Construction of Fort Lee

Fort Lee was constructed in the summer and fall of 1776 on the New Jersey Palisades overlooking the Hudson River. Originally called Fort Constitution, it was renamed Fort Lee after General Charles Lee. The fort was designed to work in conjunction with Fort Washington across the river to control Hudson River traffic.

The fortification consisted of earthworks, gun emplacements, and camp facilities on the bluff above the river. Its position atop the Palisades cliffs gave it a commanding view of the Hudson but also made resupply and communication difficult. The fort was never fully completed — the speed of British operations in the fall of 1776 overtook construction timelines.