In 1958 the house and thirty of the original acres were purchased from Eleanor Jay Iselin’s heirs by Westchester County and transferred to the State of New York, which opened it to the public in 1964 as John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. The historic house is open most of the year, and can be seen by a guided tour through twelve beautifully furnished period rooms, restored to an 1820's appearance. Specialized tours and education programs are available by appointment. The historic site now encompasses sixty-two acres, including lovingly-tended formal gardens, magnificent woodland walks, rolling meadows, and a cluster of 19th century farm buildings. An 1820's schoolhouse and an 1830s barn are open for touring.

John Jay: First Chief-Justice of the United States
John Jay during the latter part of his life resided in the northern part of Bedford, NY. The annexed sketch of his life is from Blake's Biographical Dictionary: "John Jay, LL.D., first chief-justice of the United States under the constitution of 1789, graduated at Kings, (now Columbia College) in 1764 and in 1768 was admitted to the bar. He was appointed to the first American congress in 1774. Being on the committee with Lee and Livingston to draft an address to the people of Great Britain, he was the writer of the eloquent production. In the congress of 1775, he was on various important committees, performing more service perhaps than any other member except Franklin and John Adams. In May, 1776, he was recalled to assist in forming the government of New York, and in consequence his name is not attached to the Declaration of Independence... Though not a member of the convention, which formed the constitution of the United States, he was present at Annapolis and aided by his advice. He also assisted Madison and Hamilton in writing the Federalist. In the convention of New York he contributed to the adoption of the constitution. He was appointed chief justice by Washington, December 26, 1789. In 1794, he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and succeeded in negotiating the treaty that still goes by his name. Chief-Justice John Jay was governor of the state of New York from 1795 to 1801. The remainder of his life passed in retirement. He died in 1829, aged 84."

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Source: Our country. A household history for all readers, from the discovery of America to the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. By Benson J. Lossing 1813-1891 New York: Johnson, Wilson & co., 1875-78.

"After almost daily skirmishing, the two armies, each about thirteen thousand strong, met in battle array at the village of White Plains, on the 28th of October. The Americans were encamped behind hastily thrown up entrenchments just north of the village, with hills in the rear to retreat to, if necessary. . .

"Howe's army approached in two divisions, the right commanded by Sir Henry Clinton, and the left by Generals De Heister and Erskine. . . Howe dared not attack Washington's breastworks (composed chiefly of cornstalks covered lightly with earth), but waited for reinforcements. They came, just as a severe storm of wind and rain set in. When it ceased at twilight on the 31st, Washington, perceiving Howe's advantage, withdrew under the cover of darkness behind entrenchments on the hills of North Castle, toward the Croton River. Howe did not follow, but falling back, encamped on the heights of Fordham. . .

"On the day of the battle at White Plains, Knyphausen, with six German battalions, crossed the Harlem River at Dyckman's Bridge (present head of navigation), and encamped on the plain between Fort Washington and Kingsbridge. The Americans in the redoubts near by stood firm till the fort was closely invested by the foe. Washington had left it and Fort Lee in charge of Greene. When he heard of the peril that menaced it, he advised that officer to withdraw the garrison and stores, but left the matter to Greene's discretion. When, on the 15th, he reached Fort Lee, he was disappointed in not finding his wishes gratified. Greene desired to hold the fort as a protection to the river; Congress had ordered it to be held till the last extremity, and Magaw, its commander, said he could hold out against the whole British army until December. Washington was not satisfied of its safety, but yielded his judgment and returned to Hackensack. There, at sunset, he received a copy of a reply which Magaw had made to a summons of Howe to surrender, accompanied by a threat to put the garrison to the sword in case of a refusal. To this summons Colonel Magaw replied, protesting against the savage menace, and declaring that he would defend the post to the last extremity. Washington immediately rode to Fort Lee. Greene had crossed over to the island. The chief started in a row-boat in the same direction, and met Greene on the river in the star-light returning with Putnam. They told the chief that the garrison were in fine spirits, and confident that they could successfully defend themselves. It was then too late to withdraw them, and Washington returned to Fort Lee, but was not satisfied.

"Howe had planted heavy guns on the lofty banks of the Harlem River just above the present High Bridge, and from there he opened a severe cannonade early in the morning of the 16th, upon the northern outworks of Fort Washington, to cover the landing of attacking troops from a flotilla of flat-boats which had passed up the Hudson in the night, and been concealed in Spuyten Duyvel Creek. These outworks were defended on the north-east by Colonel Rawlings, with Maryland riflemen and militia from Mercer's Flying Camp under Colonel Baxter. The lines toward New York were defended by Pennsylvania commanded by Colonel Lambert Cadwallader. Magaw commanded in the fort. Rawlings and Baxter occupied redoubts on rugged and heavily-wooded hills.

"The attack was made by four columns. Knyphausen, with Hessians and Waldeckers, moved from the plain along the rough hills nearest the Hudson River on the north at the same time Lord Percy led a division of English and Hessian troops to attack the lines on the south. General Matthews, supported by Lord Cornwallis, crossed the stream near Kingsbridge, with guards, light-infantry, and grenadiers, under cover of the guns near the High Bridge, while Colonel Sterling, with the 42nd regiment of Highlanders, crossed at a point a little above the High Bridge. Knyphausen divided his forces. One division under Colonel Rall (killed at Trenton a few weeks afterward) drove the Americans from Cock Hill Fort, a small redoubt near Spuyten Duyvel Creek, while Knyphausen, with the remainder, penetrated the woods near Tubby Hook, and after clambering over rocks and felled trees, attacked Rawlings in a redoubt afterward called Fort Tryon. Meanwhile Percy had driven in the American pickets at Harlem Cove (Manhattanville), and attacked Cadwallader at the advanced line of entrenchments. A gallant fight ensued, when Percy yielded and took shelter behind some woods.

" . . . When near the upper border of Trinity Cemetery (One Hundred and Fifty-fifth street), he was attacked on the flank by Sterling, who was pursuing across the island to intercept him. He passed on and reached the fort with a loss of a few killed, and about thirty made prisoners. Meanwhile the German and British assailants on the north, who were as four to one of the Americans in number, pressed the latter back to the fort, when Rall sent a summons to Magaw to surrender. This was soon followed by a like summons from Howe. The fight outside had been desperate. The ground was strewn with the mingled bodies of Americans, Germans, and Britons. Resistance to pike, ball, and bayonet, wielded by five thousand veteran soldiers, was now vain, and at noon Magaw yielded.

"At half-past one o'clock the British flag waved over the fort in triumph, where the American flag had been unfurled in the morning with defiance. The Americans had lost in killed and wounded not more than one hundred men; the British had lost almost a thousand. The garrison that surrendered numbered, with militia, about twenty-five hundred, of whom over two thousand were disciplined regulars. Knyphausen received Magaw's sword, and to the Germans and Highlanders were justly awarded the honors of the victory. Washington, standing on the brow of the Palisades at Fort Lee, with the author of "Common Sense" by his side, witnessed the disaster with anguish, but could afford no relief. The fort was lost to the Americans forever, and was named Knyphausen. Its unfortunate garrison filled the prisons of New York and crowded the British prison-ships wherein they were dreadful suffers."

Benedict Arnold, a Traitor in the American Revolution:

Although Benedict Arnold fought many battles in the American Revolution victoriously; he will mostly be remembered for his treachery as a traitor. It appears from historical documents that Arnold believed he was not sufficiently rewarded by his country nor respected by his fellow officers. He also wanted to maintain the high standard of living he afforded himself and his wife Peggy.

