Battle of Fort Montgomery 1777 (overlay map) discussion

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Battle of Fort Montgomery 1777 (overlay map)

On October 6, 1777, a combined force of roughly 2,100 Loyalists, Hessians and British regulars led by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton attacked Forts Montgomery and Clinton from the landward side (which was only partially completed) with support from cannon fire from British ships on the Hudson River. By the end of the day, both forts had fallen to the British who burned the forts and tore down the stonework buildings.



Although the battle was a complete loss for the Americans, it played a small but critical role in the loss by the British of their northern campaign. The delays involved in mounting the campaign against Forts Montgomery and Clinton affected the outcome for the American forces in Saratoga. This battle had held up the expected reinforcements for which General Burgoyne was waiting. The irony is that on the day after the victory in the Hudson highlands, Burgoyne was losing a far better known battle to the north (the Battle of Bemis Heights) and was forced to surrender ten days later with his reinforcements still far away to the south.