Battle of Fort Washington

The Battle of Fort Washington was a battle fought in the American Revolutionary War between the United States and Great Britain.

Background

Fort Washington was a fort located at the northernmost tip and highest elevation of what is now the borough of Manhattan in New York City, overlooking the Hudson River, which was held by American forces. Along with Fort Lee located just across the river in New Jersey atop the Palisades, the twin forts were intended to protect the lower Hudson from British warships during the campaign around New York in the summer and autumn of 1776. The fort was defended by around 2,900 Continental Army troops and militia under the command of Colonel Robert Magaw. During the fighting on and around Manhattan, the American Army commanded by General George Washington—for whom the fort was named—was forced to withdraw northward, leaving both Forts Washington and Lee isolated. After the Battle of White Plains, the British, under General William Howe turned back south and decided to take the forts.

Battle

On the morning of November 16, 1776, around 8,000 British and German troops, under the command of the British General Lord Howe, attacked Fort Washington. Just before the assault began, George Washington was evacuated to Fort Lee in New Jersey. [McCoullough pg. 240]

Hessian troops were ordered to assault the steepest terrain around the fort, and suffered heavy casualties by Maryland and Virginia riflemen. [McCoullough pg. 241] Despite their losses, the number of Hessians overwhelmed the American defenders and the Hessians successfully gained the heights. [McCoullough pg. 242]

On the southern side of the Fort, 150 American troops held off 800 attacking British. But due to the extended lines, the Americans were overwhelmed, and forced to retreat into the Fort itself. At other parts of the Fort, some Americans gave stiff resistance while others quickly collapsed.

By 1:00 PM, nearly all of the force had been driven inside of the fort. The Hessian commander demanded surrender, but Magaw said he needed time to decide. However, when Howe arrived, he asked the Americans to surrender with no terms other than the promise of their lives. [McCoullough pg. 243] At 3:00 PM, Magaw agreed to surrender.

Casualties

The fall of Fort Washington was a great loss of men and supplies for the American forces. The garrison lost around 59 men killed in action, 100 more wounded, and the rest (totaling 2,837 men) became prisoners of war. Knyphausen reported his casualties at 78 dead and 374 wounded during the storming of the fort, but they are believed to be 86 Killed and 350 Wounded.

Consequences

Four days later, the isolated Fort Lee was evacuated, leaving behind most of the fort's women, gunpowder and other arms to fall into British hands. With the collapse of both forts, the Hudson River was open from then on to British shipping, leaving the merchant ships and warships to move freely without serious harassment from the Americans until the construction of West Point in 1778. Washington's scattered and badly outnumbered army was forced to retreat all the way across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania, setting the stage for the Battle of Trenton.

ources

*Fisher, David Hackett. "Washington's Crossing." Oxford University Press USA, 2004, 576 pages. ISBN 0195170342
*Ketchum, Richard. "The Winter Soldiers: The Battles for Trenton and Princeton". Owl Books, 1999, 448 pages. ISBN 0805060987
* [http://www.washington-heights.us/history/archives/battle_of_fort_washington_35.html Washington Heights history site]
*McCullough, David. "1776". 2005.
*Schecter, Barnet. "The Battle for New York: The City at the Heart of the American Revolution". Walker & Company. October 2002. ISBN 0802713742
* [http://www.britishbattles.com/fort-washington.htm BritishBattles.com] with map
* [http://www.footnote.com/image/445448#445509 Footnote.com] transcripts of General Washington letters to Congress

References