While the British had occupied Philadelphia, his beautiful and flirtatious wife Peggy enjoyed the attention of the British. Among her many admirers had been British major John André. It is believed that Peggy connected her husband Benedict Arnold with Major André. "Benedict Arnold wrote pages of U.S. military secrets and convinced John André to carry them back to British headquarters concealed in his boots." In response, André assured Arnold that if he helped the British, he would be richly rewarded.

André established a code by which he and Arnold could communicate, and they did so in the months to follow. However, André let Arnold know that he wanted something that would help the British to capture West Point, a military complex on the western shores of the Hudson River, and where approaching vessels could be sighted and where the Americans could command the Hudson River waterway.

Arnold sent André the reply he wanted. Arnold stated, in his own handwriting, that he would surrender West Point for a guaranteed payment of 10,000 pounds.

Decoded message from Benedict Arnold to André:
"the following Preliminaries be settled previous to cooperating. - / First, that S[ir]. Henry secure to me my property, valued at ten thou- / sand pounds Sterling, to be paid to me or my Heirs in case of / Loss; and, as soon as that happens [strike out] shall happen, ---- hundred / pounds per annum to be secured to me for life, in lieu of the / pay and emoluments I give up, for my Services as they shall / deserve - If I point out a plan of cooperation by which S[ir}. H[enry]. / shall possess himself of West Point, the Garrison, etc. etc. etc. twenty / thousand pounds Sterling I think will be a cheap purchase for / an object of so much importance. At the same time I request / thousand pounds to be paid my Agent - I expect a full / and explicit answer - The 20th I set off for West Point . . ."

With this arrangement in mind, Arnold tried to get command of the West Point complex. He often visited West Point, while continuing to send André confidential information. During discussions with General George Washington, Arnold convinced Washington to give him, Benedict Arnold, command of West Point.

On September 22, 1780 André and Arnold met in a private and secluded area. During this meeting that lasted for hours into the night, André's getaway ship, the Vulture, moved position due to the Americans firing on the ship. Arnold provided André and his escorts with passes, an expensive horse, and six pages of information about West Point. André placed secret papers in his boots.

On the morning of September 25, 1780, while having breakfast in his home, a messenger delivered a letter to Arnold. The letter stated that Major André had been captured. After a court hearing, André was condemned to death by hanging. On Monday, October 5, 1780, at noon, André was hung. He was 30 years of age.

As news about General Benedict Arnold spread throughout the country, patriots felt a renewed strength and purpose. Their country was attacked from within. Benedict Arnold, a distinguished Revolutionary War general, became a traitor. In answer to Arnold’s treacherous acts, Americans united in patriotic fervor and spirits soared in a "unity of purpose".

In 1780, Arnold led a British raid on New London, Connecticut. Arnold and his family fled to England in December, 1781. In England, Arnold tried repeatedly to secure a high military position with the British army. After many failed attempts, he turned to trade. Benedict Arnold died on June 14, 1801. Benedict Arnold is buried in England.

Press blue button for more information about Benedict Arnold and Major André.

Sources:
Dell, Pamela. 2005. Benedict Arnold, From Patriot to Traitor:l (Series - Signature Lives) 2005/01/01, Publisher - Compass Point Books
Collections of the Clements Library, and the Goldstar Collection
Spy Letters of the American Revolution

Press blue button for an exhibit on spy letters from the William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Gallery of Letters provides a brief description of each letter and links to more information about the stories of the spies in the letter and the secret methods used to make the letter.

Read the letter that John André sent to Benedict Arnold through his agent Joseph Stansbury. The letter instructed Benedict Arnold in the types of information to gather for the British and the ways to relay this information secretly. Read more about Benedict Arnold in the American Revolutionary War.

Press blue button for a record of the exhibit, as it appeared in the display cases of the William L. Clements Library. Each page features an image of a single display case and its contents, with details of the artifacts and the accompanying text.

This exhibit guides you through a comprehensive study of George Washington

Few men have had as profound an influence on the course of recorded human history as George Washington. He precipitated a military skirmish that literally started a world war. It resulted in Britain's conquest of Canada and much of our own Midwest, including Michigan. He served as Commander in Chief throughout the American Revolutionary War, the very embodiment of the conflict. As our first President, he endowed our political system with many of the precedents that make the United States the unique nation that it remains today. He was America's "first citizen," the "father of our country," the only President elected unanimously to office.

Yet he is a man little known today as a human being. He possessed a kind of natural reserve and dignity while "on the job" that was almost impenetrable, and held positions of public service most of his life. There was a more relaxed, private side to Washington that family members and close personal friends often saw. He had an ironic sense of humor. Although his own lifestyle was refined and aristocratic, he liked people and had exceptional rapport with the common man. But existing documentation provides only hints and glimpses of it. Any sort of understanding of the man was made difficult during his lifetime by the idealization that society demanded of its first leader. Americans of the time needed a hero to rationalize the acts of inhumanity and deep personal sacrifice they had to make to bring the United States into existence.

November 21, 1777
Letter from Gen. Samuel Parsons to Gov. Tryon.

Letter from Gen. Samuel Parsons, dated Mamaroneck, Nov. 21, 1777, to Gov. Tryon

"Sir, Adding to the natural horrors of war the most wanton destruction of property, is an act of cruelty unknown to civilized nations, and unaccustomed in war, until the servants of the king of Great Britain have convinced the impartial world, no act of inhumanity, no stretch of despotism, are too great to exercise towards those they term rebels.

"Had any apparent advantage been derived from burning the house on Philips' manor, last Monday, there would have been some reason to justify the measure; but when no benefit whatever can be proposed, by burning those buildings and stripping the women and children of necessary apparel, to cover them from the severity of a cold night, and captivating and leading in triumph to your lines, in the most ignominious manner, the heads of those families, I know not what justifiable cause to assign for those acts of cruelty; nor can I conceive a necessity for your further order to destroy Tarrytown.

"You cannot be insensible it is every day in my power to destroy the houses and buildings of Col. Philips, and those belonging to the family of Delancy, each as near your lines as those buildings were to my guards; and notwithstanding your utmost diligence, you cannot prevent the destruction of every house this side of King's bridge. It is not fear, it is not want of opportunity that has preserved those buildings; but a sense of the injustice and savageness of such a line of conduct has saved them: and nothing but necessity will induce me to copy examples of this sort so often set by your troops.

"It is not my inclination, sir, to war in this manner, against the inhabitants within your lines, who suppose themselves within your king's protection. But necessity will oblige me to retaliate in kind upon your friends, to procure the exercise of that justice which humanity used to dictate: unless your explicit disavowal of your two captains, Emmerick and Barns, shall convince me these houses were burned without your knowledge and against your order.

"I am, sir, your humble servant, Samuel H. Parsons"

November 23, 1777
Letter from Governor Tryon in response to Gen. Samuel Parsons letter.

Governor Tryon's answer, dated King's bridge camp, Nov. 23d, 1777

" Sir, Could I possibly conceive myself accountable to any revolted subject of the king of Great Britain, I might answer your letter received by the flag of truce yesterday, respecting the conduct of the party under Capt. Emmerick's command upon the taking of Peter and Cornelius Van Tassell; I have, however, candor enough to assure you, as much as I abhor every principle of inhumanity, or ungenerous conduct, I should, were I in more authority, burn every committee man's house within my reach, as I deem those agents the wicked instruments of the continued calamities of this country: and in order sooner to purge this country of them, I am willing to give twenty-five dollars for every acting committee man, who shall be delivered up to the king's troops: I guess before the end of next campaign, they will be torn in pieces by their own countrymen, whom they have forcibly dragged in opposition to their principles and duty (after fining them to the extent of their property) to take up arms against their lawful sovereign, and compelling them to exchange their happy constitution, for paper, rags, anarchy, and distress.

