July 16th, 1779 - The Battle of Stony Point

Conflict: American Revolution

Combatants: Americans vs. British

Location: New York (USA)

Outcome: American victory

In the summer of the fifth year of the Revolution, General George Washington dispatched General Anthony Wayne to retake the fort at Stony Point seized by British General Sir Henry Clinton six weeks before. Wayne with 1, 350 surprised the garrison in a night attack on July 15th and had defeated the garrison by dawn on the 16th while losing only 15 soldiers killed. The British lost 60 killed and over 500 captured. The fort was later dismantled.

Wayne At Stony Point 1779 by Joseph Brightly

Points of Interest:

• General Wayne was nicknamed "Mad Anthony" after personally leading the night assault during this battle.

• Sir Henry Clinton lost his seat in Parliament due to criticism over the defeat in America.

General 'Mad Anthony' Wayne (Cropped) by H. Charles McBarron, Jr.

Sir Henry Clinton by Andrea Soldi

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sources:

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.

Leckie, Robert (1992). George Washington's War. New York: HarperCollins.

McDowell, Bart (1967). The Revolutionary War. Washington D.C., National Geographic Society.