US ResearchConflictsRevolutionary WarRaid on Setauket
Revolutionary War

Raid on Setauket

1777
New York
Era
Revolutionary War
Year
1777
Location
New York
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
American
Forces
Loyalist
VS
Victor
British (Loyalist garrison)
Forces
Continental Army
Outcome
failed attack
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Setauket was a failed attack during the American Revolutionary War on a fortified Loyalist outpost in Setauket, Long Island, New York, by a force of Continental Army troops from Connecticut under the command of Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons.

Duration
Single day engagement (August 22, 1777)
Historical context

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) grew from colonial resistance to British taxation without parliamentary representation — a dispute that radicalized through the Stamp Act (1765), the Townshend Acts (1767), and the Boston Massacre (1770). Fighting began at Lexington and Concord in April 1775; the Continental Congress declared independence on July 4, 1776. The Continental Army under George Washington faced severe shortages of supplies and troops, enduring the brutal winter at Valley Forge (1777–1778) before French alliance and French financing turned the military balance. Major engagements included Bunker Hill (1775), Trenton (1776), Saratoga (1777) — which secured French intervention — and Yorktown (1781), where British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington. An estimated 25,000 American soldiers died in service, from combat, disease, and captivity. The Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized American independence and ceded British territory east of the Mississippi, though it left unresolved questions about Indigenous land rights and the status of Loyalists.

Casualties & Losses

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Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Raid on Setauket take place?
Raid on Setauket took place in 1777. Single day engagement (August 22, 1777).
Where was Raid on Setauket fought?
Raid on Setauket was fought in New York, United States.
What was the outcome of Raid on Setauket?
failed attack
What was the significance of Raid on Setauket?
The Battle of Setauket was a failed attack during the American Revolutionary War on a fortified Loyalist outpost in Setauket, Long Island, New York, by a force of Continental Army troops from Connecticut under the command of Brigadier General Samuel Holden Parsons.
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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