"The ruins from the conflagration of New York, by the emissaries of your party last year, remain a memorial of their tender regard for their fellow beings exposed to the 'severity of a cold night.'

"This is the first correspondence I have held with the king's enemies, on my put in America, and as I am immediately under the command of Sir Henry Clinton, your future letters, dictated with decency, would be more properly directed to his excellency.

"I am, sir, your most obedient servant, William Tryon, Major Gen."

Sunday the 23d, 1777
. . . and by some means or other Gen. Delancy's house at Bloomingdale, on York Island, took fire on the 25th at night.

From the Connecticut Journal, Dec. 10, 1777

"James Delancy, late sheriff of Westchester, and colonel of the enemy's militia, was taken last week by one of our scouts; the colonel was found under a bed, and for a better defense, had surrounded himself with a bulwark of baskets. He was dragged from his humble redoubt, put under a proper guard, and sent to a place better secured."

Find out more about the Historic 1777 & 1779 American Revolution Trail in the American War for Independence.

One evening in September of 1780, Major André and Gen. Arnold planned a clandestine meeting. The meeting lasted until dawn of the next morning. By then, it was determined to be too risky to take André back to his ship, the Vulture, which was setting sail for British headquarters in New York City.

The next day the Americans fired upon the Vulture from Croton Point, forcing it to leave without André. Benedict Arnold gave André a horse and recommended that André travel to Tarrytown, a neutral territory. André was riding south on the eastside of the Hudson River when he encountered John Paulding with David Williams and Isaac Van Wart. Paulding, who had recently escaped from a British prison in New York City, was wearing a Hessian coat.

It was September 23, 1780, when André approached the group thinking they were allies. The three militiamen questioned André and became suspicious. Upon further investigation they found plans to West Point hidden in André's boot. Major André was carrying papers describing the fortification of West Point, given to him by Benedict Arnold.

André attempted to bribe the militiamen with large sums of money and goods. Although the three militiamen were farmers of modest means, they refused the large monetary bribes offered by Major John André, and brought him to Army headquarters. André was tried and convicted as a spy and hanged in Tappan, New York on October 2, 1780. Benedict Arnold escaped to England.

The actions of these three patriots thwarted a plot between Major John André and General Benedict Arnold in which Arnold had planned to surrender West Point to the British.

When George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, was told of these events, he personally recommended that the militiamen are rewarded. On October 7, 1780, General George Washington, wrote to the President of Congress “to communicate the names of the three persons who captured Major André, and who refused to release him, notwithstanding the most earnest importunities and assurances of a liberal reward on his part.” Washington said that the service of John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart, “merits our warmest esteem; and I beg leave to add, that I think the public will do well to make them a handsome gratuity. They have prevented in all probability our suffering one of the severest strokes that could have been meditated against us."

The United States Congress passed a resolution on November 3, 1780, commending the three captors. In gratitude for having captured André, “whereby the dangerous and traitorous conspiracy of Benedict Arnold was brought to light, the insidious designs of the enemy baffled, and the United States rescued from impending danger,” they were awarded a silver medal and an annual £200 pension ("two hundred dollars in specie or an equivalent in the current money of these States") for the rest of their lives. In addition, the New York legislature voted to give each of them farmland valued at £500.

Their Patriotism is remembered
Throughout their lifetimes, John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, and David Williams, were highly commemorated. In addition to being awarded federal pensions and valuable farms; streets in Westchester County were named for each of the men, statues have been erected, and the state of Ohio has named 3 counties after each of the honored militiamen that captured Major André. In 1853, near Patriot's Park, a monument was erected to honor the three heroic militiamen. At a later dedication, the monument was increased and a bronze stature of John Paulding was added. There is a dedication in stone on the south side of the monument which reads:

"On this spot the 23rd day of September, 1780, the spy, Major John André, Adjutant General of the British Army, was captured by John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart, all natives of this county. History has told the rest.

The people of Westchester County have erected this Monument, as well to commemorate a great Event, as to testify their high estimation of that Integrity and Patriotism which, rejecting every temptation, rescued the United States from most imminent peril by baffling the arts of a Spy and the plots of a Traitor. Dedicated October 7, 1853."

On the north side of the block an inscription reads, "Their conduct merits our warmest esteem. They have prevented, in all probability, our suffering one of the severest strokes that could have been meditated against us" written by George Washington.

Inclosed in a cover addressed to M[r.] Anderson / Two days since I received a letter without date or Signature, / informing me that S[ir]. Henry ------ was obliged to me for intelligence / communicated, and that he placed a full confidence in the Sincerity / of my intentions, etc. etc. On the 13th Instant I addressed a letter / to you expressing my Sentiments and expectations, viz, that / the following Preliminaries be settled previous to cooperating. - / First, that S[ir]. Henry secure to me my property, valued at ten thou- / sand pounds Sterling, to be paid to me or my Heirs in case of / Loss; and, as soon as that happens [strike out] shall happen, ---- hundred / pounds per annum to be secured to me for life, in lieu of the / pay and emoluments I give up, for my Services as they shall / deserve - If I point out a plan of cooperation by which S[ir}. H[enry]. / shall possess himself of West Point, the Garrison, etc. etc. etc. twenty / thousand pounds Sterling I think will be a cheap purchase for / an object of so much importance. At the same time I request / thousand pounds to be paid my Agent - I expect a full / and explicit answer - The 20th I set off for West Point. A / personal interview with an officer that you can confide in / is absolutely necessary to plan matters. In the mean time / I shall communicate to our mutual Friend S[tansbur]y all the / intelligence in my power, until I have the pleasure of your answer. / Moore / July 15th [1780] / To the line of my letter of the 13th / I did not add seven.

Press blue button for Coded Letter.
Source: Collections of the Clements Library, and the Goldstar Collection

Press blue button to see decoded Spy letter.
Source: Collections of the Clements Library, and the Clinton Collection

In 1778, at Washington's orders Benjamin Tallmadge organized a spy network in New York City, the heart of the British forces. Tallmadge was to take all precautions that this ring would be extremely secret; in fact, it was so secret that Washington did not know who the men in the spy ring were. Robert Townsend, Aaron Woodhull, Austin Roe, Anna Strong, and Caleb Brewster made up this ring, and the code name for it was Samuel Culper.

The Shot Heard Round The World
"On April 19, 1775, was fired "the shot heard round the world." It was the shot fired for freedom and democracy by the Americans at Lexington and Concord. In 1836, upon the completion of the battle monument at Concord;, the gallant deeds of those early patriots were commemorated by Emerson in verse.

"By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

"This is not the only shot for freedom fired by America and Americans. As President Wilson has said, "The might of America is the might of a sincere love for the freedom of mankind." The shots of the Civil War were fired for united democracy and universal freedom.

" . . . On April 6, 1917, the shot was heard again. The whole world had been listening anxiously for it, and was not disappointed.

"Those against whom the first American shot for freedom was fired in 1775 have now become the strongest defenders of liberty and democracy. Their country is one of the three greatest democracies of the world. Shoulder to shoulder, the Americans and British fight for the freedom of mankind everywhere. They fight to defend the truth and to make this truth serve downtrodden peoples as well as the mighty."

Lest we forget: world war stories was used as a source for The Shot Heard Round The World. This book "was written as a reading book or as an historical reader for the upper grammar grades. While great care has been employed to secure accuracy of fact and to select material of permanent value, the stories are written in a manner that will appeal to children."

