Fort Washington's chevaux-de-frise (1776)
As part of the barriers erected across the river, the Army constructed a chevaux-de-frise, an array of logs sunk underwater, between Fort Washington on the island of Manhattan, and Fort Lee across the river in New Jersey. The logs were intended to pierce and sink any British ships that passed over it. An opening was left for the passage of American ships. As the British learned of the opening from a local resident, they successfully passed through the barrier several times. The British captured Fort Washington on November 16, 1776, rendering the defensive barrier moot.
Read more about this topic: Hudson River Chain
Famous quotes containing the words fort and/or washington:
“The newspapers are the ruling power. Any other government is reduced to a few marines at Fort Independence. If a man neglects to read the Daily Times, government will go down on its knees to him, for this is the only treason these days.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The government is huge, stupid, greedy and makes nosy, officious and dangerous intrusions into the smallest corners of life—this much we can stand. But the real problem is that government is boring. We could cure or mitigate the other ills Washington visits on us if we could only bring ourselves to pay attention to Washington itself. But we cannot.”
—P.J. (Patrick Jake)