Fort Pike

Fort Pike was named after General Zebulon Pike, who launched his forces from here to attack York (Toronto). Though the Americans won the battle, General Pike was killed by debris from an exploding magazine, and his remains were returned to Sackets Harbor for burial. Fort Pike was designed to fortify the earlier Fort Volunteer, hastily built in 1812 to defend Sackets Harbor. Its strategic location controlled access to the harbor and was planned as the final refuge from a successful British attack. Any vessel trying to enter the inner harbor would be caught in a crossfire between the cannons at Fort Pike and Fort Tompkins. These fortifications became the nucleus of Madison Barracks, an important 19th century army base, while Sackets Harbor was a chief shipbuilding center, U.S. Navy headquarters, battle site and important army garrison during and after the War of 1812.

Sackets Harbor, New York · United States