Capture of Stony Point
- When
- 1779
- Where
- Stony Point, New York, on the Hudson River; British outpost at Stony Point, New York; Stony Point, firing toward Verplanck's Point across the Hudson; Stony Point, New York
- Episodes
- 4
On 16 July 1779, Brigadier General Anthony Wayne led a select Corps of Light Infantry in a nighttime bayonet assault that seized the British outpost at Stony Point on the Hudson River, capturing the garrison and cannons before Washington's army abandoned the position two days later.
Episodes
- British Seizure and Fortification of Stony Point
British forces occupied Stony Point during Clinton's May 1779 Hudson expedition, driving off a small American garrison and using the heights to shell Fort Lafayette.
- Wayne's Nighttime Assault and Capture
Before dawn on 16 July 1779, Wayne's trained light infantry stormed the British outpost in a bayonet assault, defeating the garrison in a quick, daring attack.
- Diversionary Fire Against Verplanck's Point
Putnam opened diversionary fire against Verplanck's Point as the assault began, distracting the British until morning; Wayne's cannons later fired at long range without effect.
- American Withdrawal and British Court-Martial
The Americans abandoned Stony Point on July 18 after removing captured cannons and supplies; Colonel Johnson was later court-martialed for inadequate defense.
Background and detail
Background. After Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga in October 1777 and France's entry into the war, British strategy shifted. In late May 1779, Sir Henry Clinton led roughly 8,000 men up the Hudson River, and British planners identified Stony Point as vital ground controlling the river, the Hudson Highlands entrance, and the Kings Ferry crossing.
American Preparations. Washington formulated an attack plan and chose Brigadier General Anthony Wayne of the Pennsylvania Line to command it. The force drew on the Corps of Light Infantry, an elite seasonal organization drafted from the light infantry companies of Washington's regiments; the 1779 Corps was organized as a brigade of four regiments of two battalions each.
Aftermath and Consequences. Washington never intended to hold the position; the Americans abandoned Stony Point on July 18 after removing captured cannons and supplies. Colonel Johnson, the British commander, faced court-martial in New York City on charges of inadequate defense, while Patriot accounts noted Wayne granted quarter to the garrison.
People involved
- Brigadier General Anthony Wayne · American commander of the assault, leading the Corps of Light Infantry
- George Washington · Commander in chief whose Continental Army troops conducted the attack and who authorized the operation
- Sir Henry Clinton · British commander in chief in North America who led the May 1779 Hudson expedition
- Colonel Johnson · British commander of the Stony Point garrison, later court-martialed
Sources
- Battle of Stony Point Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-22
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.