Nicholas Nelson
Mrs. Hammatt English 11 Honors
Mr. Houston US History AP
12 January 1998
Hudson River: Armed For War
Thesis sentence: I shall research the strategic advantages of the Hudson River
during the Revolutionary War with emphasis on New York City, West Point, and
Saratoga.
I. Introduction
II. Importance of the river
A. British
B. Americans
III. New York City
A. British
1. 22,000 British and German troops
2. General Howe
B. Americans
1. 10,000 troops
2. General Washington
C. Fort Washington and Fort Lee
1. Importance
2. Chevaux-de-Frise
D. Battle at Brooklyn Heights
E. Battle at Harlem Heights
F. Battle at White Plains
G. New York City fire
IV. West Point
A. Fort Constitution
1. Bernard Romans
2. Chain and boom
B. West Point
1. Captain Thomas Machin
2. Chain
C. Pollepel Island
1. Chevaux-de-Frise
2. Brewster's Forge
V. Saratoga
A. Britain's original plan
1. Burgoyne's route
a. Lake Champlain to Lake George
b. Enter Albany
2. St. Leger's route
a. Lake Ontario to Mohawk River
b. Enter Albany
3. Howe's route
a. Hudson River
b. Enter Albany
B. Results
1. St. Leger
a. Defeat at Fort Stanwix
b. Unable to help Burgoyne
2. Howe
a. Captured Philadelphia
b. Unable to help Burgoyne
3. Battle at Saratoga
a. Burgoyne defeated
b. Horatio Gates victorious
VI. Benedict Arnold
A. Treason
1. West Point
2. Results of treason
B. American hero becomes most infamous traitor
VII. Conclusion
Hudson River: Armed for War
During the Revolutionary War much of the fighting took place along the Hudson River which runs south through New York State and empties into the Atlantic Ocean at New York City. The fight for the river was a bitter one as both the Americans and the British fought to gain control. Main areas of fighting were those in and around New York City, West Point, and Saratoga. At these locations and others, the Americans used their ingenuity to defeat the British and keep them off the river.
The Hudson River was important because it was a large river running the length of New York and could be traversed by ships of up to seventy tons. These ships would carry goods from upper New York down to New York City where they could be sold in the city or shipped to other colonies or countries (Ketchum 82). During the war, cannon, ammunition, beef, tents, and bayonets were shipped along the Hudson River and then to the southern colonies where they were traded in exchange for grain (Diamant-interview). Also, the Hudson River afforded the easiest route from the colonies to Eastern Canada and the strategic city of Quebec. To do this, one had to travel up the Hudson River to Fort Edward and then portage to Wood Creek. From there, one would go to Skenesborough and then on to Lake Champlain (Fowler, Jr. 184). To get to the Great Lakes, a western tributary of the Hudson, the Mohawk River, led to the Oneida Carry and key British posts (Diamant 2).
For the British, control of the Hudson River meant a linkage of British-held New York City and British Canada. This control would separate the New England colonies, where most of the rebels were fighting, from the southern colonies and would prevent the Americans from sending supplies and troops to the southern colonies (Natkiel, Kirk, and Westwood 15).
All this was well known to the Americans as seen in a comment by New York's
congressional delegates:
As the Enemy gains knowledge of the country,they must be more and more
convinced of the Necessity of becoming masters of Hudson's River. It will
give them the entire Command of water communications with the Indian
nations, effectually prevent all intercourse between our eastern and southern
Confederacy, divide our strength and enfeeble every effort for our common
Preservation and Security. (Diamant 2)
They knew they had to keep the Hudson River free of the British to maintain the
spirit of the Revolution in other colonies.