Source: Lest we forget: world war stories by John Gilbert Thompson, Inez Bigwood (1918 Silver, Burdett, Original from Harvard University)

The American Revolution, "American War of Independence"
The American Revolution, 1775-1783 was a conflict between 13 British colonies on the eastern shores of North America and their mother country, Great Britain. The colonies won the war against the British and became a separate nation called "The United States of America". Many historians also refer to the American Revolution as "The American War of Independence".

The American Revolution, ended two centuries of British rule over most of the North American Colonies, resulting in the formation of the United States of America. One of the causes of the American Revolution can be traced to the end of the French and Indian War, when Britain had succeeded in gaining territory from France at the expense of increasing its already enormous national debt. In an attempt to relieve Britain of its financial burden, British Parliament decided that the American Colonists would have to help pay for their own defense, despite the fact that a French invasion was no longer a real threat.

Toward this end, Parliament passed the first of several tax laws, the Stamp Act, which taxed all paper products in the colonies. The Americans declared it was unfair to tax them when they had no representation in Parliament, and protests eventually escalated to open hostilities in 1775, when the British Regulars fired on the Minutemen in Lexington, Massachusetts.

This conflict contributed to the formation of the Continental Congress (which directed the American war effort) and to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The first years of the war saw major defeats for American forces, who were outnumbered 3-1 by the British army, but the tide soon turned as nations such as France, Spain and the Netherlands offered troops and assistance, elevating the conflict to the status of an international war.

After eight long years of fighting, George Washington's army and a force under the French Count de Rochambeau trapped Lord Cornwallis, the leader of the British army, in Yorktown. This siege ended with Cornwallis surrendering his army of more than 7,000 men on October 19, 1781. However, it wasn't until the Treaty of Paris in 1783, a full eight years after the initial outbreak of violence, that Great Britain signed the formal peace treaty recognizing the former colonies as an independent nation.

Today, visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the mansion as well as an orientation exhibition in the Visitor Center focusing on Philip Schuyler's life. Temporary exhibitions and public programs are scheduled year-round. Tours for school and adult groups, as well as outreach programs, are available by reservation. Press blue button for attractions and more information about Schuyler Mansion.

Robert R. Livingston, Jr. was Clermont's most notable resident. His accomplishments include: drafting the Declaration of Independence, serving as first U.S. Minister of Foreign Affairs, administering the oath of office to George Washington, negotiating the Louisiana Purchase, and developing steamboat technology with Robert Fulton. Today, Clermont appears much as it did in the early 20th century . . . Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, Clermont is an anchor in the 1990 Hudson River National Landmark District.

American Revolution / War of Independence
Because of the Livingston family's prominent role in support of independence, Clermont was burned by British troops under the command of General John Vaughan during a foray up the Hudson River in the autumn of 1777. Margaret Beekman Livingston, who managed the estate during most of the war years, rebuilt the family home between 1779 and 1782.

Press blue button for attractions and events at Clermont State Historic Site.

Candlelight tours of museum and grounds
Child's Christmas (stories and treats)
Croquet Tournament
Farm, Food & Music Festival

Two years later, in September, 1783, after much diplomacy, the Treaty of Paris was signed and the former 13 colonies were recognized as an independent nation; the United States of America was born.

Read about the American Revolution through different perspectives, written at different times in history, by different historians. Historical works used as a source for this section, may be accessed online and read in its entirety.

The American Revolution
Learn about The American Revolution and its several phases, including: Causes of the American Revolution; Outbreak of the American Revolution; Formation of the Continental Army; the Invasion of Canada and Fall of Boston; and The New Nation.

The above topics are followed by a brief summation of The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783.

The American Revolution: Causes
"The American Revolution came about, fundamentally, because by 1763 the English-speaking communities on the far side of the Atlantic had matured to an extent that their interests and goals were distinct from those of the ruling classes in the mother country. British statesmen failed to understand or adjust to the situation. Ironically enough, British victory in the Seven Years' War set the stage for the revolt, for it freed the colonists from the need for British protection against a French threat on their frontiers and gave free play to the forces working for separation.

This information has been sourced from The American Revolution: First Phase, Extracted from: American Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, DC 1989. The Army Historical Series can be accessed online and read in its entirety.

Two years later, in September, 1783, after much diplomacy, the Treaty of Paris was signed and the former 13 colonies were recognized as an independent nation; the United States of America was born.

Read about the American Revolution through different perspectives, written at different times in history, by different historians. Historical works used as a source for this section, may be accessed online and read in its entirety.

The American Revolution
Learn about The American Revolution and its several phases, including: Causes of the American Revolution; Outbreak of the American Revolution; Formation of the Continental Army; the Invasion of Canada and Fall of Boston; and The New Nation.

The above topics are followed by a brief summation of The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783.

The American Revolution: The Outbreak
"The First Continental Congress meeting at Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, addressed respectful petitions to Parliament and king but also adopted nonimportation and nonexportation agreements in an effort to coerce the British Government into repealing the offending measures. To enforce these agreements, committees were formed in almost every county, town, and city throughout the colonies, and in each colony these committees soon became the effective local authorities, the base of a pyramid of revolutionary organizations with revolutionary assemblies, congresses, or conventions, and committees of safety at the top. This loosely knit combination of de facto governments superseded the constituted authorities and established firm control over the whole country before the British were in any position to oppose them. The de facto governments took over control of the militia, and out of it began to shape forces that, if the necessity arose, might oppose the British in the field.

This information has been sourced from The American Revolution: First Phase, Extracted from: American Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, DC 1989. The Army Historical Series can be accessed online and read in its entirety.

Two years later, in September, 1783, after much diplomacy, the Treaty of Paris was signed and the former 13 colonies were recognized as an independent nation; the United States of America was born.

Read about the American Revolution through different perspectives, written at different times in history, by different historians. Historical works used as a source for this section, may be accessed online and read in its entirety.

The American Revolution
Learn about The American Revolution and its several phases, including: Causes of the American Revolution; Outbreak of the American Revolution; Formation of the Continental Army; the Invasion of Canada and Fall of Boston; and The New Nation.

The above topics are followed by a brief summation of The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783.

The American Revolution: Formation of the Continental Army
"The response of George III and his ministers to the events at Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill was a determined effort to subdue the rebellious colonists by force. It took time to mount this effort, and after Bunker Hill the Americans enjoyed a respite lasting almost a year. . . Military preparations were designed for a short struggle, to endure no longer than the end of the year 1776. Nevertheless the Americans took advantage of the respite to create a national army, to consolidate their hold on the governmental machinery throughout the thirteen colonies, to invade Canada, and finally to force the British to evacuate Boston.

This information has been sourced from The American Revolution: First Phase, Extracted from: American Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, DC 1989. The Army Historical Series can be accessed online and read in its entirety.

Two years later, in September, 1783, after much diplomacy, the Treaty of Paris was signed and the former 13 colonies were recognized as an independent nation; the United States of America was born.

Read about the American Revolution through different perspectives, written at different times in history, by different historians. Historical works used as a source for this section, may be accessed online and read in its entirety.

The American Revolution
Learn about The American Revolution and its several phases, including: Causes of the American Revolution; Outbreak of the American Revolution; Formation of the Continental Army; the Invasion of Canada and Fall of Boston; and The New Nation.

The above topics are followed by a brief summation of The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783.

