Fort Montgomery (Hudson River)
Fort Montgomery is the name of a fort that was built on the Hudson River during the American Revolutionary War . The construction was the Americans' first major strategic construction project. It was declared a National Historic Landmark on November 28, 1972 .
Fort Montgomery and the American Revolutionary War
Fort Montgomery was at the confluence of the Popolopen Creek in the Hudson River at Bear Mountain in Orange County . The fortifications consisted of a battery of cannons facing the river with six 32-pound guns, a ram and chains stretched across the river, and redoubts on the land side , which were connected by a bulwark . The facility was located on a cliff around 30 m above the river. The fort was commanded by General George Clinton , who had recently been appointed governor of the state. Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton on the opposite south bank of Popolopen Creek were manned by a total of around 700 soldiers. They consist of the 5th New York Regiment, Lamb's Artillery, the Orange County Militia and the Ulster County Militia.
The strategic importance of controlling shipping on the Hudson River was clear to both the Americans and the British after the open outbreak of hostilities . The river was the main route of transport for supplies and troops in much of the northeast. The fort's location was recognized as beneficial for controlling navigation on the river as early as the 17th century. Just a month after the first open fighting at Lexington , the Continental Congress indicated its intention to build fortifications on the high bank of the Hudson River, both to protect and control the river. On May 25, 1775, the Continental Congress resolved to build such forts "... seizing a post on the high plateaus on both sides of the Hudson's River and setting up batteries in such a way as to most effectively prevent the passage of any ships that are sent out to harass the residents on the banks of the river in question ... "
James Clinton and Christopher Tappan , both of whom lived in the area, were tasked with finding suitable locations for the planned forts. The originally chosen location was a little further north at West Point , where the construction of a fortification under the name Fort Constitution began. Difficulties in the construction and handling of the original construction plan led to the abandonment of the project in view of the increasing costs. Eventually the location on Popolopen Creek across from Anthony's Nose was suggested. Construction materials and resources were moved from Fort Constitution to the new site, where construction began in March 1776.
The strategic importance of the opposite bank was quickly recognized, as it was a high bank from which an unobstructed view of Fort Montgomery was possible, so that there was a decision to build a smaller fortress under the name Fort Clinton. The location of these two forts and the stationed cannons enabled control of this section of the Hudson River. In addition to the fortifications, a barrier was built to prevent shipping on the river.
Battle for Fort Montgomery
On October 6, 1777, a combined force of loyalists , Hessian soldiers and regular British troops with a strength of 2,100 men, under the command of Lieutenant General Henry Clinton , attacked the forts of Montgomery and Clinton from the landside. These were not finished at the time. Their attack was aided by cannon fire from British ships on the Hudson River. The land forces consisted of New York volunteers, the Loyal American Regiment , Emmerich's soldiers, the 57th and 52nd Regiment of Foot . By the end of the day, both forts had fallen into the hands of the British. These burned down the buildings and tore down the stone buildings.
The battle represented a Pyrrhic victory for the British, however , as the move against the two forts delayed their campaign and so gave the Americans the upper hand at the Battle of Bemis Heights in Saratoga . The reinforcements, which the British General John Burgoyne was waiting for, was stopped and Burgoyne had to surrender ten days later at the Battle of Saratoga because the reinforcements were still too far south.
Historic site
The fort's site was declared a National Historic Landmark on November 28, 1972 and was inscribed on the National Register of Historic Places . A system of paths and information boards lead visitors through the ruins of the fort.
The visitor center was designed by Salvatore Cuciti and opened in October 2006. The wooden post structure gives the visitors the view of the rifleman over the river and contains numerous finds from the facility. Figures and a model of the fort illustrate its earlier use. The visitor center is operated by the state .
literature
- Fisher, C. (2004). The Most Advantageous Situation in the Highlands: an archaeological study of Fort Montgomery State Historic Site . Cultural Resources Survey Program Series No. 2. New York State Museum. ISBN 1-55557-174-3
- Roberts, R. (1980). New York's Forts in the Revolution . Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. ISBN 0-8386-2063-9
Individual evidence
- ↑ Letters from the American Revolution ( English ) Archived from the original on November 27, 2004. Information: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved on May 8, 2009: “ … a post be also taken in the Highlands on each side of Hudson's River and batteries erected in such a manner as will most effectually prevent any vessels passing that may be sent to harass the inhabitants on the borders of said river ... "
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^ Fort Montgomery Site on the National Register Information System. National Park Service , accessed August 20, 2019.
Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State: New York. National Park Service , accessed August 20, 2019.
Web links
- Fort Montgomery State Historic Site , NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
- Twin Forts of the Popolopen (PDF, English; 26.06 MB)
- Palisades Park Conservancy: Fort Montgomery (English)
Coordinates: 41 ° 19 ′ 26 " N , 73 ° 59 ′ 13" W.