New York's Fort Blunder/Montgomery Has War of 1812 Connection-- Part 2: How It Became Known as Fort Blunder

In order to defend Lake Champlain and the border, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed and started construction of permanent fortifications near that border in 1816.  However, due to some poor surveying, this fort was built nearly  a mile on the northern side of the U.S.-Canadian border.

This was a huge "Oops."  Not surprisingly, this fortification became known as Fort Blunder.

The second fort, properly surveyed this time, was built between 1844 and 1871 at Rouse's Point in Clinton County, New York.  Unlike many contemporary forts of the time, it wasn't built of bricks, but stone instead.

The fort was named after General Richard Montgomery who was killed leading the American attack on Quebec in 1775 (during the first American invasion of Canada).  At its  height,the fort mounted over eighty guns on three levels (it was designed for 125) and was surrounded by a moat which could only be crossed by a drawbridge.

That Was A Big OOPS.  --Brock-Perry