The 1778 Revolutionary War Battle of Chestnut Woods in Grahamsville is an ongoing mystery. Few records, conflicting memoirs from soldiers who might have been there, and one very scanty official report leave us with many unanswered questions:  How many men were actually killed? Why did the soldiers set up camp in such a poorly defended location? What REALLY happened during the battle? In an attempt to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding this battle, the Time and the Valleys Museum is hosting a gathering on Saturday September 5^th (the 248^th anniversary of the battle) from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Museum on St. Rt. 55 in Grahamsville.

Joining the debate/discussion on September 5^th are the Town of Neversink Historian, Roger Edwards, Museum Director Donna Steffens, Time and the Valleys Museum researchers Lynn Priebe and Barbara Avener and Douglas S. Hart, a descendent of Andrew Gillespe, one of the soldiers at the battle. Attendees are asked to bring their thoughts, questions and any information they might have to help shed light on this enduring mystery.

The Battle:  British Loyalists and allied Native Americans plunder houses and granaries, burn buildings and kill and capture citizens in Pinebush, a small settlement along Minisink Road (St. Rt. 209) in Ulster County on the morning of September 5^th, 1778.  Lt. John Graham from Fort Honk (Napanoch) volunteers to pursue the raiders with about seventeen militiamen. They travel up the Rondout and Chestnut Creeks, stopping at Chestnut Woods (Grahamsville). The raiders surround the militia on all sides and open fire. Lt. Graham and several militiamen are killed. Grahamsville is named after Lt. Graham.

Admission to the program is FREE and includes entrance to the Museum’s exhibitions, including the new exhibition The Great Fear: Frontier Life During the American Revolution and the 1930s Catskill Farm with over 15 buildings. For more information visit our website timeandthevalleysmuseum.org, email info@timeandthevalleysmuseum.org or call 845 985-7700. 

The Museum is located at 332 Main Street (St. Rt. 55) in Grahamsville, Sullivan County. It is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 4 p.m. through September or by appointment. Adults admission is $10, Children under 16 $5, and children under six are free. Museum members are FREE. Free admission to active-duty military members (with ID) and up to five family members through our status as a Blue Star Museum.  This free admission for members of the military and their families runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 

For more information call 845 985-7700, e-mail info@timeandthevalleysmuseum.org or visit www.timeandthevalleysmuseum.org.Volunteers are always welcome and needed!  Email or call us for more information.