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Rear Of House Facing The Hudson River
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site - Newburgh NYIt was overcast as I departed Gettysburg on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 and began one of the longest relocations I have in the itinerary between Florida and northern Maine. The drive took me northeast on US 15 to Harrisburg and then north along the Susquehanna River to Millersburg. The compass heading changed to ENE as I followed US 209 to Cuddlebackville NY where I turned east on county roads to the Korn's Shawangunk campground. It was late afternoon by the time I arrived and set up the Pilgrim. This is another laid back campground. The owner said, “I’ll read the electric and we’ll settle everything before you leave.” Even my propane refill went on the tab.
Other than my innate curiosity about the area and its people, there were three attractions that drew me - Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and the United States Military Academy (West Point). Wednesday was another gloomy day, but on Thursday I set out for Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site in Newburgh NY. The attraction is in quite a deteriorated area of town – run down tenements, abandoned store fronts, streets that have been patched ad infinitum for
Even Fog Can Be Pretty
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site - Newburgh NY a hundred years (but not for the last ten years), lots of litter, etc., etc.; however, I never felt in danger. Why Washington would have garrisoned his troops in such a marginal neighborhood is beyond me! Parking is next door; but, beware, there is substantial glass in the unpaved parking lot.
There are three main features of the attraction. The museum is under restoration and the only area open was the lobby where the modest fee was collected and where a short but well-done video was presented. A tour guide provided a good narrative during the tour of the Jonathan Hasbrouck House (1770) where Washington stayed from April 1, 1782 to August 19, 1783 – his longest domicile as General Washington. Of course, photographs were not allowed. In that vein, and perhaps because the museum is in mothballs, several handouts highlighted the events that unfolded while Washington was Headquartered here. The property was acquired by the State of New York in 1850 - making it the first publicly operated historic site in the country. As an aside, I also learned from the handouts that the site is located within the City of Newburgh’s 445-acre East End Historic District. Historic
George Checking Out The Hudson
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site - Newburgh NY or not, the streets are horrid!
In the sixteen months that Washington spent in the Hasbrouck House, he held some of his most important meetings and made some of his most important contributions to the shaping of the fledgling republic. On May 22, 1782, Washington penned a response to Colonel Lewis Nicola rejecting the notion that America should become a monarchy and that he should become King George after independence was secured. In his daily General Orders of August 7, 1782 Washington created The Badge of Military Merit which was the forerunner of the Purple Heart. Much more about that later. It also was in his daily General Orders that Washington announced the Cessation of Hostilities on April 19, 1783. This announcement did not officially end the war but, essentially, ended the fighting.
By spring 1783, the officer corps had become disgruntled over several grievances, mostly over lack of current and back pay, and an anonymous letter began circulating calling for a meeting of the officers to discuss a march on the Continental Congress to demand back pay at gunpoint. When Washington got wind of the meeting, he penned a speech, the Newburgh Addresses and unexpectedly appeared at
Minuteman, Ever Vigilant
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site - Newburgh NY the meeting. The speech did not change the minds of the officers, but Washington pulled a letter out of his pocket from Virginia Congressman Joseph Jones that praised the soldiers and their patience. Before reading the letter, Washington pulled spectacles from his pocket saying, “Gentlemen, you must pardon me. I have grown grey in the service of my country and I now find myself growing blind.” His revelation made the officers realize that Washington had suffered as much as they and, thus, effectively ended The Newburgh Conspiracy.
In the era, “circular letters” were used to convey identical information to multiple recipients. On June 8, 1783 (3-1/2 months before the official end of the Revolutionary War), Washington wrote a letter to the State Governors outlining his beliefs about the structure of the government of the new nation. Several photo-beings were employed to generate thirteen identical copies of the 17-page, 4000-word letter over the next few days. The next to last paragraph reads, “It remains then to be my final and only request, that your Excellency will communicate these sentiments to your Legislature at your next meeting, and that they may be considered as the Legacy of One, who has ardently
Would The Stairs Come Tumblin' Down?
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site - Newburgh NY wished, on all occasions, to be useful to his country, and who, even in the shade of retirement, will not fail to implore divine benediction upon it.” The
full text is interesting reading.
The third feature at Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site is the Tower of Victory. The Trustees of Washington's Headquarters and the City of Newburgh planned an extravaganza for the centennial celebration of Washington’s stay in Newburgh, but a commemorative peace memorial remained in the planning and funding stages in that hundredth year. The Tower of Victory was completed in 1890 – seven years after the centennial. Atypical of construction quality in the era, structural problems surfaced in 1950 at the ripe old age of 60. Is it possible that an official was on the contractor’s payroll in the 1800s? It appears that nothing has been done in the subsequent 62 years to correct the problems either. Perhaps the Tower and the streets in the 445-acre East End Historic District are in the “planning and funding stages!” The views of the Hudson River are great even with low-hanging fog and the Tower could be very nice with some TLC.
