Standing Tall on Lake Erie-- Part 1: Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial

From the Summer Hallowed Ground Magazine, American Battlefield Trust.

Just five miles south of the Canadian border, on an isthmus near downtown Put-in-Bay, Ohio, on South Bass Island in Lake Erie, stands a 352-foot-tall monument towering over the town and lake.  Free-standing, Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is the world's tallest Doric column -- a plain, thick column that is a common sight at federal buildings throughout D.C..

The monument stands 47 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty when measuring  the New York Harbor landmark from the ground to the tip of Liberty's torch.

It is indeed a striking sight, usually simply referred to as Perry's Monument.  It is also the only international peace memorial overseen by the National Park Service.

However, it is so much more than these pieces of trivia.

--Brock-Perry

Two West Point Graduates Killed at Fort Erie Sortie in 1814

I have been writing about West Point graduate Col. James Gibson who died at the Sortie from Fort Erie in 1814.   Fort Gibson in New York Harbor was named after him.

Also killed at Fort Erie was West Point graduate Eleazor Wood.  Fort Wood (today the base of the Statue of Liberty) was named after him.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Gibson-- Part 3: One of 40 U.S. Forts Built 1794-1812

From the HMdb.

Fort Gibson was one of 40 forts constructed between 1794 and 1812 in the United States.  All were built  during threats of war resulting from attacks in American shipping by Great Britain and France.

Many of the forts in the New York area were constructed in this period, including Castle Williams on Governors Island, Castle Clinton in lower Manhattan, and the star-shaped Fort Wood, which now forms the base of the Statue of Liberty.

Together these forts and batteries of the lower and upper harbor deterred attacks on one of the new nation's largest cities and most important ports.  Most of these historic fortifications still exist; some, such as Fort Wadsworth and Staten Island, are preserved by the National Park Service.

--Brock-Perry

Forts Wood and Gibson, New York Harbor

From National Park Service.

These are forts that are located on Liberty (formerly Bedloe's Island) and Ellis Island.  Fort Wood still exists as the base of the Statue of Liberty, upon which the pedestal sits.  Fort Gibson protected Ellis Island which served for many years as the entry to the United States for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

Bedloe's Island was a strategic spot in New York Harbor and a massive stone fort was constructed in 1807 and named for American Army engineer who died in the siege of Fort Erie in the War of 1812.  The remnants of the eleven-pointed star fort  are still visible today at the base of the Statue of Liberty.  The whole interior has been filled in though.

It was built to defend against a British attack which never came.

Fort Gibson was built on nearby Ellis Island in 1795, but renamed in honor of Colonel James Gibson who also died in the Siege of Fort Erie.

Only a portion of the foundation of the fort remains today.

--Brock-Perry

New York City's Fort Wood-- Part 1: Now At the Base of the Statue of Liberty

Today I wrote about the removal of the torch of the Statue of Liberty to a museum on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.  The base of the statue is the old Fort Wood which gives the base the pedestal sits on the many pointed star shape.

This is a fort dating to the War of 1812.

You can read about the torches removal in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  Just click on that site on the My Blogs area to the right of this.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Wood

Last week, I wrote about American Col. Eleazor Wood, who was killed at the sortie from Fort Erie on Sept. 17, 1814.  I mentioned that the fort at the base of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was named after him.

From Civil War Talk.

Fort Wood was completed before the War of 1812 but saw no action since the British never attacked New York City.

Prior to the end of the war, the fortification was given the name Fort Wood in honor of the fallen colonel.

Originally it was simply known as the "Works on Bedloe's Island."

--Brock-Perry

Col. Eleazor Wood Killed Sept. 17, 1814, at Fort Erie-- Part 2

Eleazor Wood was appointed adjutant-general to Gen. William Henry Harrison in October 1813 and transferred to the northern army in 1814 where he participated in all its battles including the capture of Fort Erie on July 3rd and the battles of Chippawa and Niagara Falls.  After the last battle, the Americans fell back to Fort Erie where Col. Wood, then commanding the 21st U.S. Infantry Regiment took an active part in the fort's defense on August 15th and its subsequent siege.

He was killed in the September 17th sortie.

Wood was greatly admired by his commander, Gen. Jacob Brown, who commissioned a monument to be built in his honor at West Point and also had the fortification on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor named after him.  This is the fort at the base of the Statue of Liberty.

Wood County, Ohio, named for him as well.

--Brock-Perry