In August 1776, the British landed in New York City to begin the long battle for the Hudson River. Lincoln Diamant says that by August 22, "in the greatest amphibious operation the world had yet seen, more than 22,000 British and German troops came ashore on Long Island in 88 prefabricated flatboats, bateaux and galleys. Before long they were engaged with 10,000 Americans in the first full-scale battle of the Revolution." (53) The previous June, while preparing to defend New York City against this approaching fleet, George Washington said, "at least 2,000" troops were still "destitute of arms, and near as many with arms in such condition as to be rather calculated to discourage than animate the user." (Diamant
36)
Washington knew that he was surrounded by the British army on one side and its
navy on the other. On the night of August 29, "John Glover's Marblehead regiment and former sailors from Salem ferried the entire American army of 9,500, with all its baggage and equipment, across the river to Manhattan." (Ketchum 196)
Washington moved north on Long Island as Howe landed at Kip's Bay (Ketchum
198, 199) An extract of a letter from New York says, "...they landed yesterday at Turtle Bay (about 4 miles to the Eastward of the city on the East River) and at Harlem about 8 miles to the Eastward of the city." (The Continental Journal and Weekly Advertiser 1) Howe then took his time and allowed about 3,000
Americans to escape the city and head to Harlem Heights. On September 16,
Washington trapped some British and German troops at Harlem Heights. The short
skirmish boosted the Americans' morale, especially after they heard of the fire which destroyed New York City. As Washington wrote to his cousin: "Providence, or some good honest fellow, has done more for us than we were disposed to do for
ourselves." (Ketchum 198, 199)
On October 12, 13,000 British arrived at Pell's Point on the east edge of
Westchester County in New York. By this time, the American army had left
Manhattan and gone to White Plains. At White Plains, the British met the
Americans on October 28 in a pitched battle that was indecisive, but ended the land fighting in Westchester County (Diamant 64).
After the battle at White Plains, the British traveled south to Fort Washington and Fort Lee. Fort Washington was situated on the east bank of the Hudson River on the northern tip of Manhattan Island, and Fort Lee was across the river on the west bank. Here the river is approximately 3,000 feet wide. On the west side are the Palisades, 300 foot rock cliffs on which Fort Lee was located, and on the east side Fort Washington was 220 feet high on the hill (Diamant 38, 39).
Across the river were stretched chevaux-de-frise, large pieces of timber with iron points stuck onto a float and then sunk to the river bottom with rocks. These obstructions were meant to prevent the enemy ships from moving up the river
(Diamant 39, 40). However, in these obstructions, there had to be a break in order for the American ships to pass through, and this led to problems with espionage. The brother of the ferryman told the British where the break was in exchange for money and land. Thus, the British were able to pass through (Diamant 59). This and other treasonous actions were greatly feared by all, as expressed by the New York Convention's Committee of Safety in a letter to General Washington:
We much fear that those co-operating with the Enemy will
seize such Passes as will cut off all Communication between
the Army and us, and prevent your Supplies. We dare not
trust any more of the Militia out of this County. We have
called for some Aid from the two adjoining ones, but beg
Leave to suggest to Your Excellency the Propriety of
sending a Body of Men to the Highlands or Peekskill, to
secure the Passes, prevent Insurrection and overaw the
Disaffected. (Diamant 63, 64)
This showed that it was dangerous to trust even their own countrymen and neighbors.
On November 16, Howe and about 8,000 troops attacked 3,012 American
soldiers and captured Fort Washington. There was bitter fighting as the
Revolutionaries fought against a much larger army. Eventually Colonel Magaw was
forced to surrender to stop the carnage (Diamant 65, 67). General Howe captured 3,000 prisoners, "146 cannon, 12,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, 2,800 muskets, and 400,000 cartridges." (Ketchum 200) This being the last fort occupied by the Americans on Manhattan, the British now had complete control of New York City. Four days later, on November 20, the British general, Cornwallis, made a surprise attack on Greene at Fort Lee. Greene was able to escape, but many more supplies were lost to the British (Ketchum 200).