The American Revolution: Invasion of Canada and the Fall of Boston
"The major military operations of 1775 and early 1776 were not around Boston but in far-distant Canada, which the Americans tried to add as a fourteenth colony. Canada seemed a tempting and vulnerable target. To take it would eliminate a British base at the head of the familiar invasion route along the lake and river chain connecting the St. Lawrence with the Hudson. Congress, getting no response to an appeal to the Canadians to join in its cause, in late June 1775 instructed Maj. Gen. Philip Schuyler of New York to take possession of Canada if "practicable" and "not disagreeable to the Canadians."

This information has been sourced from The American Revolution: First Phase, Extracted from: American Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, DC 1989. The Army Historical Series can be accessed online and read in its entirety."

Two years later, in September, 1783, after much diplomacy, the Treaty of Paris was signed and the former 13 colonies were recognized as an independent nation; the United States of America was born.

Read about the American Revolution through different perspectives, written at different times in history, by different historians. Historical works used as a source for this section, may be accessed online and read in its entirety.

The American Revolution
Learn about The American Revolution and its several phases, including: Causes of the American Revolution; Outbreak of the American Revolution; Formation of the Continental Army; the Invasion of Canada and Fall of Boston; and The New Nation.

The above topics are followed by a brief summation of The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783.

The American Revolution: The New Nation
"The Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, established a new nation and transformed a limited revolt to secure rights within the British empire into a far-reaching one, aimed at complete independence from British control. Since the king and his ministers had determined to restore British rule, the Americans now faced a long, hard struggle for independence requiring a sustained national effort such as they had not expected in 1775.

This information has been sourced from The American Revolution: First Phase, Extracted from: American Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, DC 1989. The Army Historical Series can be accessed online and read in its entirety.

Two years later, in September, 1783, after much diplomacy, the Treaty of Paris was signed and the former 13 colonies were recognized as an independent nation; the United States of America was born.

Read about the American Revolution through different perspectives, written at different times in history, by different historians. Historical works used as a source for this section, may be accessed online and read in its entirety.

The American Revolution
Learn about The American Revolution and its several phases, including: Causes of the American Revolution; Outbreak of the American Revolution; Formation of the Continental Army; the Invasion of Canada and Fall of Boston; and The New Nation.

The above topics are followed by a brief summation of The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783.

The American Revolution: The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783
"The American victory in the War of the Revolution was a product of many factors, no one of which can be positively assigned first importance. Washington, looking back on the vicissitudes of eight years, could only explain it as the intervention of "Divine Providence." American historians in the nineteenth century saw that "Divine Providence" as having been manifested primarily in the character and genius of the modest Commander in Chief himself. Washington's leadership was clearly one of the principal factors in American success; it seems fair to say that the Revolution could hardly have succeeded without him. . .

This information has been sourced from The Winning of Independence, 1777-1783, Extracted from: American Military History, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, DC 1989. The Army Historical Series can be accessed online and read in its entirety.

There are several accounts of the Battle of Fort Washington. Following, are excerpts from three highly regarded books about the Battle of Fort Washington in the American Revolution:

Source: Rise, and Fight Again: Perilous Times Along the Road to Independence, by Charles Bracelen Flood

November 16, 1776. "Heavy rains spoiled Major General, William Howe's planned second attack on the American army near White Plains on October 31. The next day the Americans were found to be apparently well entrenched at North Castle Heights. The rebel earthworks were composed largely of cornstalks pulled from nearby fields, whose roots, full of clinging soil, faced outward. Howe may have been discouraged by these illusory defenses, but his goal remained the complete removal of American troops from Manhattan, not the annihilation of Washington's army. His attention returned to Fort Washington which the American commander in chief had left garrisoned under Colonel Robert Magaw after a general rebel evacuation of the island."

Source: History Of The American Revolution, by John R. Alden (De Capo Press, 1989)

" . . . Washington decided to evacuate Manhattan, except for the fort named after him; and to concentrate at White Plains. He ought also to have abandoned Fort Washington, for the troops within it were left without support and exposed to British attack. But he did withdraw the bulk of his men on Manhattan in time . . .

" . . . At White Plains the Patriot army was in improved spirits. It had diminished to 14,500 men. But the morale of the Americans had been improved by the good showing they had made in the several skirmishes that took place after the capture of New York: by a few days of rest, by the arrival of food and drink, and perhaps even by the departure of many deserters. Moreover, the Patriot army was no longer seriously threatened with encirclement.

" . . . One attack by the Hessians and another by the British were repulsed. Gradually, the Americans on Chatterton's were almost encompassed by their enemies. Before Washington could reinforce them, they were driven from the hill . . . The losses on both sides at White Plains were counted in scores rather than in thousands. Nevertheless, the battle was a great turning point, since General Howe soon afterward abandoned his stately and dignified pursuit of Washington's army and turned westward.

"They entered New York Harbor in scores, the tall-sailed warships of Admiral Howe and the humbler transports carrying the troops of General Howe. From Manhattan, week after week in July and August of 1776, General Washington watched the British forces grow. The Patriots had resolved, if possible, to defend the city, and Washington had collected a large army there. At last, when all was ready, General Howe moved to the attack. He routed one third of Washington's troops in the battle of Long Island; he seized the city; he pursued Washington to White Plains and defeated him there; he easily captured Fort Washington and its large American garrison; and he drove the Patriot general across New Jersey and the Delaware River. He won a chain of victories in the late summer and autumn of 1776, and the Patriots seemed to be in the direst distress. But the British had not conquered, as they had planned to do, New England. And suddenly, as winter came on, Washington struck back.

"He overcame a Hessian garrison at Trenton, defeated a British detachment at Princeton, and went into secure winter quarters, early in 1777, at Morristown in the hills of New Jersey. When weariness, cold, and snow forced both the British and the Patriots to remain quiet, Howe held only New York, Long Island, Newport, and eastern New Jersey. Guy Carleton and his army were still in Canada and the Patriots had survived the first powerful British onslaughts.

"As the Patriot commander in chief feared, William Howe had determined to take Fort Washington. Colonel Magaw had more than 3,000 men to defend it, but its works were unfinished. Howe knew that it was by no means impregnable. He had the opportunity to hit hard a the Patriots with very little risk of encountering a check. He began to move troops and artillery into position for assault during the night of November 14. The following day Magaw was summoned to surrender. He replied that he would fight to the "last extremity". On the morning of November 16, 8,000 British and Hessian soldiers advanced to the attack in four divisions, supported by artillery fire and also by cannonading from the frigate Pearl, stationed in the Hudson. Howe intended to make three assaults: the fourth division was merely to feign an attack. As it turned out, all four parts of the royal troops took part in the battle that followed. Magaw tried to defend the approaches to the fort. He did not have enough men to do it . . . The British and the Hessians drove forward in overwhelming force, penned Magaw's men within the unfinished fort, and compelled its surrender before the end of the day. The British and Hessians are reported to have had 78 killed and 374 wounded, the Americans only 59 slain and 96 injured. But the outcome was nothing less than disastrous for the Patriots. The British captured 2,607 American soldiers and 230 officers together with all their weapons, large quantities of artillery, ammunitions, tents, and other military equipment. The Americans had suffered a grievous blow."

Source: Almost A Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence, John Ferling (2007 Oxford University Press, USA)

"The British surrounded the installation and brought up their artillery. Before they opened fire, Magaw was offered the opportunity to surrender. To refuse was to invite a bombardment that was certain to be catastrophic. Furthermore, to lose after refusing to surrender was to run the risk that the victors, driven to an insane fury by the loss of comrades, would give no quarter. Magaw, who had blustered of fighting to the death and of holding out for weeks, conceded to brutal reality. He surrendered. From start to finish, the operation had consumed only five hours. When the gates of Fort Washington opened, 2,870 men paraded into British captivity. Another 149 Americans had been killed and wounded in the battle, and vast amounts of arms were lost. The British in turn, had lost 458 killed, wounded, and missing, proportionally but a small fraction of their losses at Bunker Hill . . ."

