Fort Montgomery was a fortification built on the west bank of the Hudson River in

Highlands, New York Highlands is a town on the eastern border of Orange County, New York. The population was 12,492 at the 2010 census. West Point, including the United States Military Academy, is located alongside the Hudson River in Highlands, and the military re ...

by the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Erected in 1776, Fort Montgomery was one of the first major investments by the Americans in strategic construction projects. Declared a National Historic Landmark, it is part of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, owned and operated by the state of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

as the Fort Montgomery State Historic Site.

Background

The strategic importance of the ability to control navigation along the Hudson River was obvious to both the Americans and the British from the outbreak of open hostilities. The Hudson was the major means for transportation of supplies and troops throughout a large portion of the northeast. The fort was constructed at a site noted as early as the seventeenth century for its strategic advantage in controlling navigation along the river. A month after the first open armed conflict in Lexington, the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

resolved on May 25, 1775 to build fortifications in the Hudson highlands for the purpose of preventing the British from gaining control of the river and dividing the colonies. It noted that "…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…"

Fort Constitution

James Clinton and Christopher Tappan, both lifetime residents of the area, were sent to scout appropriate locations. The initial site chosen was further to the north, on Martlaer's Island, across from West Point. Plans for the fort called for four

bastions A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...

. Construction of the fortifications began in the summer of 1775. By November it had 70 cannons. However, difficulties in construction and management of the original plan of fortifications, together with escalating costs, led to abandonment of that project. The site on the north side of Popolopen Creek across from

Anthony's Nose Anthony's Nose is a peak in the Hudson Highlands along the east bank of the Hudson River in the hamlet of Cortlandt Manor, New York. It lies at the extreme northwest end of Westchester County, and serves as the east anchor of the Bear Mounta ...

was proposed, and in January 1776, the materials and resources from Fort Constitution were redirected to the construction at the new site. Construction began on the new Fort Montgomery in March 1776.

Fort Montgomery

Fort Montgomery was located at the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of Popolopen Creek with the Hudson River near Bear Mountain in Orange County, New York. The fortifications included a river battery of six 32-pound cannons, a cable chain supported by a boom across the Hudson River (see Hudson River Chain), and landward redoubts connected by ramparts, all situated on a cliff promontory rising 100 feet (30 m) above the river. The fort was commanded by General George Clinton, also the newly appointed Patriot governor of the State. Fort Montgomery and its companion fortification, the smaller Fort Clinton, on the southern bank of the Popolopen, held a combined garrison of roughly 700 Colonial soldiers. These men were from the 5th NY Regiment, Lamb's Artillery, Orange County Militia, and Ulster County Militia. The strategic importance of the opposite bank of Popolopen Creek was quickly realized, as it was an elevated cliff terrace with a full view of the Fort Montgomery site and could not be left undefended. These two forts and their associated cannon batteries effectively controlled this stretch of the Hudson River. The Army also conceived a major engineering project to effectively blockade any naval traffic headed north on the river. In 1776 a chain and boom were built across the river to provide a physical barrier to ships, in addition to the combined firepower of the fortifications, which could be massed against ships. In July 1776, the New York convention appointed a committee, including John Jay, Robert Livingston, George Clinton and Robert Yates, to "devise and carry into execution" measures for "obstructing the channel of Hudson's river, or annoying the navigation of the said River." Worried about lack of arms, the committee worked to buy more cannons.

Battle of Fort Montgomery

On October 6, 1777, a combined force of roughly 2,100 Loyalists, Hessians, and British regulars led by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton attacked forts Montgomery and Clinton from the landward side (where the defenses were only partially completed). They had support from cannon fire from British ships on the Hudson River that had passed through the chevaux de frise on the lower river. The land columns attacking from west of the fort consisted of the New York Volunteers, the

Loyal American Regiment The Loyal American Regiment was a British Provincial regiment raised in 1777 for Loyalist service during the American Revolutionary War. The regiment fought in many engagements throughout the war and the men were among the thousands of loyalists ...

, Emmerich's Chasseurs, the 57th and the 52nd Regiments of Foot. By the end of the day, both forts had fallen to the British, who burned the forts and tore down the stonework buildings. The battle was strategically barren for the British, however. Their campaign against the forts caused delays in reinforcing General John Burgoyne at Saratoga. Americans gained the upper hand at the

Battle of Bemis Heights The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War. British General John Burgoyne led an invasion ...

and forced the surrender of Burgoyne ten days later at the

Battle of Saratoga The Battles of Saratoga (September 19 and October 7, 1777) marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War. British General John Burgoyne led an invasion ...

, when the reinforcements were still far to the south.

Historic Site

The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1972. A system of trails and interpretive signs guides visitors through the ruins of the fort. Designed by the architect Salvatore Cuciti, the Visitor Center opened in October 2006. The timber frame building is oriented to provide visitors with a "gun sight" view down the Hudson. Operated as a state museum, it contains artifacts from the site, mannequins representing military units and a detailed model of the fort.

References

Notes

External links

Fort Montgomery State Historic Site
NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Twin Forts of the Popolopen
Hudson River Valley website
"Fort Montgomery"
Palisades Park Conservancy {{Authority control Government buildings completed in 1776 Infrastructure completed in 1776 Montgomery (Hudson River) New York (state) historic sites National Register of Historic Places in Orange County, New York U.S. Route 9W Hudson River Montgomery (Hudson River) National Historic Landmarks in New York (state) Museums in Orange County, New York Ruins in the United States American Revolutionary War museums in New York (state) Highlands, New York Parks in Orange County, New York Montgomery (Hudson River) American Revolution on the National Register of Historic Places