Editing Fort Montgomery (Hudson River) (section)

==Fort Montgomery==
[[File:Fort Montgomery barracks.jpg|thumb|Foundation of barracks]]

Fort Montgomery was located at the [[confluence]] of [[Popolopen|Popolopen Creek]] with the [[Hudson River]] near [[Bear_Mountain_(Hudson_Highlands)|Bear Mountain]] in [[Orange County, New York]].  The fortifications included a river battery of six 32-pound cannons, a cable chain supported by a boom across the Hudson River (see [[Hudson River Chain]]), and landward [[redoubt]]s connected by [[defensive wall|ramparts]], all situated on a cliff promontory rising 100 feet (30 m) above the river. The fort was commanded by General [[George Clinton (vice president)|George Clinton]], also the newly appointed Patriot governor of the State. Fort Montgomery and its companion fortification, the smaller [[Fort Clinton]], on the southern bank of the Popolopen, held a combined garrison of roughly 700 Colonial soldiers. These men were from the 5th NY Regiment, Lamb's Artillery, Orange County Militia, and Ulster County Militia.

The strategic importance of the opposite bank of Popolopen Creek was quickly realized, as it was an elevated cliff terrace with a full view of the Fort Montgomery site and could not be left undefended. These two forts and their associated cannon batteries effectively controlled this stretch of the Hudson River. The Army also conceived a major engineering project to effectively blockade any naval traffic headed north on the river. In 1776 a [[Hudson River Chain|chain and boom]] were built across the river to provide a physical barrier to ships, in addition to the combined firepower of the fortifications, which could be massed against ships.

In July 1776, the New York convention{{Clarify|date=June 2014}} appointed a committee, including [[John Jay]], [[Robert R. Livingston (chancellor)|Robert Livingston]], George Clinton and [[Robert Yates (politician)|Robert Yates]], to "devise and carry into execution" measures for "obstructing the channel of Hudson's river, or annoying the navigation of the said River." Worried about lack of arms, the committee worked to buy more cannons.