Tag «fortification»

Attack on Fort Independence, New York

Queen's Rangers. Photo care of Queen's Rangers Historical Guard.

On January 17, 1777, Major General William Heath, under orders from General George Washington, took approximately 5,000 militia troops of the Hudson Valley army south to the Spuyten Duyvil at Kingsbridge, about a 15-mile trek. Washington had marched his main army into New Jersey to counter British General Howe’s threatened attack on Fort Washington and …

Redoubts – America’s Forts During the Revolutionary War

Attacking a redbobt.

For centuries, the redoubt was a well-established type of military fortification, however throughout 18th century America, it often became the stand-alone fortress. In North America, where military fortifications were frequently constructed in relatively remote and inaccessible locations, works built from readily available materials (typically stone, lumber and earth) tended to be more common than the …

American Revolution Forts & Defenses of New York City

It is the summer of 1775. Hostilities have erupted between England and her colonies in America. Among a host of concerns and preparations by New York City’s patriots and Provincial Congress is the defense of Manhattan and the surrounding region. On June 26th, 1775, the New York Provincial Congress met as a body for the …