The long barrel artillery piece or gun was a dominating presence on most of the battlefields of the American Revolution. Firing solid iron balls out to distances of 1,000 yards and deadly shotgun blasts of caseshot, small iron balls in a tin canister up to 300 yards, the gun devastated enemy formations. The larger versions battered down walls and smashed holes in great warships.
The stone 1754 John Ellison House at New Windsor in Orange County, NY was the headquarters for Generals Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox, and Horatio Gates during the American Revolution. General Knox, during his 1780-81 period of residence, brought along 300 soldiers of the 2nd & 3rd Continental Artillery regiments, who camped a mile away.
The soldiers built huts out of the surrounding forest and waited for warmer weather. In the spring, the camp was a whirlwind of activity as the men prepared their artillery and trained. Knox coordinated the movement of various pieces from all over the northeast to the encampment site. Planning to join an attack against British-held city of New York, they instead headed to Virginia, to decide the destiny of our new nation.
Knox’s Headquarters will host an artillery day on Saturday, July 23rd, where attendees can learn about the use of 18th century artillery and how the Americans at New Windsor, NY prepared some of the guns, howitzers and mortars that were used at the siege at Yorktown, Virginia.
This program will take place from noon to 4 pm, and is free and open to the public. Knox’s Headquarters is located at 289 Forge Hill Road, at the intersection of Forge Hill Road and Blooming Grove Turnpike (Route 94) in Vails Gate, NY 12584. For more information call (845) 562-7141 ext. 22.
Photo of The 2nd Continental Artillery reenactors provided.
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