The Battle of Fort Washington

The Battle of Fort Washington

The Battle of Fort Washington was fought on November 16th,1776 in New York/United States. This battle had the German and the British fighting against The American Continental Army. The British and German troops had General Lord Howe. George Washington was the general of the American Continental Army. The size of their armies were 8,000 British and German troops attacked 2,900 American troops. The British wore red coats and headgear of bearskin caps. The two regiments of light dragoons serving in American wore red coats and leather crested helmets. The German wore blue coats.  

On November 16, Howe began the attack with forces approaching from three different directions. British forces attacked from the south and east. Troops attacked from the north. While the northern assault was delayed because of the tides of the river, the southern and eastern assaults proceeded while the northern assault was delayed. Meanwhile The southern defenses of Fort Washington fell to a British charge. The American forces tried to hold off the British troops as they crossed the river. The Americans eastern defenses also fell quickly to the British assault. While the southern and eastern defenses proved braveness, and strength the northern defenses held out longer but eventually collapsed against the British troops. As each American section of defense collapsed, the American troops went down.

As a clear British victory with great strategies, efforts, and braveness British troops were able to overwhelm the American defense of the fort and take control of this last remaining American stronghold in Manhattan. Three days after the surrender of Fort Washington the remaining American forces under Washington’s command fled across New Jersey and into Pennsylvania. The loss of Fort Washington damaged the confidence of the American forces and colonies with the retreat of the main American army.