Farther north was an S-shaped turn in the river. Here, battling strong tides, high winds, and a narrow, twisting river, it was very difficult to navigate a ship upstream. This predicament was enhanced by the firing of guns from either or both shores. An added impediment was the chain and boom that was later installed between the shores (Diamant-interview). For this reason, the area was an extremely important location on the river to defend. There is a point on the west bank of the river called
West Point, and across from this is an island called Constitution Island. It was on this island that James Clinton and Christopher Tappen suggested the site for a fort(Diamant 4). Bernard Romans was given the job of making plans for the fort, which he began in 1775. The location on the island which he chose as a site for the fort was called Martelaer's Rock and is approximately 150 feet above the water. His plans for the fort, called Fort Constitution, were not the typical plans. Mr. Diamant explains that the fort "consisted of an unusual octagonal blockhouse/magazine...a 200-foot long curtain rampart; several subterranean bombproof chambers for protection and additional magazines; and a 100-foot long barracks with storehouses and guardrooms." (7) This grandiose plan of Romans had two main problems. First, he planned the fort too far west to command the straight stretch of river below it, and, without this, the defenders in the fort would not have
enough time to fire upon and damage the enemy ships. Second, the fort would be
lower than the hills on West Point across the river. If West Point was captured by the British, they could easily fire on Fort Constitution. These two problems caused great strife between Bernard Romans and the Fortifications Commissioners
(Diamant 8).
As a result of these difficulties, construction on Fort Constitution ended about nine weeks after its commencement, because the construction workers were not obeying Romans's orders. Soon thereafter Romans stopped work on the fort. All that remained when Robert R. Livingston, Jr. visited on November 23 were 70
cannon, 100 militiamen, the southwest emplacement called "Romans's Battery," the
block house with six four-pounders, and the barracks with fourteen rooms and thirty people per room (Diamant 12, 13).
After construction stopped on Fort Constitution, Captain Machin launched his plans for a chain to stretch from West Point to Constitution Island. After being made at the Sterling Iron Works, Machin had the enormous sections of chain
dragged to Brewster's Forge. Here the links were joined, and the chain was hauled one mile to the Hudson River and then floated to its place between West Point and Constitution Island (Diamant 141, 155). It rested on logs to keep it afloat, because, without them, the chain would hang too low in the river, and the ships would be able to sail over. This obstacle was used to slow the enemy down enough so that forces
on Constitution Island could cripple the ships (Diamant-interview).
Once the chain was put into place at West Point, the war became a stalemate
along the Hudson River. The British held New York City, but they were afraid of
the chain and never ventured to test it for the remainder of the war. This stalemate turned the war towards the South. The Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey, in 1778, became the last major battle of the North as the war shifted to the middle and southern colonies (Diamant-interview). The ingenious chains along the Hudson River proved to be extremely important to the outcome of the war with Great Britain. No longer able to sail along the river, the British could not divide the colonies. When the war turned towards the South, Northerners were able to travel there along with essential military supplies and food. Without these supplies and the much needed manpower, the war may have turned out to be a British victory rather than American.
Just north of West Point was an island called Pollepel Island. To the west of the island, on the mainland, was Brewster's Forge, which assembled the West Point chain. At this point in the river the revolutionaries built another chevaux-de-frise. A British spy reported that "every frame consists of a floor of Logs 40 foot by 45 foot with sides so high as to hold stones enough to sink it...On the side looking south, there are two upright posts close together and one at each end. Their weight is suited to the depth of the water. They support long standing Beams with Iron
Beaks, projecting beyond the uprights and rising to about eight feet of the surface of the River at full Tides." (Diamant 130, 131) These long beams with iron tips were meant to punch holes in enemy ships, or, as with the chain at West Point, slow the ships down enough to allow the American forces to accurately fire their cannon.