My next stop was the New Windsor Cantonment
Cantonment Barracks
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site - New Windsor NY State Historic Site in, of course, New Windsor NY. While Washington commanded the Continental Army from Newburgh, the main force was about two miles away (as the horse walks) at the New Windsor Cantonment. A cantonment essentially is a permanent residential section (barracks) of a fort or other military installation vs. an encampment which is temporary housing for troops (tents). After the Revolutionary war ended, Washington ordered the sale of the structures to help pay the Army’s outstanding debt, and the cantonment was dismantled. One of the original barracks had been purchased by Nathaniel Sackett and for almost 150 years had been used as an anchor for a larger home in nearby Mountainville NY. In 1933, the structure was dismantled and reassembled on its original site. It is, perhaps, the only surviving structure first built by the Continental Army. The Temple of Virtue, where officers could relax or conduct meetings, and a blacksmith shop are replica buildings.
Between June 1782 and October 1783, about 7,000 men resided here in about 600 log barracks. Although the Siege of Yorktown had ended most hostilities the year before, the British still occupied New York City, and Washington believed that the sentiment in
Officers Only
New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site - New Windsor NY Britain for restarting the war and taking the colonies back was still strong. His logic was that he needed to keep the army within striking distance of New York while protecting the vital Hudson River until all British forces were withdrawn. Not knowing how long that withdrawal would take resulted in the cantonment. It was here that Washington’s General Order was read to the troops on April 19, 1783 announcing the Cessation of Hostilities. It was at the Temple where Washington revealed his vision problems for the first time and ended the Newburgh Conspiracy. It was at the New Windsor Cantonment that the only presentations of the Badge of Military Merit were conducted.
With that history in mind, it was on these grounds that the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor was opened November 10, 2006. The attraction “commemorates the extraordinary sacrifices of America's servicemen and servicewomen who were killed or wounded in combat.” The Badge of Military Merit was a purple cloth heart edged in silver braid and was awarded by Washington three times in 1783. Of the three awards known to have been issued, only two are known to exist today and one is on display in
Monument To The Recipients
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor - New Windsor NY the Hall of Honor. No further awards were made until the Purple Heart, as we know it today, was reestablished in 1932 to acknowledge combat injuries and to coincide with the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. Since then, the Purple Heart - “Available to All, Desired by None” - has been awarded 1.7 million times.
Different areas of the attraction depict varying aspects of war including personal protection to prevent combat injury and medical treatment of the injured. Touch screen presentations offer personal narratives about the consequences of combat and how injury has affected their lives. Alcoves are available for the visitor to access The Purple Heart Roll of Honor via an interactive computer database. The sacrifices of America's veterans, as evidenced by the number of Purple Hearts awarded, is portrayed in an historical timeline. A 15-minute documentary film entitled "For Military Merit: The Purple Heart" tells the story of the Purple Heart.
And last but not least, the Roll of Honor is an ongoing work in progress attempting to build the nation’s first comprehensive registry of Purple Heart recipients. The institutional request: “We greatly appreciate your assistance in collecting accurate information on all whose names and
STONY Point
Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site in Stony Point NY stories should be remembered here. If you would like more information, please ask one of our staff members. Enrollment packets are available at the gift shop.” That information also is available
online. In my skewed opinion, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is a “must see.” The Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site might be quite nice by the time of your visit when the renovation of the museum is completed, and the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site is a only few hundred feet away from the Purple Heart Hall of Honor. Might as well – it only takes about thirty minutes.
On Saturday, I set out for the Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site in, you betchya, Stony Point NY. Part of what lured me to this attraction is the Stony Point Lighthouse, albeit a very small part because I knew the lighthouse is physically small and not open to the public. General Anthony Wayne successfully attacked the British position on Stony Point on July 16, 1779, and the lighthouse is the oldest on the Hudson River dating from 1826. Park staff in period costume occupied an encampment near the visitor center. I followed the self-guided tour
Enlisted Barracks Foundation
Fort Montgomery State Historic Site in Fort Montgomery NY of the battlefield and opted not to stay for the afternoon offerings of a guided tour and a musket and cannon firing demonstration but rather to move on to Fort Montgomery State Historic Site in, you betchya, Fort Montgomery NY about ten miles away.
