Fort Clinton (West Point)

Fort Clinton (originally known as Fort Arnold) was an American Revolutionary War fort located near West Point, New York. Commanded by and named after Benedict Arnold before his betrayal of the United States and defection to the British Army, the fortification was renamed after General James Clinton.

For other forts with this name, see Fort Clinton (disambiguation).
Fort Clinton
Part of the United States Military Academy
Near West Point, New York, United States
Remains of Fort Clinton in 2009
Fort Clinton
Location in New York
Coordinates41°23′39.42″N 73°57′9.36″W
TypeFort
Site information
Owner United States Army
Open to
the public		Yes
ConditionPartially demolished
Site history
Built1778–1780
Built by
Battles/warsAmerican Revolutionary War
Garrison information
Past
commanders		Major General Benedict Arnold

History
Map of West-Point, 1780

Construction of the fort was begun under Captain Louis de la Radiere,[1] and completed under Colonel Tadeusz Kościuszko between 1778–1780; it was the key defensive fortification, overlooking the turn in the Hudson River and the Great Chain.[2]

In 1778, Major General Israel Putnam wrote, "The place agreed upon to obstruct the navigation of Hudson river was at West Point." "As the governor's brother, Colonel James Clinton, and his brigade would build the main fort, it was to be named after him." The southern and western walls were nine feet high and twenty feet thick. Three redoubts and batteries on the south were named Forts Meigs, Wyllys and Webb.[3]:53,55

After the war, the remains of the fort fell into disrepair and were eventually demolished to make way for the expansion of the United States Military Academy, founded at the garrison in 1802. Today, all that remains of Fort Clinton are some earthworks and stone base structures, easily seen off of Thayer Road as it rounds the plain and the soccer fields at West Point.

See also

References
  1. J. E. Kaufmann (2004). Fortress America. Tomasz Idzikowski (illus.). Da Capo Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-306-81294-1. de la radiere.
  2. "West Point". A Revolutionary Day. Retrieved 2009-02-11.
  3. Storozynski, A., 2009, The Peasant Prince, New York: St. Martin's Press, ISBN 9780312388027
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