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American Revolution - Chaining the HudsonFort MontgomeryOrange County |
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Click to enlarge the sign Chaining the Hudson in the American Revolution. 
The sign reads:
Chaining the Hudson "Early in the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress realized that if the British controlled the Hudson River, they could divide the rebellious colonies. To prevent this, in March 1776, the Americans began construction of Fort Montgomery above the Popolopen Creek on the west side of the Hudson River. Their work soon expanded to include a second fort, Fort Clinton, on the south side of the creek, and a massive iron chain that stretched across the Hudson River. "Lieutenant Thomas Machin, one of the Continental Army's most able engineers, directed the work on the forts and the chain. During two separate attempts, the chain quickly broke under the strain of the ebb tide. Convinced that the chain could still work, Machin had the damage repaired and successfully stretched the chain across the river in march 1777. "British ships never tested the chain. Rather, the British captured the forts on October 6, 1777, and cut the chain the following day. Today, Fort Montgomery State Historic Site is open to the public and interprets the story of the forts and the battle."Click to enlarge sign: The First Chain along the Hudson River. 
The sign reads:
The First Chain Planned to keep British Ships from going up River. Anchored on shore Below, was forced by the Enemy Oct. 7, 1777 Chain at West Point After the British destroyed the Fort Montgomery chain, the Americans created an even bigger chain at West Point, which was never challenged by the enemy. The diagram on the interpretive sign is courtesy of the West Point Museum Collection, United States Military Academy. Fort Montgomery as a Historic Ruin Rather than rebuild Fort Montgomery, New York State Parks has chosen to preserve and interpret it as a ruin. The site includes an interpretive trail that guides visitors past the fort's ruins to breathtaking vies of the Hudson River. Find out more about the American Revolution in the Hudson River Valley.
Location: Fort Montgomery
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American Revolution - Chaining the Hudson
