Fort Montgomery general information

Fort Montgomery is the name of multiple fortificationsengineering project was conceived to effectively
in United States history.blockade any naval traffic on the river.
The first fortification which bore that name was builtA boom and chain were built across the river to
during the American Revolution and was one of theprovide a physical barrier in addition to the combined
first major investments by the Americans in strategicfirepower of the fortifications.
construction projects.In July 1776, a committee appointed by the New York
Fort Montgomery was located at the confluence ofconvention, which included John Jay, Robert Livingston,
Popolopen Creek and the Hudson River near BearGeorge Clinton and Robert Yates was appointed to
Mountain in what is now Orange County, New York."devise and carry into execution" measures for
The fortifications consisted of a river battery of six"obstructing the channel of Hudson's river, or annoying
32-pound cannons, a boom and cable across thethe navigation of the said River." It bemoaned the
Hudson River, and landward redoubts connected bysituation of its arms, and made measures to procure
ramparts, all situated on a cliff promontory rising 100more cannon.
feet above the River. The fort was commanded byBattle of Fort Montgomery On October 6, 1777, a
General George Clinton, who was the newly appointedcombined force of roughly 2,100 Loyalists, Hessians,
governor of the state. Fort Montgomery and itsand British regulars led by Lieutenant General Sir Henry
companion fortification Fort Clinton (on the southernClinton attacked Forts Montgomery and Clinton from
bank of the Popolopen) held a combined garrison ofthe landward side (which was only partially completed)
roughly 700 American soldiers.with support from cannon fire from British ships on the
The strategic importance of the ability to controlHudson River. By the end of the day, both forts had
navigation along the Hudson River was obvious tofallen to the British, who burned the forts and tore
both the Americans and the British from the outbreakdown the stonework buildings.
of open hostilities. The Hudson was the major meansAlthough the battle was a complete loss for the
for transportation of supplies and troops throughout aAmericans, it played a small but critical role in the loss
large portion of the northeast. The eventual location ofby the British of their northern campaign. The delays
the fort was noted for its strategic advantage as ainvolved in mounting the campaign against Forts
well-placed location for controlling navigation along theMontgomery and Clinton affected the outcome for the
river as early as the seventeenth century. Only aAmerican forces in Saratoga. This battle had held up
month after the first open armed conflict in Lexington,the expected reinforcements for which General
the Continental Congress indicated its intent to buildBurgoyne was waiting. The irony is that, on the day
fortifications in the Hudson highlands for the purpose ofafter the victory in the Hudson highlands, Burgoyne lost
protecting and maintaining control of the Hudson River.a more well known battle to the north—the
On May 25, 1775, the Continental Congress passed aBattle of Bemis Heights—and was forced to
resolution to construct fortifications along the Hudsonsurrender ten days later with his reinforcements still far
River in order to retain control of the waterway thatto the south.
"…a post be also taken in the Highlands onNineteenth century Fort Montgomery The later Fort
each side of Hudson’s River and batteriesMontgomery was a massive stone fortification built
erected in such a manner as will most effectuallybetween 1844 and 1871 on the northwest arm of Lake
prevent any vessels passing that may be sent toChamplain at Island Point in the town of Rouses Point,
harass the inhabitants on the borders of saidNew York. The first fort at this location was built in
river…"[1].1816 to protect against an attack from British Canada
James Clinton and Christopher Tappan, both lifetimesuch as that which led to the Battle of Plattsburgh in
residents of the area, were sent to scout appropriate1814. This first fort was inadvertently built on the
locations for the required fortifications. The initial siteCanadian side of the border, resulting in its sometimes
chosen was further to the north at West Point, andbeing better known as "Fort Blunder." Construction on
construction of the fortifications to be named Fortthe fort was abandoned after three years, and much
Constitution began. However, difficulties in constructionof its material was cannibalized by the locals. No
and management of the original plan of fortificationsevidence has come to light that this first fort was ever
and the escalating costs involved led to itsnamed. It is often mistakenly referred to as Fort
abandonment. The location on Popolopen CreekMontgomery.
across from Anthony's Nose was proposed, and theThis second fort was constructed after the
materials and resources from Fort Constitution wereWebster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 returned Island
redirected to the construction at the new location.Point to the United States. Fort Montgomery was one
Construction began on the new Fort Montgomery inof a very few "Third System" forts built along the
March 1776.Northern Frontier, most being constructed along the
The strategic importance of the opposite bank ofAtlantic Coast.
Popolopen Creek was quickly realized, as it was anMost of the fort was demolished in 1937 for fill to
elevated cliff terrace that had full view of the locationconstruct a bridge between Rouses Point, New York
of Fort Montgomery, so a smaller fortification namedand Alburg, Vermont. In 1983, the property was sold to
Fort Clinton was built there as well. The placement ofVictor Podds of the Powertek corporation, who
these two forts and their associated cannon batteriesplanned to build Powertek's corporation on it. Podds'
effectively controlled this stretch of the Hudson River.heirs, Victor and Stephen Podds, have since put the
However, in addition to the fortifications, a majorfort up for sale on eBay.