Click to enlarge sign at Fort Clinton.

The sign reads: Fort Clinton Oct. 6, 1777, Orange County Militia Defended this Post, stormed by British, On futile Expedition to, Aid Burgoyne at Saratoga Fort Clinton was constructed on the south side of Popolopen Creek on a rocky ridge overlooking the Hudson River below, oriented to cover a 400-yard wide plain before the drop to the waterway. Fort Montgomery also overlooked the Hudson River, but was situated on the northern shore of Popolopen Creek, which ran west from the Hudson . . . Learn more about the American Revolution in the Hudson River Valley and the Battles at Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery.

Battles Of The Revolutionary War: 1775-1781 by W.J. Wood (Dec 23, 2003) "Now began what could be called the campaign of the Clintons. Sir Henry was opposed by an American Clinton, Major General George Clinton, who was also governor of New York. The governor had a brother, Brigadier General James Clinton. George commanded Fort Montgomery; James commanded Fort Clinton. "Sir Henry left 1,000 men at Verplanck's Point and with the remaining 2,000 moved up the west side of the Hudson, sending 900 men under Lieutenant Colonel Campbell against Fort Montgomery, while Sir Henry himself led the remainder to Fort Clinton. The British successfully stormed both forts, though suffering a combined loss of over 300 killed and wounded. The 600 Americans in the two forts took an even heavier proportion of losses: 250 killed, wounded, or missing." Fort Clinton, Today Today, the site of Fort Clinton is part of Bear Mountain State Park. Unfortunately, most of Fort Clinton was demolished during the construction of the Bear Mountain Bridge and nearby Route 9W. Fort Montgomery, Today Today, Fort Montgomery is an archeological site and a historic ruin. Fort Montgomery State Historic Site is a genuine vestige of our nation's struggle for independence. Visitors will see the actual foundations of the fort's buildings and remains of the fort's earthworks. Visit Fort Montgomery and tour the remains of the 14-acre fortification, perched on a cliff overlooking the Hudson River. Visitors can learn about this important military post at the new Visitor Center. You can view original artifacts and weapons, large scale models of the fort and the attack, detailed mannequins frozen in poses of battle, and a fifteen minute movie of the 1777 assault.

Information Source
The history of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton during the American Revolutionary War; a War of Independence between the Americans and England, is sourced from interpretive signs at the Fort Montgomery Visitor Center and on the Fort Montgomery historic trails.

