Battle Of Fort Lee

The Battle of Fort Lee was fought on November 19, 1776 between American and British forces.

The British were led by Charles Cornwallis and 'Wilhelm von Knyphausen, while the Americans were led by Nathanael Greene.

Fort Lee was rendered defenseless after the defeat of Manhattan by advancing British soldiers.The Royal Navy was waiting on the eastern side of the Fort,while Cornwallis and Knyphausen were on the other side.The Americans held off the Hessians and Redcoats for 3 hours.Then, the Navy bombarded the Fort.George Washington and Nathanael Greene ordered the evacuation of the fort on November 19, 1776, when 5,000 British troops ferried up the Hudson on barges. They landed near Closter, New Jersey. Washington quickly alerted the soldiers at Fort Lee, followed by a hasty retreat. The British and Hessians lost 74 killed and approx. 100 wounded. 40 Americans were killed while 1,000 were taken prisoner.

Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 35,461.

Fort Lee was formed by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 29, 1904, from the remaining portions of Ridgefield Township. With the creation of Fort Lee, Ridgefield Township became defunct and was dissolved as of March 29, 1904. The Fort Lee Police Department was formed under borough ordinance on August 9, 1904, and originally consisted of six marshalls.

The New Jersey entrance to the George Washington Bridge is in Fort Lee.