Paulus Hook

On August 19, 1779, Continental Army troops clashed with British forces at Paulus Hook in an engagement of the American Revolutionary War. Major Light Horse Harry Lee commanded the Continental side, striking the British-held fort under cover of darkness in an area now part of downtown Jersey City. The assault caught the garrison off guard, and Lee's men seized 158 prisoners before pulling back as dawn broke. Although the British managed to hold onto the fort along with its cannons, the raid cost them significant sway over New Jersey. In recognition of his actions, the Second Continental Congress presented Lee with a gold medal, making him the only officer below the rank of general to receive that honor during the conflict.

Background

Even before fighting broke out in 1776, General Washington had directed patriot forces to erect a series of forts along the Hudson's western shore, and Paulus Hook was chosen as the site for one of them. Its natural terrain made it easy to hold, and from there defenders could watch over New York against British assault while also commanding the river channel and the approach into New Jersey. After Washington and the Continental Army suffered defeat at Brooklyn, British troops came ashore at Kip's Bay and seized New York City on September 15, 1776. British warships turned toward Paulus Hook that very day. Within the week, on September 23, patriot forces gave up the fort, hauling munitions and supplies northward to the Village of Bergen, and in doing so left Paulus Hook as the first patch of New Jersey ground to fall under British invasion and occupation.

Three years later, in the middle of the summer of 1779, a young Princeton graduate of twenty-three, Major Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, put forward a bold scheme to Washington for striking at the fort, an operation that would come to be remembered as the Battle of Paulus Hook.

Battle

On the afternoon of August 8, 1779, at four o'clock, Major Lee set out from New Bridge, the site known today as River Edge, New Jersey, leading four hundred foot soldiers along with a company of dragoons who had left their horses behind. Their target lay fourteen miles distant through forest terrain: the British stronghold at Paulus Hook. Along the way he sent riders ahead to keep watch over routes connecting to the North River, while positioning groups of foot soldiers at various crossroads approaching the Hook. Near Union Hill the column turned into the trees, and there, whether from a frightened or disloyal guide, three additional hours passed before the correct path was found.

By three in the morning on August 19, the force had arrived at Prior's Mill, and half an hour later stood at the ditch located where Newark Avenue now meets Warren Street. Though the waters were climbing with the tide, Lieutenant Rudolph determined the canal could still be crossed on foot. Under the leadership of Lieutenants McCallister and Rudolph, the men pushed forward and quickly took the outer defenses. Major Sutherland, commanding the garrison, pulled back into a modest redoubt alongside a handful of officers and forty Hessian troops. With dawn approaching, Major Lee lacked sufficient time to force them out. Although he had planned to set the barracks ablaze, discovering sick men, along with women and children sheltering inside, changed his mind. He withdrew, bringing along one hundred fifty-nine captured officers and soldiers. His own losses amounted to two killed and three wounded.

Captain Forsyth received orders to head to Prior's Mill, gather whatever able men remained, and hold a position on Bergen Heights to shield the withdrawal. This spot sat within the woods close to what are now Bergen and Sip avenues, in the area known today as Journal Square, reportedly near where Dr. Hornblower's residence at 631 Bergen Avenue would later stand. As a young girl named Anna Merselis, Dr. Hornblower's grandmother happened upon Lee's men that same morning while searching for a lost cow. The soldiers held her there temporarily so she could not alert anyone to their whereabouts. The company waited in that position while scouts went to confirm whether the boats Major Lee had arranged to meet him at Dow's Ferry were actually present. His plan had been to ford the Hackensack River, then travel the Belleville Turnpike toward elevated ground east of the Passaic, eventually circling back to New Bridge. Unfortunately, the boats had already been relocated to Newark, forcing Major Lee, burdened by prisoners, exhausted troops, and spoiled ammunition, to take an alternate path vulnerable to interference from forces stationed in New York City. Despite these hardships, the soldiers pressed on with steady resolve and careful judgment through the fourteen-mile return journey. Near Weehawken, then called "Weehock," Captain Catlett arrived bringing fifty additional men along with fresh powder. Further along, at the road leading to Fort Lee, Colonel Ball joined them with two hundred more rested soldiers. Around one o'clock that afternoon, Major Lee and his men finally reached New Bridge safely. The engagement left British forces deeply frustrated while filling American ranks with celebration.

Washington wrote to Congress regarding the action, stating that the Major had shown extraordinary prudence, skill, and courage throughout the operation, bringing great credit to himself and to every officer and soldier under him. He noted that the fort's position made the mission dangerous and its successful outcome all the more impressive.