Fort Clinton was an

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

fort erected by the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

on the west bank of the

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

in 1776. Fort Clinton was the original West Point academy

Protecting the chain

It was one of a pair of fortifications which straddled the confluence of Popolopen Creek, standing on the south side of Popolopen Gorge, with Fort Montgomery to the north. Adams, Arthur G., ''The Hudson River Guidebook'', Fordham Univ Press, 1996
The forts defended a huge wrought iron chain that spanned the Hudson from Fort Montgomery to Anthony's Nose on the river's east side. The sites of both forts are in present-day Highlands,

Orange County, New York Orange County is a List of counties in New York, county located in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 401,310. The county seat is Goshen (village), New York, Goshen. This count ...

. Fort Clinton's garrison of 300 soldiers was smaller than Fort Montgomery's, but it was built on higher ground, and its defenses were more complete. It was commanded by General

James Clinton Major general (United States), Major-General James Clinton (August 9, 1736 – September 22, 1812) was a Continental Army officer and politician who fought in the American Revolutionary War. During the war he, along with John Sullivan (ge ...

, for whom it was named (and not his brother, General George Clinton, or Sir Henry Clinton, the British Commander-in-Chief in North America and opposing general in the struggle over control of the strategically critical river).

Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery

On October 6, 1777, Forts Clinton and Montgomery were attacked by the British 63rd Regiment led by Sir Henry Clinton (a distant relative of James Clinton, according to information at the Fort Montgomery state historic site museum). The Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery was intense but brief, with both forts being overrun within an hour and the wounded General James Clinton retreating with his men through Popolopen Gorge. The forts were razed by the British, and the iron chain they sought to defend was dismantled. The Rebels installed another

Hudson River Chain The Hudson River Chains were a series of boom (navigational barrier), chain booms constructed across the Hudson River at West Point, New York, West Point by Continental Army forces from 1776 to 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. These s ...

farther upriver. Although the ruins of Fort Montgomery survive and the site is a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

, the Fort Clinton site was destroyed in the 1920s during the construction of U.S. Route 9W and the

Bear Mountain Bridge The Bear Mountain Bridge, ceremonially named the Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bridge, is a toll suspension bridge in New York State. It carries U.S. Route 6 in New York, US 6 and U.S. Route 202 in New York, US 202 across the Hudso ...

. Today, the Fort Clinton site lies within

Bear Mountain State Park Bear Mountain State Park is a state park located on the west bank of the Hudson River in Rockland County, New York, Rockland and Orange County, New York, Orange counties, New York (state), New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, pic ...

and is used for the Trailside Museum and Zoo.

References

External links

Twin Forts of the Popolopen
{{coord, 41, 19, 15, N, 73, 59, 17, W, display=title Clinton New York (state) historic sites Military installations established in 1776 U.S. Route 9W Hudson River Clinton New York (state) in the American Revolution Orange County, New York Ruins in the United States 1776 establishments in New York (state)