“The fort and garrison, with Col. Johnson, are ours.”
You are now inside the remains of the Upper Works. Within 15 minutes of each other, the two columns of American Light Infantry converged on the flanks of these fortifications. Lieutenant Colonel Francois de Fleury, a French engineer and professional soldier serving in the Continental Army, was the first man into the Upper Works, and, upon entering the Flagstaff Battery, struck the enemy colors. Later, de Fleury became the only European to receive a medal from Congress during the Revolutionary War, awarded to him for his bravery at Stony Point.
“A little small arm firing and considerable bayoneting closed the scene exactly at one o’clock,” wrote Captain Henry Champion. An hour later, at 2 A.M., General Wayne, who had been grazed in the head by a musket ball, wrote to General Washington: “The fort and garrison, with Col. Johnson, are ours. Our Officers and men behaved like men who are determined to be free.”
Fifteen Americans and 20 British soldiers died in the battle. Among the dead was Captain Francis Tew of the British 17th Regiment, killed by musket fire after he had returned from the outer defenses in a vain attempt to rally his men. Only two officers, Lieutenant John Roberts of the Royal Artillery, and Captain Lawrence Robert Campbell of the 71st Highland Regiment, managed to escape to British ships offshore. The remainder of the garrison surrendered to the Americans.
Marker can be reached from Stony Point Park Road, on the left when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
