Everything about Battle Of Fort Washington totally explained
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The
Battle of Fort Washington was a battle fought in the
American Revolutionary War between the
United States and
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. Although the American garrison put up a fierce struggle, they were forced to surrender when the British and Hessian forces managed to breach their walls with cannon fire. The fall of Fort Washington was a great loss of men and supplies for the American forces. The garrison lost around 53 men killed in action, 96 more wounded, and the rest (totaling 2,818 men) became
prisoners of war. Knyphausen reported his casualties at 78 dead and 374 wounded during the storming of the fort.
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.
Further Information
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