[West Point] Barnard, W. S.

Portion of the Boom at West Point During the Revolutionary War [with] Arrangement of the Great Boom and Chain at West Point.

New York: D. Van Nostrand. Two engraved illustrations of the boom and chain used at West Point in the Hudson Highlands as a means of disrupting British navigation of the river during the Revolutionary War. The upper illustration is a cross section showing two of the wooden rails of the log boom connected by chains, with the lower illustration showing the boom and chain stretching from one side of the river to the other. The boom's role was to absorb the impact of a British ship's attack. The Great Chain was stretched across the Hudson from Constitution Island to West Point during the years 1778 to 1772. It was about 500 yards long & weighed 65 tons, made of iron links two foot in length; it was forged at Sterling Iron Works in Warwick, N.Y. from ore mined in Orange County, New York. 7 1/4 x 5" Very good condition. Item #17366

Price: $75.00