Installation of the Great Chain at West Point
- When
- April 30, 1778
- Where
- Hudson River between West Point and Constitution Island
Captain Thomas Machin directed the stretching of the Great Chain across the Hudson between West Point and Constitution Island on April 30, 1778.
In spring 1778, a heavy chain supported by huge log rafts was stretched across the Hudson from West Point to Constitution Island to impede British ships moving north of West Point. Captain Thomas Machin, the artillery officer and engineer who had installed the earlier Fort Montgomery chain, directed the installation across the river on April 30, 1778. Machin had begun work on this stronger chain after recovering from wounds sustained in battle with the British.
Sources
- Hudson River Chains Wikipedia, revision of 2026-02-27
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