Constitution Island Fortifications

• Roman's Battery
• Marine Battery
• Gravel Hill/Greaton's Battery
• Hill Cliff Battery
• Redoubt 5
• Redoubt 6
• Redoubt 7

• Fort Arnold/Fort Clinton
• Fort Putnam
• Redoubt 4
• Forts Webb, Willys, Meigs

The Great Chain 

Hudson River

Marsh

 Sources and Author's Note  
 
 

West Point Fortifications Staff Ride Note Cards 25
USMA History Department 2d Edition, March 1998
Redoubt 7

A redoubt is a small fortification designed to protect an important feature such as a hill or a pass.
Redoubts contain infantry and, often, cannon.)
ï Purpose: Located at western end of island oriented to protect against attack from the marsh against
batteries protecting chain.
ï Construction began in autumn 1778 in response to Duportailís recommendations following his
inspection of West Pointís defenses that year.
- An excellent example of dry masonry construction--best and most complete on the island
- 17í high in places, 1:6 talus on outside
- Walls vary in thickness at top from 6-9í
 

 
 
 
 

- Most of foundation still intact whereas stone from other redoubts may have been sold to local inhabitants. Possibly due to difficult access to position.
- May have had small fraise between scarp and parapet to prevent scaling
- 12íx18í powder magazine or bombproof from 1782-1797
- No ditch due to difficulty of digging
 
 
 
 

- LíEnfantís sketch shows a gabled roof
- Existence of banquettes suggests that no heavy artillery was present
ï May have mounted as many as 7 small cannon, but no trace of int. or ext. gun positions exists.
ï Manpower: 80 men
ï May have survived because location on remote w. side of the island made stone difficult to retrieve.