WEST POINT

West Point (a name which describes its location on the Hudson) is the narrowest spot on the river. During the Revolutionary War, it was of strategic importance for the colonial forces struggling to overcome British control.  To block enemy ships, a massive iron chain was strung from shore to shore which effectively blocked the passage of British ships as the Royal troops sought to cut New England off from the rest of the colonies in revolt.

Founded in 1802 in the administration of President Thomas Jefferson, the US Military Academy has served the United States well in peace and war. It was the first engineering school in the nation and provided the skilled men who planned and built our national canals and our railways in the 19^th century.  And of course, it provided the largest number of officers and generals in the Civil War for both North and South. Since then, leadership of the nation’s military has depended primarily on women and men rigorously trained at West Point.

As an historical aside, Hamilton had proposed the building of a military academy at West Point during Washington’s administration. Jefferson and his fellow Republicans opposed it fearing it would become a power base that the Federalists might use to threaten the young republic and create a military dictatorship or monarchy.  When Jefferson became President, he recognized the importance of trained military officers who could lead a national army and the militias against any threatening European state. Politics were put aside and the United States Military Academy at West Point was born

General Sedgwick, Civil War hero

USMA Honor Code basics

Civil War Battle Monument

Looking north up the Hudson from West Point

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