Photo credit: Peter Lyons Hall L to R: Town Councilman, Russ Kowal; Kenneth Colomba, Revolutionary War Re-enactor; Jesse Dwyer, Town of Warwick Supervisor; and Sue Gardner, Town Historian
By Peter Lyons Hall
On Saturday, March 21, the Town of Warwick’s Revolutionary War legacy was brought vividly to life during Warwick Day at Sterling Iron Works, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sterling Forest State Park’s Lautenberg Visitors Center. Presented by the Friends of the Hathorn Historical Society, the event featured 18th-century forge demonstrations, reenactors in period dress, and a variety of interactive educational activities that gave visitors a hands-on understanding of colonial industry and daily life during the war. The program highlighted Warwick’s vital connection to one of the most ambitious military engineering efforts of the era—the forging of the Great Chain across the Hudson River.
“The Town of Warwick, New York, played a pivotal yet often underappreciated role in the American Revolution and the founding of our country,” said Town Supervisor, Jesse Dwyer. Sterling Forest was one of those key points in the story. There’s a lot of remnants of iron mines; there’s remnants of where they would process the iron, too. You can walk around here and see a lot of the old forges all throughout Greenwood Lake and the Town of Warwick. As we celebrate our 250th anniversary of the founding of this nation we’re trying to do all we can throughout the entire year by highlighting the different roles and critical points the town of Warwick played in our independence,” he added.
Serving as both a strategic crossroads and an industrial contributor to this remarkable defensive project, Warwick’s location, access to critical roadways, and proximity to iron production sites positioned the region as an essential support hub in the Continental Army’s effort to control the Hudson, a waterway widely considered the key to victory.
From the earliest days of the conflict, control of the Hudson River was central to British military strategy. Along with Lakes George and Champlain, the river formed a natural corridor that could be used by British forces to advance south from Canada. Just as importantly, the Hudson served as a physical and logistical lifeline connecting the northern and southern colonies. Troops, food, weapons, and communications all depended on safe passage along this route. British forces understood that seizing control of the river could effectively divide the colonies, crippling the Patriot cause.
For the Americans, preventing that outcome became an urgent priority. Yet the challenge was immense. Unlike smaller waterways such as the Delaware River—where defensive devices like chevaux de frise (iron-tipped wooden obstructions anchored to the riverbed) had proven effective—the Hudson was wider, deeper, and influenced by tides. At key points, such as near present-day New York City, the river stretched over 2,400 feet wide and plunged to depths of up to 50 feet, making conventional obstructions impractical.
Early American attempts to block British naval movement included fire ships, sunken vessels, and other improvised barriers. These efforts, often led by amateur engineers due to a shortage of trained professionals, fell short against the Hudson’s sheer scale and force. It became clear that a more innovative and formidable solution was needed.
That solution took shape in the form of an immense iron chain stretched across the river—a concept both simple and audacious. The initial effort at Fort Montgomery in 1776 demonstrated the difficulty of the task. Though a 600-yard chain weighing 35 tons was constructed and installed on floating log rafts, it repeatedly broke under the strain of the current and tides. Even after adjustments, including angling the chain to reduce pressure, it ultimately failed. When British forces attacked in October 1777, they bypassed the river defenses by assaulting the forts from land, capturing the position and cutting the chain.
The failure at Fort Montgomery, however, provided critical lessons. By early 1778, American leaders—including General George Washington—identified West Point as a superior location for a new obstruction. There, the Hudson narrows and curves sharply, forcing sailing vessels to slow and maneuver carefully, making them vulnerable to both artillery fire and physical barriers.
“To lead the project,” explained Town Historian Sue Gardner, “Washington selected Captain Thomas Machin, an artillery officer with practical engineering experience. Though not formally trained, Machin had proven himself resourceful and capable. Tasked with designing and executing the new chain, he moved quickly to bring the plan to life.” Meanwhile a committee comprised of “John Sloss Hobart, Esq.. one of the Justices of the Supreme Court, the Hon. Robt. R. Livingston, Chancellor of this State, Mr. Platt, Mr. Wisner, and Colonel Hathorn be, and hereby are, appointed Commissioners for the purpose above mentioned, and proceed on that Business with all possible Despatch,” according to an excerpt from Obstructions to the Navigation of Hudson’s River, 1776-1778.
