Battle of Stony Point
Stony Point, on the Hudson River, Rockland County, New York, USA
What happened
Continental Army light infantry under Brigadier General Anthony Wayne attacked a British garrison under Lieutenant Colonel Henry Johnson. The British had fortified a steep, rocky point on the Hudson River nicknamed 'Little Gibraltar'. Around midnight, Wayne's soldiers attacked in silence with unloaded muskets, using a password to recognise each other. In about 25 minutes they captured the fort and its garrison.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It lifted the spirits of the Continental Army after a hard period of the war. It also protected the approach to the important American fortress at West Point.
What came next
George Washington visited the battlefield the next day. The Americans then removed the captured cannon and supplies and left the point.
Did you know?
The Stony Point Lighthouse, built in 1826, now stands on the battlefield, which is a state historic site.
Timeline
- 16 July 1779Wayne's night attack captures Stony Point.
- 17 July 1779Washington visits the battlefield.
- 18 July 1779The Americans abandon Stony Point.
- 1826The Stony Point Lighthouse is built.