Situated in the heart of Westchester County and serving as the county seat since 1757,^[1] White Plains is woven into the founding fabric of the American republic. In 1776, White Plains took center stage in American history, first at the birth of New York’s statehood, and then as a critical Revolutionary War battlefield. Although the revolutionary forces lost the Battle of White Plains, the strategic lessons of that defeat still echo in the hallowed halls of White Plains’ federal courthouse today.

The Declaration Comes to White Plains

On July 9, 1776, the Fourth Provincial Congress of New York assembled in White Plains’ first courthouse and received a copy of the Declaration of Independence, freshly adopted in Philadelphia. A committee chaired by John Jay—who would later become the first Chief Justice of the United States—approved our founding document and sent instructions to New York’s delegates to sign the Declaration.^[2]

That same day, that New York Congress voted to rename itself, from the “Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York” to the “Convention of Representatives of the State of New York” — formally ending New York’s status as a colony. Two days later, the Declaration was read aloud to the public in White Plains.^[3] The newfound status would be tested less than four months later when White Plains would become a battleground, finding itself at the center of the Revolution.

October 28, 1776: The Revolution Survives

In the fall of 1776, the Revolution was hanging by a thread. Washington had already suffered major defeats that left his army undersupplied, outnumbered, and desperate for time to regroup. When General Howe and his troops moved to trap Washington’s forces, Washington retreated north to White Plains, betting that the higher ground would force the British into an uphill battle — in every sense of the word.^[4]

That battle began on the morning of October 28, 1776. Washington ordered a smaller force to slow down the British advance, aiming to delay, not defeat. He then reinforced Chatterton’s Hill, which was the highest and most strategically valuable ground in the area.^[5] When the British reached the hill, they attacked the far-right portion of the American line, overwhelming the militia, and the remaining defenses fell apart. Washington ordered a full retreat and, by late afternoon, the battle was over, with the British victorious.^[6] In total, more than 450 American and British soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured that day.^[7]

Although it ended in defeat, Washington’s strategic decisions at White Plains ultimately led to victory: Washington had lost the proverbial battle but won the war. He understood that not every fight is worth winning at any cost. He delayed and retreated where necessary — had he not done so, there might have been no army left to cross the Delaware, no victory at Trenton, and, quite possibly, no American independence. The British held the field, but it was the last opportunity they had to trap Washington and end the Revolution, and Washington successfully escaped to fight many more days and prevail in the end.^[8]

From the Battlefield to the Federal Bar

As the nation grew, so did White Plains’ identity as a center of law and justice. A new county courthouse was built on Main Street in the early 20th century, and the legal community quickly filled in around it. In 1978, Congress designated White Plains as a “place of holding court” for the Southern District of New York.^[9] The new courthouse opened on May 15, 1995, at 300 Quarropas Street, named in honor of former Chief Judge Charles L. Brieant Jr., who was instrumental in bringing the courthouse to fruition.^[10] A plaque in its lobby honors the patriots who fought for independence on these very grounds. Today, the Brieant federal courthouse is the only federal courthouse between Manhattan and Albany, serving a six-county region of nearly 2 million people; more than 2,500 attorneys representing nearly 900 law firms practice here.^[11] White Plains has become, in both fact and reputation, a city of law.

The Thread that Runs Through

The fight for independence that traveled through White Plains ultimately produced the system of laws and courts that serves this community today. It is not a coincidence that when Congress chose to extend the federal court’s reach beyond Manhattan, it chose White Plains. The continuum of American history runs through our city, and the Brieant federal courthouse is the culmination of that story.

As the nation celebrates 250 years of independence, the lawyers practicing in White Plains have a unique opportunity to reflect on the ground on which they stand, and the judgment Washington exercised here. The art of advocacy, like the art of war, often comes down to knowing which battles are worthy of your full resources, and which are better survived than won. Sometimes the most important thing that we, as attorneys, can do for our clients is to preserve their position, keep their options open, and live to fight another day. If we do that, hopefully, like Washington, we win the war.

* * *

Editor’s note: Russell Yankwitt, president-elect of the Federal Bar Council, is the founder and managing partner of Yankwitt LLP. Silvana Martinaj is an associate at the firm.

[1] Dan Robbins, White Plains Makes Its Mark In History, Westchester Magazine (May 3, 2016). https://westchestermagazine.com/publications/white-plains-makes-its-mark-in-history/.

[2] History of White Plains, City of White Plains, https://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/469/History-of-White-Plains, (last visited Mar 23, 2026).

[3] Id.

[4] Joseph C. Scott, Battle of White Plains, George Washington’s Mount Vernon: Digital Encyclopedia https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/battle-of-white-plains (last visited Mar. 23, 2026).

[5] Id.

[6] Randal Rust, The Battle of White Plains, 1776, American History Central, https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/battle-of-white-plains-1776/ (last visited Mar. 23, 2026).

[7] White Plains Battle Facts and Summary, American Battlefield Trust, https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/white-plains (last visited Mar. 23, 2026).

[8] See Robbins, supra note 1; see also History of White Plains, City of White Plains, https://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/469/History-of-White-Plains, (last visited Mar 23, 2026).

[9] Charles L. Brieant Jr. United States Courthouse — White Plains, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/courthouses/charles-l-brieant-jr-united-states-courthouse-white-plains (last visited Mar. 23, 2026).

[10] Charles L. Brieant Jr. United States Courthouse Fast Facts, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/site_wpfacts.pdf (last visited Mar. 23, 2026).

[11] White Plains, NY Law Firms & Lawyers, Lawyers.com, https://www.lawyers.com/all-legal-issues/white-plains/new-york/law-firms/ (last visited Mar. 23, 2026).