THE FALL OF FORT WASHINGTON

The Fall of Fort Washington

On November 16th, 1776, British and Hessian forces assaulted Fort Washington, the last major Continental stronghold on Manhattan Island. The fort guarded the Hudson River and, along with Fort Lee on the New Jersey side, was meant to block enemy ships from moving freely up the waterway. After a hard fight, multiple British columns overwhelmed the defenses, capturing thousands of American soldiers, valuable cannon, and large stores of equipment. George Washington had considered evacuating the position but left it in place, a decision that haunted him when the garrison fell. The loss of Fort Washington closed the book on the first phase of the New York campaign and forced the Continental Army into a long, cold retreat across New Jersey. It was a painful reminder that holding ground at all costs could be more dangerous than preserving a small, hard-won army for battles still to come.