West Point Fortifications Staff Ride Note Cards 44
USMA History Department 2d Edition, March 1998
Fort Putnam (Card #1)
Named for the commander of the militia regiment that built it. Although
one of the most important forts at West Point, little is known about it.
Barrels of records sold as waste paper. Reported by Augustus Pleasanton
in diary on 22 Oct 1839: ìHow true it is that the Americans are without
the organ of reverence.î
ï Purpose: To dominate the plain upon which
Fort
Arnold was built and to support Forts Meigs,
Wyllys, and Webb. Not designed to fire on the Hudson.
ï Fort was one of the two principal works in the WP complex capable
of withstanding a 10-day siege conducted with relatively heavy cannon.
ï Became the key fort in the defense:
McDougall to Parsons (11 Apr 1778):
The hill which Col. Putnam is fortifying
is the most commanding and important of any that we can now attend to .
. . the eastern-most face of this work must be so constructed as to command
the plain. . . Should the enemy force the regiments of Wyllis, Meigs, and
Webb from their works. . . those corps should retire to defend to the last
extremity, the avenues leading to Col. Putnamís redoubt. . . the enemyís
possessing the works first mentioned, will not be so fatal to the Post
as his getting possession of the Fort (Arnold), or Putnamís redoubt.
ï Background:
- McDougall decided to fortify Crown Hill following reconnaissance
of high ground in Apr 1778. Initially, McDougall followed recommendations
of Parsons, James Clinton, and Radiere (10 Apr) not to fortify Crown Hill,
but changed his mind the next day. May have been influenced by Kosciuszko,
who recognized significance of high ground as a result of his experience
at Fort Ticonderoga in 1777 when British occupation of surrounding heights
rendered fort untenable.
View of exterior of northwest face of fort approaching from below.
The steep and rocky outcrop upon which the fort was placed would have significantly
complicated an enemy assault 
West Point Fortifications Staff Ride Note Cards 45
USMA History Department 2d Edition, March 1998
Fort Putnam (Card #2)
- Assigned COL Rufus Putnam to move 5th Massachusetts Regiment to hill
and to construct redoubt that would become one of the largest and a key
fort in the system.
ï Construction:
- Atop 50í high rock cliff that dominated plain and complemented other
redoubts. Plan complemented the terrain on which it was located taking
advantage of steep slopes and general rise in elevation from E to W across
top of knoll.
- Current
trace closely follows Kosciuszkoís sketch from 1779.
- Secure against infantry assault, but vulnerable
to artillery on Rocky Hill.
- Fort was to be large enough to contain a 10-day supply of salt meat
and biscuits.
- Original rampart of dry stone masonry, reinforced and expanded with
lime mortar in 1782 or 1783.
- W. walls higher to protect against artillery from Rocky
Hill
- Three casemates
- Construction begins on 11 Apr 1778
ï Benedict Arnold to British(25 Sep 1780):
ìFort Putnam Stone wanting great repairs, wall
on east side broke down and rebuilding from foundation. At the west and
south side have been a Chevaux-de-Frise on the west side broke in many
places. The east side open; two bomb proofs and Provision Magazine in the
Fort,and slight Wooden Barrack.î
ï Ordnance (5 Sep 1780): five 18-pdrs, two 12-pdrs (both
types made of iron and mounted on garrison carriages); two 6-pdrs, one
4-pdrs (both types mounted on travelling carriages), and four 5.5î mortars
ï Manpower: 420 men probably housed in barracks and huts outside
fort.
View from south corner of Fort Putnam looking north/northeast.
Gives some idea of the terrain upon which the fort was constructed, though
the fortifications are of later, more elaborate design.
View of landward (southwest) face of Ft. Putnam, showing again how steep
the terrain immediately surrounding the fort was. Taking the fort
by infantry assault would have been a difficult proposition.
View to west from back wall of Ft. Putnam. Arrow shows location
of Redoubt 4 in cleared area atop Rocky Hill
750m to west. Controlling this hill, some 300' higher than Ft. Putnam, was
crucial to defending Ft. Putnam, as enemy guns emplaced upon it could fire
down into the fort.
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