Fort Montgomery was located at the confluence of Popolopen Creek and the Hudson River across the Popolopen Creek from its sister fortification Fort Clinton. In October 1777, a combined force of roughly 2,100 British troops attacked both forts which were defended by only 700 men. Although the patriots lost possession of both forts, the action caused the redcoats delays which positively affected the American victory at the Battle of Bemis Heights in Saratoga. These two geographically proximal Revolutionary War attractions have similarities but notable differences. Stony Point has friendly staff “inhabiting” an encampment and eager to interact with visitors, numerous special events outlined in a handout and, of course, the lighthouse. Fort Montgomery has actual stone foundations of several buildings that were a part of the fort. Both have a self-guided tour map, helpful kiosks along the route and a small museum. Both are worthy if you have lots of extra vacation time but neither
Bionic Foot Developed By Cadets And Staff
United States Military Academy Visitor Center - West Point NY should make the “A list” for most tourists.
Weekends tend to foster family trips vs. school outings, particularly in the spring, so I selected Sunday as a good day to visit the United States Military Academy at West Point NY. There actually are three distinct parts of the West Point experience – the visitor center, the museum and the guided bus tour. The visitor center, the place to purchase bus tour tickets, was my first stop and the place to learn about the history of this storied institution. The Continental Army has occupied West Point since January 27, 1778 - making the site the oldest continuously operated army post in the United States. George Washington first recommended the establishment of a military academy in 1784 and, during Washington’s presidency in 1794, Congress authorized a Corps of Engineers and Artillerists who were trained at West Point. Congress formally authorized the establishment and funding of the United States Military Academy on March 16, 1802.
Several years of turmoil led President James Monroe to appoint Colonel Sylvanus Thayer as superintendent in 1817. Thayer, known as the "Father of the Military Academy," instilled strict disciplinary standards, emphasized honorable conduct and established a
Robotics With Military Applications
United States Military Academy Visitor Center - West Point NY curriculum that is still in use today. By 1830, almost two-thirds of the Army's officer cadre was West Point graduates and the percentage rose to three-quarters by 1860. Many graduates from southern states resigned from the U.S. Army at the onset of the American Civil War, but the great majority (including one-fourth of those from southern states) remained loyal to the Union. During that conflict, more than ten percent of West Point's graduates gave "the last full measure of devotion." In the Korean War, 157 graduates died and 273 were killed on the battlefields of Vietnam - four times as many as were lost in the Civil War.
Although James Webster Smith of South Carolina was the first African-American cadet, Smith endured discrimination and, under controversial circumstances, was eventually dismissed for academic deficiency in 1874. Henry O. Flipper of Georgia became the first African-American graduate in 1877. West Point admitted its first 119 female cadets in 1976, after Congress authorized the admission of women to the federal service academies in 1975. In 1989, Kristin Baker became the first female First Captain, the highest ranking senior cadet at the academy, and Vincent Brooks became the first African-American First Captain in
The Museum Is A Big Facility
West Point Museum - West Point NY 1980. Rebecca Marier became the academy's first female valedictorian in 1995, and the first female West Point alumnus to attain general officer rank was 1981 graduate Rebecca S. Halstead.
A marque at the entrance to the West Point Museum proclaims, "First opened to the public in 1854, the West Point Museum now holds the largest diversified collection of military arms, flags, uniforms, accoutrements, paintings and portraiture in the Western Hemisphere." In referencing the museum web site for the specific titles to the various galleries, I realized that the descriptions found there are more precise and concise than I could ever hope to accomplish so I will quote from the web site:
“West Point Gallery - Beginning with the garrisoning of West Point during the Revolutionary War, the displays chronicle West Point and the United States Military Academy. Exhibited artifacts range from the sword of Polish patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko, who engineered some of West Point's early fortifications, to the modern cadet uniform. Famous graduates such as Sylvanus Thayer, Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Grant, John J. Pershing, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Omar Bradley are featured in the exhibits.
History of Warfare Gallery - The history of the military
The History Of Warfare
West Point Museum - West Point NY art is a part of each cadet's required curriculum. This gallery is closely coordinated with the academic courses on military history and traces warfare from the ancient world to the present. Displays include dioramas of significant battles, as well as Napoleon's sword and pistols, the safety plug removed from the Nagasaki atomic bomb, and trophies of war surrendered by a defeated Nazi Germany.
History of U.S. Army Gallery - This gallery is dedicated to the history of the U.S. Army and its contributions to the growth of the Nation. Here are exhibits on the opening of the Frontier, the Buffalo Soldiers, the construction of the Panama Canal, the secret ‘Manhattan Project’ that built the atom bomb, U.S. Army aviation from balloons to space exploration, and the Gulf War of 1991 (Desert Storm).
American Wars Gallery - Our national freedom has been guaranteed by the sacrifices of our fighting men. Here the visitor can see the armor of colonial militiamen and the muddy jungle fatigues of the Vietnam ‘grunt’. The British drum surrendered at Saratoga, George Washington's pistols, field glasses used by General G.K. Warren at Gettysburg and the last message sent by George A. Custer at the Battle
Early Tools Of Warfare
West Point Museum - West Point NY of Little Big Horn are displayed. Also in this gallery is the Medal of Honor Wall, which commemorates those USMA graduates who have received our Nation's highest award.
