The Battle of Peekskill

Fort Hill, Peekskill, NY

After investigating the ghost situation in my apartment further, I discovered that my neighbor also encountered ghosts in her house on our street below Fort Hill. She was informed that some of these restless spirits come from the fort at the top of the hill used as a military fort during the Revolution of the American Colonies against the British.


In the Battle of Peekskill, which lasted three days, starting on March 23, 1777, more than 500 British soldiers attacked Fort Hill, which was defended by about 250 soldiers. Retreating, the Continental troops burned their workshops, mills and warehouses to escape the British who won the Battle of Peekskill, capturing Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery, and dismantled the first iteration of New York's Hudson River Chains. More than half the Continental defenders were killed, wounded, or captured


After the battle, the area was left in ruins, with smoldering remains and scattered debris marking the once-bustling fort. The local community faced a long and difficult recovery, as they worked to rebuild their homes and livelihoods amidst the lingering scars of war.


The memory of the conflict, along with the tales of restless spirits, became an enduring part of Peekskill's history. Residents have reported seeing apparitions of soldiers in tattered uniforms, wandering aimlessly around the area. Some have heard the distant sounds of marching footsteps and faint echoes of battle cries, as if the past is replaying itself. Others have experienced cold spots and sudden chills, along with unexplained flickering lights and objects moving on their own.


All in all, it is clear that Peekskill's past is still a powerful presence in the present.

Some future day shall crown us the masters of the main
Our fleet shall speak in thunder to England, France, and Spain!
And nations o'er the ocean spread shall tremble and obey
The sons, the sons, the sons, the sons, of free Americay!