1
May
1777
Construction of Fort Nonsense
Morristown, NJ· month date
The Story
Washington ordered the construction of an earthwork fortification on a hilltop overlooking Morristown during the first encampment. The fort commanded views of the surrounding countryside and would have served as a rallying point in case of British attack. Local tradition holds that the soldiers nicknamed it "Fort Nonsense" because they considered the construction unnecessary — a name that stuck despite the sound military reasoning behind the position. The fort was never tested in combat.
People Involved
George Washington
Ordered construction of the hilltop fortification
Virginia planter and Continental Army commander-in-chief who owned and managed Mount Vernon's enslaved workforce. Absent from his estate for most of the war, he directed Lund Washington's management by correspondence and returned to find the plantation's human community shaped by eight years of wartime disruption.
Martha Washington
Headquarters Manager
Joined Washington at Morristown during both winter encampments, managing the headquarters household, organizing sewing circles to produce clothing for soldiers, and hosting events to maintain officer morale.