Click to enlarge sign about Fort Montgomery in the American Revolution.
The interpretive sign reads: Welcome to Fort Montgomery "You are standing near the western end of Fort Montgomery: a Revolutionary War fort built to defend the Hudson Highlands and protect American control of the Hudson River. On October 6, 1777, the British captured Fort Montgomery and destroyed it in the days that followed. "Trails from this parking area lead to two of the fort's redoubts. The trail that passes beneath the highway will take you to the Fort Montgomery visitor center and Fort Montgomery's remains where interpretive signs will help you understand the history of the fort and the battle." Today, Fort Montgomery is an archeological site and a historic ruin. Fort Montgomery was the scene of a fierce battle for control of the Hudson River during the American Revolutionary War; the Hudson was considered strategic by both the Americans and the British during the American War for Independence.
Building Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton "Early in the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress realized that the Hudson River was critical to the American cause. If the British controlled the river, they could divide the rebellious colonies. Therefore, the Americans began work on Fort Montgomery in March 1776. . . " . . . When the Americans discovered that the land on the opposite side of the Popolopen Creek was higher and would threaten Fort Montgomery if held by the enemy, they began constructing a second fort there, called Fort Clinton. They connected the two forts by a pontoon bridge. . . "Fort Montgomery was a bustling community of hundreds of people. Soldiers, laborers, merchants, families, servants, and slaves lived at or visited the fort. Ships and boats arriving and departing added to the atmosphere of a small city. "Supplies were often hard to obtain, morale was often low, and discipline was a chronic problem. Nevertheless, Forts Montgomery and Clinton were largely complete by October 1777, when the British attacked them." Fort Clinton "Originally, the commissioners in charge of the work were confident that no overland attack on the fort was possible, but misgivings led them to begin extending the fortifications inland. They began fortifying several pieces of high ground that became Fort Montgomery's three redoubts. The realization that a higher piece of ground just across the Popolopen Creek threatened Fort Montgomery led to the construction of Fort Clinton."
Click to enlarge sign about the Battle of Fort Montgomery in the American Revolution. The interpretive sign reads: Battle of Fort Montgomery "To aid Lieutenant General John Burgoyne's British army stalled at Saratoga, Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton sailed from New York with 3,000 British, German, and Loyalist soldiers and a flotilla of warships. On the morning of October 6, 1777, Clinton landed 2,100 of his men on the west side of the Hudson River near Stony Point. This force followed a narrow trail through the mountains, where they ran into a party of 30 men sent from Fort Clinton to detect the British advance. After beating the Americans back, Sir Henry Clinton sent 900 men around Bear Mountain to attack Fort Montgomery. The rest would wait to attack Fort Clinton until the first group had reached Fort Montgomery. "In the afternoon, the British began an assault on both forts, which were defended by no more than 700 men. At Fort Montgomery, the Americans kept the British at bay as the two sides exchanged musket fire. When the Americans refused to surrender, the British stormed both forts. Taking advantage of the growing dark and the smoky haze from the battle, many of the Americans escaped, but as many as 275 were taken as prisoners to New York City where they remained for much of the war. "Following the battle, the British destroyed Fort Montgomery, garrisoned Fort Clinton, and burned New York's capital at Kingston. Then, receiving orders to join Sir William Howe's army near Philadelphia, Clinton's men destroyed Fort Clinton and sailed back down the Hudson. Although captured and destroyed, the forts had presented enough of an obstacle to keep the British forces in New York from aiding Burgoyne's army. The following year, in 1778, the American began rebuilding their defenses, this time at West Point."
Click to enlarge photo of the Wounded Patriot at the Battle of Fort Montgomery.
	Men in the photo represent two American patriots: Private, Ulster County Militia, and Private, 5th New York Regiment. The militiaman, in civilian clothing, is armed with a British musket. He assists his wounded comrade carrying a French musket from the 1750s.
The American Revolution - 1777: History of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton The following historical accounts record the Battles of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton from different historical perspectives: The War of the Revolution, by Christopher Ward, Volume II (Macmillan, 1952) "An opaque fog lay close to the surface of the Hudson River on the morning of October 5, 1777. The awakening bugles of General Israel Putnam’s Continentals at Peekskill on the eastern shore of the river seemed muted by the white and misty blanket. The slow-rising sun burned irregular holes in it, however, and through these the General’s sentinels, who had been posted south of his encampment during most of the summer, saw something that banished their accustomed boredom. There were barges and galleys downriver—many of them—and above the low lying haze rose the towering masts of British frigates. From downriver, too, came the muffled sounds of alarm guns. The long-dreaded invasion of enemy troops from occupied New York had begun. The elderly Yankee Israel Putnam was busy at once. An oarsman, rowing desperately, bore messages across the wide stream to Fort Montgomery, an unfinished cluster of earthworks then under the command of the thirty-eight-year-old governor of the new state of New York, Brigadier General George Clinton. At this bastion, nearly a hundred and fifty feet above the spot where the Popolopen Creek joins the Hudson, the Governor received Putnam’s letter. Immediately he sent a summary of its contents to his older brother, General James Clinton, then in command of Fort Clinton, a smaller stronghold on the steep south bank of the narrow creek. In the meantime, the British under Sir Henry Clinton (a distant cousin of the American generals of the same surname) were disembarking at Verplanck’s Point on the east bank of the Hudson, not far below Putnam’s headquarters. The grating of their boats in the shallows of the river, the sharp voices of their officers ordering immediate formations, came strangely through the thick fog to the ears of Putnam’s scouts, informing them only that the invaders were in considerable numbers . . . . . . Perhaps the Battle of Fort Montgomery would have been utterly neglected had not two young American soldiers chosen to visit the site on a sunny spring day of the following year. Historians do not usually end their chapters on such footnotes as these men provided, but their reports have so documented the narrative that they deserve place here. One of them, a young chaplain named Timothy Dwight (later president of Yale College), wrote in his journal that while he was climbing from a river barge to the place where the battle had been fought, the stench of dead bodies caused him great distress. We found, at a small distance from Fort Montgomery, a pond of a moderate size, in which we saw the bodies of several men, who had been killed in the assault upon the fort. They were thrown into this pond, the preceding autumn, by the British … Some of them were covered at this time; but at a depth so small as to leave them distinctly visible. Others had an arm, a leg, or a part of the body, above the surface. The clothes which they wore when they were killed, were still on them, and proved that they were militia; being the ordinary dress of farmers. Their faces were bloated and monstrous; and their postures were uncouth, distorted and to the highest degree afflictive . . ." Battles Of The Revolutionary War: 1775-1781 by W.J. Wood (Dec 23, 2003) "On October 6th, 300 Continental soldiers of the 5th New York regiment, 100 artillerymen of Lamb's Artillery, and some 300 Levies and militiamen defended the unfinished Fort Montgomery and Fort Clinton against 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 (which was only partially completed) with support from cannon fire from British ships on the Hudson River. The land columns attacking from west of the fort consisted of the New York Volunteers, the Loyal American Regiment, Emmerich's Chasseurs, the 57th and the 52nd Regiments of Foot. The Americans had emplaced an iron chain and a boom across the Hudson River, protected by four warships, to impede the British flotilla. Lt. Col. Mungo Campbell and several British regulars approach the fort with a flag of truce indicating that they wish to avoid `further effusion of blood.' Clinton sends Lt. Col. William S. Livingston to meet the enemy. The British officer requests that the patriots surrender. They are promised that no harm would come to them. Livingston, in turn, invites Campbell to surrender and promises him and his men good treatment. Fuming at this audacity, the British resume the fight. British ships working against an ebb tide attack the forts and American vessels. A steady volley ensues with each side receiving a share of the bombardment. British officers Campbell and Vaughan close in on all sides of the twin forts. Leading his men into battle, Campbell is killed in a violent attack on the North Redoubt of Fort Montgomery. Vaughan's horse is shot from under him as he rides into battle at Fort Clinton. After a fierce battle lasting until dark, the British pushed the courageous Americans from the forts at the points of their bayonets. The defenders are overpowered by sheer numbers and the British gain possession of Forts Montgomery and Clinton. American casualties numbered about 350 killed, wounded and captured, while the British paid a price of at least 190 killed and wounded. Those who were not killed or did not escape are shipped to the infamous Sugar House Prisons in New York City and then onto British "hell ships" (prison ships) in the harbor. A "return," or report of prisoners, is sent to communities in the Highlands to inform families of their loved ones' capture. It is up to the families to send provisions lest the prisoners starve. Countless patriots perish on the prison ships. U.S. Army battle map, The Battle of Fort Montgomery, 5-6 October 1777 U.S. Army battle map, The Battle of Fort Montgomery, The British Attack, Dusk, 6 October 1777 Forts Montgomery and Clinton, located just south of West Point, were built for the defense of the Hudson Highlands in 1776. It was here that British and loyalist troops overwhelmed Clinton's outnumbered patriots in October. Although the Americans lost the battle for the Highlands, a relative handful of Americans aided in delaying British reinforcements from joining Burgoyne in the upper Hudson Valley and allowed Gates to gain much needed militia reinforcements in time to ultimately win Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga." A guide to the Battles of the American Revolution by Theodore P. Savas and J. David Dameron (Savas Beatie LLC, NY 2006) American Perspective: "Waiting within the American fortifications on Bemis Heights was the bloodied Continental Army led by Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates. Not an audacious commander, Gates was content to await General Burgoyne's next move. While Gates market time on Bemis Heights, Patriot forces assigned to defensive positions guarding the entrance to the Hudson Highlands worked to complete two forts on the Hudson River 100 miles south of Albany, New York. Their commander was Brig. Gen. George Clinton (not to be confused with the British commander with the same last name). The forts over which the American Clinton (who was also governor of New York) labored were named Montgomery, in honor of fallen Patriot Gen. Richard Montgomery, and Clinton, after himself as commander of the forces in that region. Built on opposite banks of Popolopen Creek, which emptied into the Hudson River on its western shore at a strategic bend, eight miles south of West Point, the bastions were key to the strategic defense of the Hudson Highlands. Fort Montgomery guarded the northern bank of the creek and Fort Clinton the southern bank. To the east of both forts flowed the majestic Hudson River. All told, the American fielded 600 men and 20 pieces of heavy artillery. The Patriots strung a heavy iron chain across the river and seeded the water with log obstacles to disrupt any maritime assault upon the American forts. Patrolling the Hudson were two Americans warships, Montgomery and Congress, supported by a handful of smaller vessels . . . . . . Fort Clinton was constructed on the south side of Popolopen Creek on a rocky ridge overlooking the Hudson River below, oriented to cover a 400-yard wide plain before the drop to the waterway. Fort Montgomery also overlooked the Hudson River, but was situated on the northern shore of Popolopen Creek, which ran west from the Hudson . . . After a perfunctory request that the defenders capitulate (which was rejected), the twin assaults began. There was no element of surprise or effort at finesse. The British attached nearly simultaneously with the sun setting behind Lt. Col. Archibald Campbell's columns. Sir James Wallace's British river fleet also arrived and opened fire on the American vessels and forts, providing the British land forces with supporting fire. Fort Montgomery fell first . . . Fort Clinton's defenders offered a better account of themselves, but the outcome was the same. Sir Henry Clinton ordered his command to launch a direct attach (there was little room to maneuver). His regulars and Hessian allies swept forward through a line of obstructions, taking terrible casualties during the approach and in the close-quarter fighting that followed. The weight of British metal carried the day, however, and within a short time the garrison was dead, wounded, captured, or fleeing . . . By 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. the fighting was over. Only 300 Americans, including Generals James and Governor George Clinton, escaped, most from Fort Montgomery . . . Casualties: British: 190 killed and wounded; American: 350 killed, wounded, and captured." Fort Montgomery as a Historic Ruin New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has decided not to recreate Forts Montgomery and/or Clinton. "Because of the limits of available information, any recreation would be inaccurate and would hide the violent end of these massive fortifications. Instead, the remains are preserved, just as the have survived the ages, as hallowed ground." Fort Montgomery stands as an archeological site and a historic ruin. Fort Montgomery, Today Today, Fort Montgomery is an archeological site and a historic ruin. This Historic Site is a genuine vestige of our nation's struggle for independence. Visitors will see the actual foundations of the fort's buildings and remains of the fort's earthworks. Visit Fort Montgomery and tour the remains of the 14 acre fortification, perched on a cliff overlooking the Hudson River. The site includes a Visitor Center and interpretive trail that guides visitors past the fort's ruins to breathtaking views of the Hudson River. The Visitor Center features artifacts discovered in Fort Montgomery, mannequin displays, a 3 dimensional map model, and a 14 minute orientation film. Attractions Include Audio-Visual Programs Demonstrations Group Tours Hiking Interpretive Signs Scenic Views Self Guided Tours Visitor Center

Click trail marker for the Historic 1777 & 1779 American Revolution Trail.

