Bernard Romans and the Fort That Never Was Built

The fortifications at West Point began construction in 1775 on Martelaer’s Rock- known today as Constitution Island – located across the river to the northeast of West Point. Constitution Island and Fort Constitution were not named for the United States constitution as that document would not be created till over a decade later in 1789. In fact, it was a tribute to the British Constitution and so named during the period when many Americans thought a peaceful coexistence with Britain could be achieved. The general thought was that the king still loved the colonists and supported the British constitution that affirmed the colonists rights to assembly and representation, and it was just the members of parliament who were usurping the Americans rights. This belief was to be short-lived.

Early in the war, Washington had recognized the need to maintain control of the Hudson River. Dutch botanist and cartographer Captain Bernard Romans was hired as the engineer of the effort, and he quickly designed a Vauban style massive fortification that he proposed would house eighty-one cannons, which he promised in a cross fire upon the British ships on the river would “make it totally impossible for a vessel to stand it.”

According to Diamant in Chaining the Hudson, “Although the ‘Grand Bastion’ seemed properly indicated on his somewhat distorted sketch map of the river’s S-bend at Martelaer’s Rock, in reality the planned work was too far west to command the long straight sketch of the river below. Until the moment an enemy vessel came into view and began its own cannonade, it would be masked from the bastion’s guns by the rocky ‘West Point’ – something Romans soon had to acknowledge. It was clear that for Fort Constitution to be effective it would have to be extended to the east, causing more time and money to be expended when the threat of attack was believed to be imminent.”

In the summer of 1776, General Washington requested that Lord Sterling assess the state of the fortifications:

“Upon the whole, Mr. Romans has displayed his genius at a very great expense and to very little public advantage. The works in their present open condition and scattered situation are defenseless; nor is there one good place on the island on which a redoubt may be erected that will command the whole…yet every work on the island is commanded by the hill on the West Point….A redoubt on this West Point is absolutely necessary not only for the preservation of Fort Constitution, but for its own importance on many accounts.”