Romans’ Battery

Intended as the west curtain of the never-completed Fort Constitution, this battery was a straight line constructed by Mr. Romans at very great expense, with fifteen embrasures facing the river at a right angle so they could only annoy a ship in going past; the embrasures were within twelve feet of each other, and the merlons on the outside were about two feet in the face and about seven feet deep, made of square timber covered with plank. A contemporary judgment held that Mr. Romans had displayed his genius at very great expense and to very little publick advantage. The powder magazine in the northwest corner of the battery was destroyed with the battery in October 1777. Covered by a vaulted roof of brick and stone, the magazine was built for safety, with an exterior brick screen at the doorway to protect the powder from flying sparks, and inside magazines nails and barrel hoops were normally copper because that metal was less likely than iron to produce sparks accidentally from friction.

Philipstown, New York · United States