The Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery was an American Revolutionary War battle fought in the Hudson Highlands of the Hudson River valley, not far from West Point, on October 6, 1777. British forces under the command of General Sir Henry Clinton captured Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery and then dismantled the first iteration of the Hudson River Chains. The purpose of the attack was to create a diversion to draw American troops from the army of General Horatio Gates, whose army was opposing British General John Burgoyne's attempt to gain control of the Hudson.
The forts were garrisoned by about 600 Continental Army troops under the command of two brothers, General (and Governor of New York) George Clinton and General James Clinton, while General Israel Putnam led additional troops at nearby Peekskill, New York. (This battle is also sometimes called the "battle of the Clintons" because of the number of participants with that name. The brothers were probably not related to Sir Henry.) Using a series of feints, Henry Clinton fooled Putnam into withdrawing most of his troops to the east, and then he landed over 2,000 troops on the west side of the Hudson to assault the two forts.
After several hours of hiking through the hilly terrain, Clinton divided his troops to stage simultaneous assaults on the two forts. Although the approach to Fort Montgomery was contested by a company armed with a small field piece, they attacked the two forts at nearly the same time and captured them after a relatively short battle. More than half the defenders were killed, wounded, or captured. The British followed up this success with raids as far north as Kingston before being recalled to New York City. The action came too late to be of any assistance to Burgoyne, who surrendered his army on October 17. The only notable consequences of the action were the casualties suffered and the British destruction of the two forts on their departure.
Background
The Hudson River valley was a strategically critical area throughout the American Revolutionary War. Through this area moved supplies, men and materiel between the New England states and those further south, something that became vitally important when the British largely abandoned New England as an objective of military control later in the war. In June 1777, General John Burgoyne began an attempt to gain control of this key area by moving south from the British province of Quebec. After his early success at Ticonderoga, his campaign become bogged down in logistical difficulties, not reaching Saratoga, New York, until mid-September. Burgoyne held expectations that his campaign would be supported by military forces based in New York City under the command of General William Howe and that the forces would meet at Albany, about south of Saratoga.
Apparently as a result of poor communications with Lord Germain, Britain's Secretary of State for the Colonies and the political official in charge of the conflict, General Howe decided instead to attempt the capture of Philadelphia and sailed south with much of his army in July, leaving Sir Henry Clinton in command at New York. Howe's instructions to General Clinton were primarily to hold New York City and to only engage in offensive operations that were consistent with that goal. His instructions to Clinton on July 30 included a promise that reinforcements would arrive (but without any promised time) and that Clinton should consider making a move "in favor of General Burgoyne's approaching Albany, with security to Kingsbridge" if the opportunity presented itself. A letter from Howe reached Burgoyne on August 3 informing him of his move to Philadelphia and of Clinton's instructions. Clinton wrote a letter on September 12 (received by Burgoyne on September 21, after the Battle of Freeman's Farm) that he would "make a push at [Fort] Montgomery in about ten days" if "you think 2000 men can assist you effectually".
Prelude
Forces
Forces involved in the battle were:
British forces
(detachment) 17th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons
7th Regiment of Foot (Royal Fusiliers) 17th Regiment of Foot 26th Regiment of Foot 52nd Regiment of Foot 57th Regiment of Foot 63rd Regiment of Foot Company, 1st Battalion, 71st Regiment of Foot German forces Grenadier Company, 1st Anspach-Beyreuth Regiment Regiment von Trumbach (Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel) Colonial forces Loyal American Regiment Emmerich's Chasseurs New York Volunteers King's American Regiment King's Orange Rangers