Small Weapons Gallery - In this balcony gallery, the history of hand-held weaponry is traced from the Stone Age club to modern automatic firearms. Specimens chosen for their rarity, history, or condition show the evolution of axes and clubs, swords, polearms, shoulder arms, light machine guns, and pistols through the ages.
Large Weapons Gallery - At the lowest level of the Museum are several over-sized displays ranging from artillery pieces to a First World War tank. Highlighted are two murals by a D-Day veteran depicting the Allied Invasion of Europe in 1944, an atomic bomb of the type dropped on Nagasaki, and the cannon which fired the first American shot of World War I.”
That’s a pretty full plate, but the curators over the years have done an awesome job. Regardless of one’s personal opinion of the subject matter, this museum is one of the finest museums I have ever seen. The diversity of the collection, the aesthetics of the displays and the documentation of the artifacts is first-rate.
To What End?
West Point Museum - West Point NY Please humor me while I offer another quote from the entry area of the History of Warfare Gallery: “Man has engaged in organized warfare since at least the fourth millennium B.C. Since that time there has been a war of some sort in progress almost all of the time through the present day. Even the presence of nuclear weapons has not ended man's willingness to go to war. Unquestionably, war-making is an aspect of human nature which will continue as nations attempt forcibly to impose their will upon others.” This quote is as sad as it is true. Warfare existed before my existence and will continue to exist long after I am only a memory. To deny the subject matter is akin to burying one’s head in the proverbial sand. This museum is an absolute must see!
I say that not because I have recently joined a domestic militia organization, but because what nagged at me throughout this experience was the waste that warfare has inflicted upon humankind. I was awestruck as I looked at the intricate engraving on the swords, muskets and pistols of the day. As I looked at the various kinds of automatic small arms,
To The End Of It All
West Point Museum - West Point NY I at first was amazed by the creativity of the inventors – Polish, French, British, Italian and American among others. I wondered how many man-hours were spent nurturing the idea, developing the prototype, refining the design and perfecting the operation of this diverse multitude of products with only one common purpose. How better might those man-hours of extremely intelligent, very creative people been spent. "Weapons change but man who uses them changes not at all." - General George S. Patton, Jr. The waste that warfare has inflicted upon humankind that I referenced above is not the waste of lives and dollars but is about the waste of brainpower that could have been put to a more productive end – something I heretofore have never considered. Enough already!
Out to the bus stop I go for the tour of the Academy – the only feasible way I know of for Joe Citizen to see the facility. One of the normal stops, the main chapel, was closed for an organ concert, but I did get to see the exterior of the classrooms, library, dorms and athletic venues. The most impressive stop was at the cemetery when the tour guide escorted us
Great Grandpappy’s Namesake – Winfield Scott
United States Military Academy - West Point NY to burial sites of Gen. George Armstrong Custer, Lt. Col. Edward H. White II, Gen. Williams Childs Westmoreland, Gen. Robert Anderson and Gen. Winfield Scott who is the namesake of my great grandfather John Winfield Scott Williams. I devoted the day to the United States Military Academy; but if time dictates a shorter visit, I strongly suggest seeing the museum first and then the visitor center. Take the tour if there is time.
My final stop in southern upstate NY was at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen NY. The eldest son of the people who lived next door to me was a harness racing trainer and driver. By the time I was potty trained (some would argue that accomplishment has yet to be made), he had married and moved away. He was one of my childhood heroes nonetheless. The museum appears to the unknowing eye to be well done, comprehensive and informative. Various pieces of equipment are on display, terminology is defined, bloodlines are charted, and classic races are available for viewing. Much of the museum is interactive and keeps the visitor’s interest level elevated.
My hero, Stanley E. Banks, died March 1,
The Babe Ruth Of Harness Racing
Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame - Goshen NY 2010 and, although he retired with 3,513 lifetime victories and $17,167,654 in purse earnings, he is not yet in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame. YET is the operative word for a long-time admirer. This free attraction definitely is audience specific, and I would be hard pressed to recommend any except hardcore horse racing fans or someone with a vested interest visit except as an “oh, by the way we have time to…” add-on.
I came to the southern part of upstate New York with three attractions on my “must see” list. I was ecstatic that I had selected two of the three, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and the United States Military Academy, and the third, the Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site, might have induced a similar feeling were it not for the renovation (and resulting closure) of the museum. My overall objective of learning about the Revolutionary War is being accomplished. Next, I’m off to southwestern Connecticut.
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Helen Conkling
non-member comment
Another interesting tour
Larry, you should plan to right a book about all of your interesting travels. You already have a good start with all of your blogs. I'm glad you are enjoying yourself. Thanks for sharing with us.