The New York herald., 1876-11-16
FORT WASHINGTON.
CAPTURE or TEE WORK 4 cxSTURY AGO NJ
THE BRITISH AND HRssrAxs

CAPTURE or TEE WORK 4 cxSTURY AGO nj
THE BRITISH AND HEssIAxs
Fort Washington was captured by the British and
Hcssians century ago to-day. This TACT IL especially
memorable TO New Yorkera with tho tall OF tho fort
the patriots lost their grasp OF Manhattan Island aud
for seven years thereafter the British hold sway In
New York city. Fort Washington crowned tho summit
Of Mount Washington, hill that rises about $50 feet
above the Hudson the northern part Of island.
II was q nve-sidcd earthwork in which thirty -four
cannon mounted. 1t had no classmates. and its
outposts did not add strength TO the work ITSELF
Even can get nn idea OF the
rugged nature OF the country that surrounded the
fort from the PERCEPTIONS hills and beetling crags that
civilization has yet cleared away. From Harlem
Plains norhward TO the dale Tubby Hook the ground
fell abruptly and at every ascent and descent
immense rocks jutted out so as 10 form small preci
Dp'ces. Toward the Hudson and Harlem slccps
4 were presented that appalled, tho climber Through
this district there but one road-tLc old Albany
post road--and that ommandod by Fort Washing
ton. This fort was built by General Putnam in May.
1876, before arrival OF Washington in New York.
When tho American army lay In It's vicinity after the
evacuation or Now York city, tho Tort strength
cncd in itself and also by the erection OF
three parallel lines OF intronchments. Tho FIRST
Of these ran between 14s.h street tho
Harlem River sdc and 10th street tho
HUDSON, the second was within gunshot OF tho nrst
aud the third swept around where Nine
Jumcps old mansion still stands Beside these lines
Fort Washington had other accessories A rcdouht
on what was known Laurel Hill commanded tho
Harlem River tho little valley that the island
IRON rubby Hook and the gorge through which tho
Albany highway Fort Independence which
stood tho promontory north ot Spuyten Duyvil
| now is commanded tho creek and the HUDSON. Tho
river was also apparently
cHoKED WITH DISTRACTIONS,
| through which Putnam iondiy imagined tho British
war vessels could not mako their way; especially as
In trying do they would be hsrasscd by the hre
| OF Fort Washington and of Fort Lee, the Jersey
Palisades. After the engagement on Chatterton Hill
NJ White Plains. whom General Howe had moved his
arny 10 tho Hudson In weslchcsier county, Washing
ton scnt General Greene, who commanded Forts Ice
and Washington. order TO cvacuale tho latter work
und its surroundings. Washington at that tno
| had determined TO movo into Now Jersey 10 inter
ceps the proposed march Of the British upon Phila.
| dcphia, aud wished mass all his iorcss except
the corps Of obscrvataton which he designed to leave
In Westchcsier under command OF tho reacherous and
barcbaiued General Lee The character OF this Officer
was then so little understood that Congress had called
him from tho south to act as Washtngton's second
and by some was hoped that he would displace tho
had ordered Fort Washington 10 be retained long
possible and Greene had reinforced It's garrison. Put
man, who constructed is, was confident that the fort
| was impregnabio and IN this opinion Greene
conceded Neither could the sad vantage OF hold
| ing a position that was completely invasou, the OBJ
strucions OF the river having been In great part
come by ,he British war vessels, Washington
clearly, aud when had we'll considered tho matter
OF ovcrruug an order from the Congress- no wrote to
Grconc, on Now Sth, 1776-'lf ws cannot prevent
vessels from passing up and the enemy are possessed
IL apswer attenips 10 hold post from which the
pectcd advantage cannot bc hads am, therefore,
shl lAk xa h0 n.anf
o''Iua 70 hazard tho mon and storos, a. Mount
Washington but as you arc on tho spot leave It TO
you givc such orders as TO cvncuating Mount WASH
ington you may judge BEST and far rcvoking the
order gwen TO cooacl Mngaw 10 dcend y TO tho last"
made no preparation to cvacuaio Fort Ioe as hs had
bcon ordered and instead o withdrawing the gar
from For. washington sent .nsner ,e,norcc ,e
however, and on tho night OF November IA, l7'o,
CROWDED Win BRITISH soLDfKrs,
passed up tho stream and MD away In Spuytcn Duyv
| Creek. by the 18th OF November General Howe had
completed his plans for the reduction OF tho FORT ana
on tho afternoon that day cacd upon Colonei Maeaw
TO surrender Immediately cruelty adding that II he did
mo. to sso sword Masaw That ho would
lend the post to the last extremity. lie had under his
command aboa. $500 mon, which nsn. force oo.nS no
aids were Colonies Rawlin, othe Holland Williams,
named were charged with the defence OF tho north
Cadwaader ut the south, and Baxter on Laurel Hill
on November TO- twas directed at the northern de-
fences, aud was madc by the Hessians, under Knyp-
hauscn and Rail- This force 500 strong, and us
| attack was determined. The steep upland was de-
Tended BY line OF ieed trees behind whlcA wcrc four
cannon. In tho OF those cannon aud sharp mus
kctry nre tho Hessiaus climbed brnvcly, drawing
themselves up by grasping tho dense oushca The
nght well contested but the Hessinns outn umbcred
/ the Americans, while they equalcd them IN courage
Knyphausen and Rail led on their mon, and reached
the deences one tmc Tho Americans retired
slowly TO Mount Washington, whittier the Hcsslans
| closely followed them. Both Rawlings and Williams
| tho American cOmmandcrs were wounded. While
| this conflict gong British brigade undor
| cokxwALLIs
| had sormcd Laurel Hill and captured tho redoubt
| there after hard struggle, In which Baxter, the
\ his men. The Americans had also been driven from
| the south back 10 Mount Washington. When the
Hossans arrived near Fort Washington General Rail
demand Tor surrender, stpuIating that the
garrison should rcta their baggage aud tho officers
their swords Colonel Magaw asked hvc hours
| to consider, but only given half an
hour. 10 was now late in the afternoon.
| While tho truce continued a messenger from
washp ri on informed Magnw that II he could bold
until night effort 10 bring OH his forces would be
made. lie could not defer his answer to General
RAIL- however, and he dared not again begin the con-
| fct, his position weak. lilo therefore sur
rendered als orcc OF 4 600 men, with valuable art
lcry ana stores. Thus werc tho resources OF Wash.
ngton again crippled by the obstlnacy aud vanity Of
his officers, aided by Congress, which feared
to intrust him with tho proper power
this island from Fort Lee, and u is
satd BY Washington Irving shed tears wnen he saw
Hcssians bayorct patriots wo asked Tor quarter Tho
British AMI Hcssisns lost In tho battle about 600
men, while the Americans lost but about one-c cighth
OF mat number but the effect o the defeat upon tbs
spriis OF Washington's army was depressing, and "
not too much 10 say that II was only the great pa
iriots surprising powers as general and organizer
ihars sav rod M