This Month in the American Revolution

From the American Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.

NOVEMBER 13, 1775

**  Americans take Montreal

NOVEMBER 16, 1776

**  Battle of Fort Washington, New York.

NOVEMBER 16, 1777

**  British capture Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania.

NOVEMBER 19-21, 1775

**  Siege of Ninety Six, South Carolina.

NOVEMBER 20, 1776

**  British capture Fort Lee, New Jersey.

NOVEMBER 25, 1783

**  British evacuate New York City.

--Cooter

Fort Washington-- Part 5: The Site Today

The site of Fort Washington is now Bennett Park on Fort Washington Avenue between West 183rd and West 185th streets. in the neighborhood of the Washington Heights neighborhood 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 plaque indicating that the schist outcrop is the highest natural spot on Manhattan Island which was a big reason the fort was sited there in the first place.

Bennett Park is located a few blocks north of the George Washington Bridge.  Along the banks of the Hudson River along the Henry Hudson Parkway is Fort Washington Park and the small point of land alternately called Jeffrey's Hook or Fort Washington Point, which is the site of the Little Red Lighthouse, a famous New York City point of interest.

The Little Red Lighthouse That Could.  --CootWash

Fort Washington-- Part 4: Molly Pitcher?

Margaret Corbin of Virginia was at the battle.  She has been recognized as the first female soldier to fight for the American Army.

She was married to James Corbin of the First Company of Pennsylvania Artillery.  When her husband was killed in the assault on Fort Washington, she loaded and fired her husband's cannon.

Although severely injured, Margaret Corbin survived the battle but never fully recovered from her wounds and was unable to use her left arm.  She is at least one of the women, if not the woman, who inspired the legend of Molly Pitcher.

--Cooter

Fort Washington (NY)-- Part 3: Only 800 of 2,838 Americans Captured Survived

The British were immensely helped in their attack with information given them by one of Col. Magaw's officers, William Demont, who had deserted November 2 and had given detailed information on the fort.

American losses were 53 killed and  and 96 wounded in addition to the rest of the garrison being captured.  The British and Hessian troops had 132 killed and 374 wounded.  2,834 Americans were captured and marched through the streets of New York where they were jeered by a pro-British crowd.

Most of them were interned in British ships in the harbor where they were deliberately starved or died of disease in the really cold winter.  At the exchange, only 800 had survived.

These were the conditions that James McHenry (who Fort McHenry was named after) protested as he was also captured at Fort Washington.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Washington (NY)-- Part 2: Washington Escapes and the Fort Falls

General Washington realized he would have to defend New York from the British, but didn't think he could hold it.  An escape route was very necessary.  When it became necessary to abandon the city, this is exactly what he did, crossing the Hudson between Fort Washington and Fort Lee (which was commanded by General Charles Lee, hence the name).

Fort Washington was commanded by Colonel Robert Magaw, who refused to surrender and notified the British that he would fight to the last extremity.  British General Howe ordered Hessians and other British troops, numbering 8,000 against the badly outnumbered Americans.

The fort fell on November 16, 1777, and the British captured 2,818 prisoners and large amounts of supplies.  They renamed the fortification Fort Knyphausen (after the commander of the Hessian troops).

--Cooter

Fort Washington (NY)-- Part 1: On Manhattan Island

I have been writing about James McHenry in my Not So Forgotten War of 1812 blog.  Fort McHenry was named after him.

He was a surgeon in the Continental Army in the American Revolution and was captured at Fort Washington in New York by British forces.

I'd never heard of this battle or fort before so did some research.

From  Military.wikia.com.

Fort Washington was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island) now part of New York City).  The fort was located on the highest part of the island.

During the American Revolution, it was part of George Washington's defense of New York.  Fort Washington and Fort Lee (on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River were built to prevent the British from going up the river and to provide a secure escape route for the American Army is needed.

--DAcOOT