Fort Lee Historic Park Facts for Kids

Fort Lee Historic Park
Quick facts for kids
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Location	Fort Lee, New Jersey, United States
Area	33 acres

Fort Lee Historic Park is a special place located on a tall cliff called the Hudson Palisades. It looks over the Hudson River in Fort Lee, New Jersey. This park helps us remember an important time in American history.

Long ago, Native Americans lived here for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. Later, in 1776, George Washington and his soldiers set up camp here during the American Revolutionary War. The park is named after General Charles Lee. Today, you can see a rebuilt camp, including a blockhouse (a small fort), a battery (where cannons were placed), and soldiers' quarters. There's also a visitors center. It's all part of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission.

At the north end of the park, you can find two amazing viewpoints. From here, you can see the huge George Washington Bridge, the wide Hudson River, and the tall buildings of Upper Manhattan.

Fort Lee: A Revolutionary War Stronghold
- Building Fort Lee
- Protecting the Hudson River
The Battle of Fort Lee
Fort Lee Museum and Monument Park
Images for kids
See also

Fort Lee: A Revolutionary War Stronghold

A 1777 map from the Revolutionary War showing obstacles between Fort Lee and Fort Washington.

Fort Lee was a very important fort during the American Revolutionary War. It was first called Fort Constitution. It stood on top of the Hudson Palisades cliffs in what is now Fort Lee, New Jersey. Right across the Hudson River in Manhattan, there was another fort called Fort Washington.

Building Fort Lee

George Washington, who was the leader of the Continental Army, ordered his general, General Mercer, to build a fort on the west side of the Hudson River. Construction started in July 1776. This new fort was named Fort Constitution.

The fort was built on the western side of the road that led up the hill from the river. At the same time, Fort Washington was being built almost directly across the river in New York. To make it harder for British ships to pass, large underwater obstacles called chevaux-de-frise were placed in the river between the two forts.

Protecting the Hudson River

British warships trying to pass between Fort Lee and Fort Washington.

These two forts, Fort Lee and Fort Washington, were meant to stop British warships from sailing up the lower Hudson River. At first, defenses were built close to the water. Later, more defenses were added on top of the cliff.

A local ferry service, Bourdette's ferry, was taken over by the army to help move supplies. Peter Bourdette, a patriot, even offered his enslaved people to help with the construction.

In September 1776, Fort Constitution was renamed Fort Lee. It was named after General Charles Lee of the Continental Army. George Washington often used the stone Bourdette house as his headquarters when he was at Fort Lee. At this time, the ferry was the main way to get supplies and connect Fort Lee and Fort Washington.

The Battle of Fort Lee

Battle of Fort Lee

Part of the American Revolutionary War

A painting showing British soldiers landing at the base of the Palisades.

Date	November 19, 1776 (1776-11-19)
Location	Fort Lee, New Jersey vicinity
Result	British victory

Belligerents

United States

Great Britain

Hesse-Kassel

Commanders and leaders

George Washington

Nathanael Greene

Charles Cornwallis

Carl von Donop

Strength

2,000

5,000
8 guns

The Battle of Fort Lee happened on November 19, 1776. It was a successful invasion of New Jersey by British and Hessian (German) soldiers. This battle led to the Continental Army having to quickly retreat.

Before the Battle

Peter Bourdette's sixteen-year-old son, also named Peter, helped the American forces. In the week before the battle, he rowed across the river. He gathered information for General Washington about where the British forces were planning to move.

On the night before the battle for New York at Fort Washington, George Washington was rowed to the middle of the Hudson River. There, he met with his senior officers to plan their strategy. On November 16, 1776, George Washington watched the battle for New York from the cliffs of Fort Lee.

British Invasion

Fort Lee became very vulnerable after the Continental Army soldiers at Fort Washington were defeated and captured on November 16, 1776. The British Navy now controlled the Hudson River. General William Howe ordered Charles Cornwallis to "clear the rebel troops from New Jersey." He wanted it done quickly before the weather changed.

The British force included Hessian soldiers led by Colonel Carl von Donop. The invasion of New Jersey began on the night of November 19. About 5,000 British soldiers were ferried across the Hudson River on barges. Lord Cornwallis landed his force of 2,500 to 5,000 soldiers at a place known as Huyler’s Landing on November 20, 1776.

The British wanted to surprise Washington and end the rebellion. Cornwallis marched his men up the cliffs of the Palisades using a rough path. Then they moved southward. The path they used later became a road for farmers to bring goods to a dock by the river.

George Washington and Nathanael Greene quickly ordered the soldiers to leave Fort Lee on the morning of November 20, 1776.

American Retreat

The American soldiers began a very fast retreat west. They crossed the Hackensack River at New Bridge Landing and the Passaic River at the Acquackanonk Bridge.

During Washington's retreat, which started along a road that is now Main Street, Thomas Paine wrote his famous pamphlet, "The American Crisis". It began with the well-known words, "These are the times that try men's souls."

Fort Lee Museum and Monument Park

The Fort Lee Museum is located in Monument Park. This park was created by the Daughters of the American Revolution and opened in 1908. General John "Black Jack" Pershing attended the ceremony. The park was part of the original Fort Constitution where the Continental Army was stationed. More than 2,600 soldiers were in this area.

In 2004, the park was rebuilt for the Fort Lee Centennial Celebration. A time capsule was buried at the monument. It will be opened in the year 2104. Monument Park and Continental Army Plaza in Williamsburg, Brooklyn are the only parks in the United States dedicated to the soldiers of the American Revolution.