The sign reads: The Historic 1777 & 1779 Trails "You are walking part of the 1777 historic trail that retraces as nearly as possible the routes taken by the British army during the Revolutionary War. "The 1777 trail represents the route taken by British General Sir Henry Clinton's forces on October 6, 1777. After landing 2100 men at Stony Point, he marched north to capture Forts Clinton and Montgomery. At Doodletown, the trail splits. The east branch of the trail follows the march of forces under Sir Henry Clinton and Major General John Vaughn that captured Fort Clinton. The west branch follows the route of Lieutenant Colonel Mungo Campbell's force, which captured Fort Montgomery. "The 1779 trail traces the route taken by Brigadier General Anthony Wayne's Corps of Light Infantry in its assault on the British fortifications at Stony Point just after midnight on July 16, 1779. After a brief but fierce fight, Wayne's men captured Stony Point, achieving one of the Continental Army's most spectacular victories."

Walk the grounds of the Historic 1777 & 1779 Trails at Fort Montgomery Historic Site. You can pick up the 1777 & 1779 trails close to the Bear Mountain Bridge and/or near the Fort Montgomery Visitor Center.

For most of the 18th and into the 19th century, the Ellison family had important commercial dealings in milling and trade. From their mill, flour was shipped down the Hudson River to New York City and the West Indies. At present, remains of the mill, with traces of the underground racecourse, and the Jane Colden Native Plant Sanctuary may be visited. Explore how the Ellisons and other families of the mid-Hudson Valley lived 200 years ago.

Point of Interest Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site is fun for the children and family of all ages.

Attractions
Costumed Interpreters
Demonstrations
Educational Services
Gardens
Group Tours
Guided Tours
Hiking
Interpretive Sign
Picnic Area
Re-enactments
Scenic Views

Washington was pleased that the army was better housed, fed, and clothed than ever before in the long war, but life for the officers and troops at the Cantonment remained hard. It was at the New Windsor Cantonment that the cease fire orders were issued by Washington ending the eight-year War of Independence on April 19, 1783. The final success, however, was the gradual, orderly disbandment of the army at the Cantonment, and the peaceful march of its still largely unpaid officers and men back to their homes or new pursuits.

New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is fun for children and family. See the staff in reproduction period dress and uniforms demonstrate musket drills, blacksmithing, military medicine and camplife activities. View the exhibits at the Visitor Center and the reconstructed Temple Building, which served as a chapel for the soldiers.

Attractions
Audio-Visual Programs
Costumed Interpreters
Demonstrations
Educational Services
Group Tours
Guided Tours
Hiking
Interpretive Sign
Picnic Area
Re-enactments
Scenic Views
Self Guided Tours
Visitors Center/Museum

The word is Wonderful day out for the kids and children of all ages.

The sign reads:
Chaining the Hudson
"Early in the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress realized that if the British controlled the Hudson River, they could divide the rebellious colonies. To prevent this, in March 1776, the Americans began construction of Fort Montgomery above the Popolopen Creek on the west side of the Hudson River. Their work soon expanded to include a second fort, Fort Clinton, on the south side of the creek, and a massive iron chain that stretched across the Hudson River.

"British ships never tested the chain. Rather, the British captured the forts on October 6, 1777, and cut the chain the following day. Today, Fort Montgomery State Historic Site is open to the public and interprets the story of the forts and the battle."

Click to enlarge sign: The First Chain along the Hudson River.

The sign reads:
First Chain
New York
The First Chain
Planned to keep British
Ships from going up
River. Anchored on shore
Below, was forced by the
Enemy Oct. 7, 1777

Chain at West Point
After the British destroyed the Fort Montgomery chain, the Americans created an even bigger chain at West Point, which was never challenged by the enemy. The diagram on the interpretive sign is courtesy of the West Point Museum Collection, United States Military Academy.

Fort Montgomery as a Historic Ruin
Rather than rebuild Fort Montgomery, New York State Parks has chosen to preserve and interpret it as a ruin. The site includes an interpretive trail that guides visitors past the fort's ruins to breathtaking vies of the Hudson River.

"Bennington, in fact, was one of the most important fights of the Revolution, contributing as it did so largely to the final surrender of Burgoyne's whole army at Saratoga, and the utter ruin of the British invasion from the north. It is also interesting as an extremely gallant bit of fighting . . . There stood the enemy strongly entrenched on a hill, and Stark, calling his undisciplined lines about him, went at them . . . He and his men fought well their hand-to-hand fight on that hot August day, and carried the entrenchments filled with regular troops and defended by artillery. It was a daring feat of arms, as well as a battle which had an important effect upon the course of history and upon the fate of the British Empire in America." Henry Cabot Lodge

This battle was fought on August 16, 1777 in a British effort to capture American storehouses in Bennington to restock their depleting provisions. The British forces had underestimated the strength of their enemy and most of their men were killed or taken prisoner while the Americans sustained smaller losses. The British surrendered on October 17, 1777, after two unsuccessful battles in Saratoga.

Casualties and losses were recorded as:
American losses: 30 killed and 40 wounded = 70 casualties.
British losses: 207 killed and 700 captured = 907 casualties.

Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site is located in Grafton, NY 12082, in Rensselaer County in the Hudson River Valley. Bennington Battlefield is the location of a Revolutionary War battle between the British forces of General John Burgoyne and Colonel Friedrich Baum against the American forces under Brigadier General John Stark and Colonel Seth Warner. Press blue button for more about Bennington Battlefield.

The Stony Point Battlefield marks the "Battle of Stony Point" and the victory of the American light infantry over the British in a daring midnight raid.

Visit the site of the Battle of Stony Point, one of the last major Revolutionary War battles in the northeastern colonies. This is where Brigadier General Anthony Wayne led his corps of Continental Light Infantry in a daring midnight attack on the British, seizing the site's fortifications and taking the British garrison as prisoners on July 16, 1779.

By the late 1770s, the war had been raging for four years and both sides were eager for a conclusion. Sir Henry Clinton, commander of the British forces in America, attempted to coerce General George Washington into one decisive battle to control the Hudson River. As part of his strategy, Clinton fortified Stony Point. Washington devised a plan for Wayne to lead an attack on the fort. Armed with bayonets only, the infantry captured the fort in short order, ending British control of the river.

The site features a museum, which offers exhibits on the battle and the 1826 Stony Point Lighthouse, as well as interpretive programs, such as reenactments highlighting 18th century military life, cannon and musket firings, cooking demonstrations, and children's activities.

Attractions Include
Children's Activities
Costumed Interpreters
Demonstrations
Educational Services
Group Tours
Museum and Visitors Center
Picnic Area

In 1887, to recognize Senate House's role in the Revolution, New York State acquired the property, which quickly became a vital community museum. A two-story Museum Building was constructed in 1927 to house and display the site's burgeoning collection. Among its treasures are: major art works by John Vanderlyn and other members of the Vanderlyn family of Kingston, dating from the 1720s through the 1870s, and notable paintings by Ammi Phillips, Joseph Tubby, James Bard, and Thomas Sully. Press blue button for more information about the Senate House State Historic Site.