Everything about Fort Washington New York totally explained
Fort Washington was a fortified position near the north end of
Manhattan Island (now part of
New York City) and was located at the highest point on the island.
Establishment
During
George Washington's defense of
New York, during the
American Revolution, Fort Washington and
Fort Lee (on the
New Jersey side of the
Hudson River) were created to both prevent the British from going up river and to provide a secure escape route. General Washington realized he'd have to defend New York but didn't think he could hold it against the British.
Evacuation
When Washington was forced to abandon New York, he crossed from Fort Washington to Fort Lee where its namesake, General
Charles Lee commanded.
Forth Washington was held by American forces under the command of Colonel
Robert Magaw, who refused to surrender the fort to the
British. He informed the British that he'd fight to the last extremity.
British General
William Howe ordered
Hessian mercenaries under Lieutenant General
Wilhelm von Knyphausen, and other British soldiers, totaling around 8,000 men, to
capture the fort from the
Patriots. They did so on
November 16,
1776, taking 2,818 prisoners and a large store of supplies. The British renamed it Fort Knyphausen.
The English had been materially assisted by one of Magaw's officers,
William Demont, who on November 2 had deserted and furnished Howe with detailed plans of the American works. The American losses were 53 killed and 96 wounded in addition to the rest of the garrison taken prisoner. The British and Hessian troops suffered 132 killed and 374 wounded.
At this battle was
Margaret Corbin of Virginia, who is recognized as the first female soldier to fight in the American Army. Married to John Corbin of the First Company of the Pennsylvania Artillery, Margaret cleaned, loaded and fired her husband’s cannon when he was killed during the assault on Fort Washington. Although severely injured, Margaret survived the battle but never fully recovered from her wounds, leaving her unable to use her left arm. She is at least one of the candidates as the woman, or women, who inspired the legend of
Molly Pitcher.
The modern day location of Fort Washington is marked by
Bennett Park on Fort Washington Ave. between West 183rd and West 185th Sts. in the
Hudson Heights neighborhood of the
Washington Heights section of
New York City. The location of the fort's walls are marked in the park by stones, along with an inscription. Nearby is a tablet indicating that the schist outcropping nearby is the highest natural point on Manhattan island, one of the reasons for the fort's location.
The park is a few blocks north of the
George Washington Bridge. Along the banks of the
Hudson River below is Fort Washington Park and the small point of land alternately called
Jeffery's Hook or
Fort Washington Point, which is the site of the
Little Red Lighthouse.
Further Information
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