Editing Peekskill, New York (section)

==Fort Independence==
[[File:Fort Independence on the Hudson.jpg|thumb|left|Fort Independence on the Hudson, depicted on an improved, published version of British commander-in-chief [[Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)|Sir Henry Clinton]]'s battle map of October 6, 1777]]
[[File:Fort Hill Park.jpg|thumb|Eastern redoubt on Fort Hill Park]]
On the north bank of Annsville Creek as it empties into the Hudson, Fort Independence combined with Forts [[Fort Montgomery (Hudson River)|Montgomery]] and [[Fort Clinton|Clinton]] to defend the Hudson River Valley. Fort Independence was built in August 1776, while Forts Montgomery and Clinton were started in June.<ref name=Dunwell>Dunwell, F.F., 1991, The Hudson River highlands, New York: Columbia University Press; {{ISBN|0231070438}}</ref>{{rp|18}} Fort Hill Park, the site of Camp Peekskill, contained five barracks and two redoubts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://peekskillmuseum.org/about-the-museum/peekskill-history-summary/ |title=History and Events in Peekskill &#124; Peekskill History Summary |publisher=The Peekskill Museum |date=July 29, 1940 |access-date=January 8, 2016 |archive-date=January 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109224524/http://peekskillmuseum.org/about-the-museum/peekskill-history-summary/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/about/pdfs/newsclippings/JrnlNwsFrtHll3-27-05.pdf |title=Peekskill officials dot historic mountain with plaques |website=Hudsonrivervalley.org |access-date=January 8, 2016 |archive-date=January 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113023351/http://www.hudsonrivervalley.org/about/pdfs/newsclippings/JrnlNwsFrtHll3-27-05.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Settlement was slow in the early 18th century. By the time of the [[American Revolution]], the tiny community was an important manufacturing center, which made it attractive to the [[Continental Army]], which established an outpost here in 1776.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}} Several creeks and streams powered mills, which provided gunpowder, leather, planks, and flour. Slaughterhouses provided fresh meat, easily shipped from docks along the river. Much was needed to support several other forts and garrisons located to support the [[Hudson River Chains]] between [[Bear Mountain Bridge]] and [[Anthony's Nose (Westchester)|Anthony's Nose]] during the Revolution to prevent British naval passage upriver.

Though Peekskill's terrain and mills were beneficial to the Patriot cause, they also made tempting targets for British raids. The most damaging attack took place in early spring of 1777, when an invasion force of a dozen vessels led by a warship and supported by infantry overwhelmed the American defenders. On leaving New Windsor in June 1781, Washington briefly established his quarters at Peekskill.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Lossing|first=Benson|title=The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution|publisher=Harper & Brothers, Publishers |year=1859|pages=734, 681}}</ref>