In 1777, the British conceived a plan to split the colonies along the Hudson River and to destroy the American forces. The plan called for a three-pronged attack on Albany, a key city just south of the Mohawk River. Burgoyne's main force moved "due south along Lake Champlain, while a smaller right wing, under Lieutenant Colonel Barry St. Leger, swung southwest down the St. Lawrence to Lake Ontario, thence to re-curve southeast through the Mohawk Valley towards the common objective of Albany." (Natkiel, Kirk, Westwood 15) The plan also called for General Howe to move up the Hudson River from New York City and attack Albany at the same time as Burgoyne and St. Leger (Ketchum 250). All three of
these attacks were foiled by the Americans in two cases and the British themselves
in one case.
In The American Heritage of the Revolution, Richard Ketchum tells how devious
the American, Benedict Arnold, could be and how St. Leger's forces were reduced
leading up to the battle of Fort Stanwix:
With Barry St. Leger at the siege of Fort Stanwix were some
1,000 Iroquois and an insane Tory named Hon Yost
Schuyler, whose ravings the Indians believed to be the voice
of the Great Spirit. Benedict Arnold held Hon Yost's
brother hostage, and, through him, forced the madman to
spread rumors among the Indians that a large American
force was approaching. This ruse caused the terrified red
men to desert St. Leger. (250)
With this added advantage, Arnold was able to stop St. Leger at Fort Stanwix and
force him to retreat to Fort Oswego where he was unable to give any assistance to
Burgoyne (Natkiel, Kirk, Westwood 15).
Supposedly, General Howe was never told to go up the Hudson River to help
Burgoyne and St. Leger to defeat the rebels at Albany. Instead, he thought that the
colonists would surrender if their capitol was captured. Following his own plan,
Howe sailed to Philadelphia, marched up Delaware Bay, and successfully seized
Philadelphia. This British victory ended up not helping the British. In fact, by not
giving assistance to Burgoyne, Howe had a huge impact on the outcome of the
American victory at Saratoga. When Howe was finished partying and fighting small
battles, he and the loyalists left Philadelphia and the land they owned was taken
over by the Americans (Diamant-interview).
On July 6, Burgoyne traversed Lake Champlain and captured Fort Ticonderoga
without a fight. When Burgoyne heard that Howe was not going to assist him, he
said defiantly: "This army must not retreat." In this way he continued through the
wilderness instead of the easier and the safer route along Lake George. It was a
grueling march and Burgoyne was forced to send his left wing to the city of
Bennington for supplies. These soldiers were soon ripped apart by John Stark and
his militiamen on the road to Bennington (Ketchum 250).
Burgoyne continued on and reached Freeman's farm, just south of Saratoga.
Here he fought the Americans in the two battles of Saratoga. On September 19, in
the first Battle of Freeman's farm, Daniel Morgan repulsed Burgoyne with his force
of riflemen. On October 7, as 1,500 British and German soldiers stood on
Freeman's farm, General Poor's brigade, Daniel Morgan's riflemen, and Henry
Dearborn's infantry attacked in the second Battle of Freeman's farm, also called the
Battle of Bemis Heights. Soon after, Benedict Arnold and General Learned charged
fiercely and helped to lift the Americans to victory. In this battle, the British
General Simon Fraser was mortally wounded by one of Morgan's snipers,
presumably Tim Murphy. Also, Arnold was seriously wounded in the leg (Ketchum
246, 247). In these two battles the British lost 1,200 men (Ketchum 253).
On October 8, after the second battle, Burgoyne began his retreat back to
Ticonderoga. By October 9, he had reached the heights of Saratoga, where the
Americans began to surround Burgoyne. In The American Heritage of the
Revolution, Richard Ketchum says:
Dan Morgan was up and across the Fishkill with Learned,
and drenched British sentries could see masses of Brigadier
General John Fellows' Massachusetts militia closing in from
the east...Then, on the thirteenth, the wambling road on the
west bank was suddenly acrawl with the enemy.
