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The End of the Battle
By 1 A.M. on July 16, 1779, the fort was in American
hands, but they did not keep it long. After General Washington
inspected the captured British defenses, he determined that 1300
men - troops he couldn't spare - would be needed as a permanent
garrison, and that an enemy counterattack would soon occur from
the river - exactly where the Upper Works was open and
unfinished. The Americans withdrew on the night of July 18, and
within twenty-four hours, the British returned to build a second,
much stronger fort. But the fortunes of war were against the
crown's forces. Great Britain was also fighting France and Spain
by 1779, and expected reinforcements were not available. Combined
with a lack of Loyalist support, these factors caused the British
to destroy their own second fort in October, 1779, and never
again threaten the Hudson Highlands.
That completes the Battlefield Walking Tour. We hope you learned about the battle, and we invite you to stop by and visit the battlefield grounds.