Decades earlier, the British had enacted a policy “The Iron Act of 1750″ designed to stimulate raw iron production in the American colonies while stifling competitive manufacturing. It allowed duty-free pig/bar iron to be exported to Britain but banned new colonial rolling mills, slitting mills, plating forges, and steel furnaces. Fortunately for the Revolutionary Patriots, the law was widely ignored and difficult to enforce.
Central to that effort was the Sterling Iron Works, located in the Warwick region and operated by Noble, Townsend & Company under Peter Townsend. This facility became the heart of the chain’s production. In February 1778, Townsend agreed to an extraordinary contract: to produce a 500-yard iron chain composed of more than 750 links, each roughly two feet long and forged from iron bars over two inches thick. The order also included swivels, clevises, anchors, and other essential hardware.
The scale of the undertaking was staggering. At a time when skilled labor was scarce—many blacksmiths and ironworkers having been drawn into military service—Townsend secured exemptions for dozens of workers to ensure the project could proceed. The iron works operated around the clock, with multiple furnaces and forges blazing day and night.
The process itself was grueling and dangerous. Iron ore, mined locally and rich in magnetite, was smelted in charcoal-fueled furnaces. Molten iron was cast into “pigs,” then reheated and hammered into long bars. These bars were shaped into links, each one heated, bent, and welded by hand. Massive water-powered trip hammers pounded the glowing metal into form, while workers contended with intense heat, smoke, and hazardous conditions. “According to the original requirements there were to be seven fires to be constructed for forging and 10 for welding in order to meet the rigid schedule that the process demanded,” revealed retired Park Ranger, Donald “Doc” Bayne, whose curiosity about local history, passion about the Sterling Iron Works, and perseverance led to the discovery of the original forge locations (now kept secret to discourage visitors from disturbing the areas).
The resulting chain was not uniform in appearance—links varied in size and shape—but it was immensely strong. Designed to be both durable and flexible, it incorporated swivels to prevent twisting and clevises to connect sections. Each segment, or “set,” consisted of multiple links and connectors, allowing for assembly and transport. Once forged, the chain components were hauled by oxen over rugged roads—many of which passed through Warwick and surrounding communities—to assembly points along the Hudson. At New Windsor, the chain was pieced together and mounted on log rafts, each approximately 50 feet long. These rafts, sealed with tar and oakum, kept the chain afloat while allowing it to flex with the river’s movement.
Installation at West Point was a feat of coordination and strength. Using massive capstans powered by teams of soldiers, the chain was drawn across the river and anchored to stone-filled cribs on either side. Rather than being stretched taut, it was allowed to curve downstream, absorbing the force of the current. Additional anchors secured it in place, while artillery batteries on both shores stood ready to defend it.
On April 30, 1778, the Great Chain was completed—a monumental achievement accomplished in just eight weeks. It stood not only as a physical barrier but as a symbol of ingenuity, determination, and collective effort. Hundreds of workers—ironmakers, laborers, teamsters, and soldiers—had contributed to its creation.
Although the British never directly attempted to breach the West Point chain, its presence was a powerful deterrent. Combined with the surrounding fortifications, it effectively secured the Hudson River for the American cause. The chain was removed each winter to avoid ice damage and reinstalled each spring, remaining in service for the duration of the war.
Warwick’s role in this story is both practical and profound. As a gateway to the Sterling Iron Works and a conduit for transportation and supply, the town was integral to the chain’s success. Its roads carried the materials, its workers forged the iron, and its proximity enabled rapid coordination. In many ways, Warwick exemplified the kind of community-based support that made large-scale Revolutionary efforts possible.
After the war, the chain was eventually dismantled, with most of it sold for scrap. Yet several original links survive and are preserved at West Point today—a lasting testament to the ingenuity and resolve of those who built it. A few additional links are housed at a small number of museums in the northeast.
As historians continue to examine the many layers of the Revolutionary War, Warwick’s contributions stand out as a reminder that victory depended not only on battlefield heroics but also on infrastructure, industry, and local commitment. The story of the Great Chain—and Warwick’s role in forging it—remains a powerful chapter in the broader narrative of American independence, one that continues to resonate through both scholarship and community celebration.
To follow the series of Revolutionary Warwick events to be held throughout the year, click on https://guides.rcls.org/RevolutionaryWarwick and watch some of the events that will be uploaded to the local government access channel for the town on Optimum Cable Channel 21.
Thank you to Town Historian, Sue Gardner, and Pat and Donald Bayne for their research for this story.