Unpredictable General John Stark had dragged his feet after
Bennington, but now he abruptly slammed the door of the
northern corridor, ringing down the curtain on the final act
of Burgoyne's tragedy, leaving nothing but a brief epilogue
to be spoken near the village of Saratoga. (247)
By October 14, Burgoyne asked for surrender. The terms of the surrender, called
the Convention of Saratoga, were virtually dictated by Burgoyne (Ketchum 254).
On October 17, he relinquished his entire army of 5,700 troops to General Horatio
Gates (Natkiel, Kirk, Westwood 16). As the British and German troops lay down
their arms, General Gates forbade any of the American men to watch this
humiliating experience. Also, as the British and German troops passed General
Gates and the Americans for review, they were baffled by the complete silence of
the American soldiers. In these ways Gates saved the honor of the British and the
Germans (Ketchum 247, 248).
It was at this time that Sir Henry Clinton received word of the defeat. Clinton
had started up the Hudson to assist Burgoyne after he had captured Forts
Montgomery and Clinton and burned the town of Kingston. While in this town, he
received two letters. One told him of Burgoyne's surrender, and the other told him
that Howe was in desperate need of help in Philadelphia. Hearing this, he hurried
back to the protection of New York City, not wanting to be attacked by the
American forces (Carmer 96).
The American victory at Saratoga "permanently ended British hopes of dividing
the colonies along the Hudson River." (The Battles at Saratoga [online]) Also, it
caused Louis XVI of France to sign a treaty of alliance with the Americans. With
the Saratoga victory, they realized that the Americans had an opportunity at
defeating the British. For this reason they signed the treaty, on February 6, 1778,
pledging full military support to the Americans (Ketchum 254).
Aside from this victory on the Hudson River, there was a tragic event that
occurred at West Point. This event centered around Benedict Arnold, one of the
most infamous traitors in American history. Arnold had been revered as a
celebrated soldier who had fought bravely at Saratoga and other battles. He
betrayed his country because he thought he had not been sufficiently rewarded for
his important role in the revolutionary army, and because charges had been brought
against him in Philadelphia for financial misconduct. (Diamant-interview).
When Benedict Arnold was injured in the Battle of Freeman's Farm, he was
made the military commander of Philadelphia. Here, he remarried and befriended
many wealthy Tories who had not yet evacuated from Philadelphia. Arnold then
began corresponding, in various forms of disguise, with Major John Andre, who
was in New York, telling him he might be able to help the British (Ketchum 268).
One letter that Arnold wrote to Clinton in cipher said, "General Washington and the
army will move to the North river [the Hudson] as soon as forage can be obtained.
Congress have given up Charles Town if [attacked]. They are in want of arms,
ammunition, and men to defend it." (Smith 1562) Arnold said that he was willing
to give information for money, rank in the British army, and a title (Ketchum 268).
Richard Ketchum says that, "In late July, Washington...gave him [Arnold] the
American left wing. Somewhat to his surprise, Arnold began to twist and
squirm...What he really wanted was to be in charge at West Point, not to lead troops
in the field." This incredible opportunity for the British came on August 3, 1780
(268).
When he arrived at West Point, Arnold began writing flattering letters to certain
officers at the Westchester and Fairfield posts, trying to get secret information such
as data on all the secret agents who worked under Major Benjamin Tallmadge. A
little skeptical, Tallmadge refused, saying only General Washington could give out
that information. Another suspicious letter told Tallmadge to send a certain John
Anderson directly to West Point if he should appear in his area. Soon after,
Tallmadge received word that a man named John Anderson had been picked up by
militiamen near the Westchester no man's land. More amazingly, they found
"detailed plans of the West Point forts, data on ordnance, and digests of confidential
orders issued by Washington" as well as a pass and letters written in Arnold's
handwriting. A man had been caught trying to get to the British lines, and he had
permission to do so from Benedict Arnold! (Ketchum 268)
The captured papers were sent to Washington who was on his way from
Hartford, Connecticut. However, Washington unexpectedly took a different route
and missed the messenger. In the meantime, John Anderson had thrown off his
disguise and revealed himself as Major John Andre, the Adjutant General to Sir
Henry Clinton. Andre had been told by Arnold to wear civilian clothes and to travel
to the British lines by land instead of by ship. Traveling by land made the trip
riskier, and wearing civilian clothes caused Andre to be turned in as a spy instead of
a prisoner of war (Ketchum 268).
