Fort Cockhill facts for kids

Map showing the locations of the northern Manhattan fortifications of the Continental Army

Fort Cockhill was a small military fort built in the 1700s. It was located on a place called Cox's Hill or Tubby Hook Hill, which is now part of Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan, New York City. This fort was a round structure made of earth, about 10 to 12 feet tall. It had two cannons and was placed at the very northwest end of Tubby Hook Hill. From there, it could watch over both the Hudson River and the Harlem River valley.

A Fort for Defense

Fort Cockhill was built by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The Continental Army was the main army for the American colonies fighting for independence from Great Britain. Fort Cockhill was an "outpost," meaning it was a smaller fort connected to a larger one. It was an outpost of Fort Tryon, which itself was an outpost of Fort Washington to the south.

These forts, along with a strong position on Laurel Hill (later called Fort George by the British) and another small fort with four cannons near the Kingsbridge Road, helped protect northern Manhattan. At that time, this area was not very populated.

The Battle of Fort Washington

On November 16, 1776, a big battle happened, known as The Battle of Fort Washington. During this battle, Fort Cockhill was attacked. A group of German soldiers called Hessian Grenadiers captured the fort. These Hessian soldiers were fighting for the British Army.

19th Century drawing of the remains of Fort Cockhill

George Washington's Visit

In July 1781, George Washington, who was the commander of the Continental Army, and his generals looked at the forts in northern Manhattan. They were in the Bronx, across the river, planning to take back the forts that the British had captured.

By this time, Fort Cockhill was not in good shape. Washington noticed that the fort on Cox’s Hill was "in bad repair" and not very reliable. He saw that it didn't have a protective ditch or sharp stakes (called "friezing") around it. He also noted that the northeast side was "quite easy of access," meaning it was simple to get into.

However, the planned attack to reclaim the forts never happened. The British continued to hold Fort Cockhill until the war ended in 1783.