The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-27
"GEN." MAXEY AND HIS FORT.
ONCE ON BLACKWELL'S ISLAND
AND SALUTED BY SOUND BOATS.
Its Builder and Garrison q Harmless Lunatio
1T was Armed With Wooden Cannon
ant in the Early COS Was n Conspicuous
ObJect-Maxey's Castle II Was Called.

Although it was never marked or any
official map, the entire garrison OF Fort
Maxey considered it one OF the strongest
and most important defenoes Of the city OF
New York.
This fort has long since disappeared from
the earth. 1t was situated on the northern
end Of Blackwell's Island and was reared
and garrisoned by one man, Gen. Thomas
Naxey, for whom It was named.
Maxey was a harmless lunatic who was
an inmate Of the Blackwell's Island Insane
Asylum, now a part Of the Manhattan
State Hospital on Wards Island. He
fancied himself a great soldier, and finally
secured the permission Of the COMMISSIONS
OF Charities and Correction to erect the
fort, This was in the early eos.
The whole structure, including the long
embarked road leading to it, was the work
of Maxey's own hands and occupied three
wears Of what he deemed his valuable time.
He acted as architect, mason, carpenter
and civil engineer. In addition he re-
claimed a big stretch Of marshy ground
by digging bitches through 1t for drainage
purposes.
The fort was a circular mound OF earth,
on which was a wall Of block clay and
grass dug from the manh behind it. This
wall was four feet high, and through
it projected the mouths OF a number OF
large wooden cannon. The weapons were
presented to Maxey. much 70 his delight,
by the charities commissioner.
The General said that they would do great
work in chasing of rebel privateers. Maxey
himself was on guard during all his waking
hours and no Sound boat in those days
passed without giving him a salute with
the whistle. He always answered by
dipping the national oolors. Then with a
usoless musket over his shoulder he proudly
took up guard duty again.
Within the parapet he built an extraor-
binary looking house and there the last
days Of his life were passed. In reality
it was a shanty with a thatched roof and 1t
was surrounded by a wilderness of flowers.
The house was only ~ feet by 8, but in
it were two sleeping rooms, a kitchen and
q sitting room. The place could scarcely
be seen for the hollyhock and sunfiowers
that grew around it. He also built a stone
magazine behind the house to contain the
vast stores Of ammunition that existed
only in his mind.
The mound consisted of sixteen square
roods raised from eight TO ten feet. 1t
must nave been a gigantic task to build the
fort as much of the material Is used by Maxey
were brought long distances.
As an ornament to the causeway lead
ing to the fort the General constructed a
huge stone gate, surmounted by n lofty
tower. The stones were laid as 10 mason
ever laid them before. The courses were
Jagged and irregular and the whole struc-
ture was Of no particular style of arohi-
lecture.
Nearthe top of the were two OPEN
ings. These, Maxey said. were left for
wild geese to nest in. .
Maxey always wore a woman's sunbonnet
and he had a way of running out to greet
visitors that was very disoonoerting to
those who did not know him. He was
harmless, however, and took great pride
in explaining the strategic importance of
his fort.