When Washington arrived at West Point, he immediately strengthened the fort
and increased the garrison. Arnold, having heard of Andre's capture, reached
comparative safety from the Americans in H.M.S. Vulture (Ketchum 268). After
his capture, John Andre was court-martialed and hanged. Benjamin Tallmadge
describes his own emotions, as well as those of Andre's, at the latter's execution in a
letter to his friend:
By heavens, Colonel Webb, I never saw a man whose fate
I foresaw whom I so sincerely pitied...He seems to be as
cheerful as if he was going to an assembly. I am sure he
will go to the gallows less tearful of his fate and with less
concern than I shall behold the tragedy. (Ketchum 269,
270)
Although he was unsuccessful in his aim at turning all of West Point over to the
British, Benedict Arnold was unhappy with the rewards he received for all his work.
Arnold was made a "British Brigadier..., was handed the sum of 6,315 sterling and
a pension of 500 per annum for his pretty Peggy...British commissions for his three
sons by his earlier marriage to Margaret Mansfield of New Haven, and pensions of
100 per annum for each of his children by Peggy." (Ketchum 270)
As a result of the events from New York City to Saratoga, the Hudson River
proved to be extremely important in the Revolutionary War. At New York City the
British defeated the Americans and pushed the Revolutionaries completely out of
the city. This became the last major city the British occupied when they
surrendered at Yorktown. Despite the British dominance, the American troops did
well in defending the city. General Washington distinguished himself as the
Commander-in-Chief as he displayed his brilliance in saving the army numerous
times from destruction. He did this, not by confrontation, but by retreating.
Washington became good at fooling the British and escaping certain annihilation,
and without this, there would not have been an army.
The events at West Point were essential to the American victory of the
Revolutionary War. British generals did not like the threat of being slowed down by
the chain and then fired upon from the shore. With the British controlling New
York City, and the Americans preventing them from moving upstream, there was a
stalemate. This forced the war southward, where the Americans eventually forced
the British to surrender at Yorktown. The victory is even more amazing considering
the treasonous activities of Benedict Arnold, commander of West Point!
At Saratoga, the Americans gained an official ally as France openly supported
the Americans with weapons, supplies, ships, and men. They did this when General
Gates forced the British, under General Burgoyne, to surrender at Saratoga. This
victory showed the French that they might have something to gain by entering the
war against Britain. The surrender and the support from France greatly increased
the morale of the American troops and citizens.
Fortunately, for America, the revolutionary army experienced more victories than
defeats along the banks of the Hudson. The river truly earned its place in American
history, proving its immense value by being armed for war.
Works Cited
The Battles at Saratoga. [Online] Available http://www.spa.net/battle/battle.htm,
November 7, 1997.
Carmer, Carl. "This Hollowed-Out Ground." American Heritage June 1967: 96.
Diamant, Lincoln. Chaining the Hudson. New York: Carol Publishing Group,
1989.
Diamant, Lincoln. Interview. Nov. 29, 1997.
"Extract of a letter from New York, dated Dobb's Ferry, September 16." The
Continental Journal and Weekly Advertiser 26 Sept. 1776: 1, col.3. Microfilm.
Birth of America. Reel 10.
Fowler, Jr., William M. Rebels Under Sail. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons,
1976.
Ketchum, Richard M., ed. The American Heritage of The Revolution. New York:
American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., 1958.
Natkiel, Richard, John Kirk, and John Westwood. Atlas of American Wars.
Greenwich: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1986.
Smith, Page. A New Age Now Begins. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company,
1976.