River, and south through Schraelenburgh and English Neighborhood, finally ending up at Hoboken landing for ferry back to New York. Each British column would number 3500 men, significantly larger than past raids.
Washington prepared quickly. At Paramus Church he stationed a full division under the command of General Sullivan. It numbered enough to significantly slow down the western British column. At the battle of Paramus Church, August 21st, Sullivan was ordered to fall back to the northeast - towards Pascack Crossroads, further up the valley. However, the key was that this battle was a diversion. At the same time of this battle, another 2 divisions, the whole wing under the command of General Greene, division commanders Von Steuben and Lafayette (the cream of the army) marched south along the River Road. They reached Emerson Church, south of the town of Kinderkamack. These 4500 men stood directly in the path of a British march southward.
Meanwhile, the eastern British column made fair time, but as planned by Washington, still missed Greene's column. They reached the rendevous point with the western column, only to not find it. Desperate scouting on the 22nd found it to be far to the northwest, nearing Pascack Crossroads. The eastern column gamely marched that way, determined to reunite. Greene pursued at a distance, careful to mask his numbers. Meanwhile, at the crossroads itself Sullivan played the same game. His 2000 men were the only *visible* American force in the area. That masked the whole rest of the Continental Army, including Wayne's division and Morgan's riflemen - the whole perhaps another 4000 men.
So, the situation on the 23rd was: The reunited British raiding party, at some 7000 men, just south of the crossroads. Greene's Americans, 4500, steadily marching, unknown to the British, up on them from the south. The rest of the Continental Army at some 6000 at the crossroads itself, but only 2000 of them were known to the British.
The British attacks on Sullivan's men got underway early in the morning on the 23rd. Sullivan fell back to a prepared position, along a few fences crossing over a ridge. The few pieces of American artillery fired directly down the Pascack Road at the oncoming British. The British commanders sent sorties to outflank Sullivan's men on both sides, only to encounter the rest of the American forces. 7000 vs. 6000 men is not enough for a decisive victory for the attackers. The Americans fought gallantly through the morning hours, and their riflemen scored hit after hit on the British high command. However, by early afternoon the British were beginning to make headway, using a small stream and culvert to get at the American left (eastern) flank. Slowly that line fell back through the lowlands.
At 14:00, however, Greene arrived in the rear of the British forces. His men were extended in full battle line, with no reserve to speak of, but their arrival was basically a complete surprise. Catching almost the whole British line in a deadly crossfire, and with most of the main American line holding firm, the British position was now desperate indeed - and they had to time to rectify it. Earlier in the war, maybe. But by 1779 the American forces were well trained, and well equipped with bayonets.
The British right wing fled the trap, via the stream, with some semblance of order, and some 2000 men escaped that way. Perhaps another 500 escaped at random points along the line, eventually making their way back to New York. Less the 500 actual casualties of the battle (American losses were similar), that left 4000 British troops prisoners to the Americans.
It was a victory to rival that at Saratoga, and right at the doorstep of the British fortress in America. It led to several more European countries either recognizing America as independent, and some even declaring war on Britain. Despite some late-game victories in the south, from their new base at Charleston, the British knew they ultimately could not recover from 2 such losses. The war ended in 1782 with the British recognizing America as independent, and practically every other condition of theirs as well.