Fort William and Mary

Fort William and Mary was a colonial defensive post at New Castle, New Hampshire. First fortified in 1632 on the island of New Castle at the mouth of the Piscataqua River estuary, the fort guarded access to the harbor at Portsmouth.

Related Topics:
New Castle - New Hampshire - 1632 - Piscataqua River - Portsmouth

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In the American Revolution the fort witnessed the first act of open rebellion in New Hampshire. On December 14, 1774 a local mob of several hundred from the Portsmouth area, led by John Langdon, stormed the post and seized the powder, which was distributed through several New Hampshire towns for the use of their militia. This action was duplicated around this time in many of the 13 colonies. Thus, the William and Mary incident can be viewed as typical.

Related Topics:
American Revolution - December 14 - 1774 - John Langdon - 13 colonies

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