▁British ▁occupied ▁it . ▁The ▁fort ▁was ▁a ▁naturally ▁def ens ible ▁position ▁that ▁guard ed ▁the ▁gateway ▁to ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁ ▁In ▁mid - sum mer ▁ 1 7 7 9 , ▁a ▁fl am boy ant ▁ 2 3 - year - old ▁Pr inc eton ▁University ▁gradu ate , ▁Major ▁Henry ▁Lee , ▁recommended ▁to ▁General ▁George ▁Washington ▁a ▁d aring ▁plan ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁fort , ▁in ▁what ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Paul us ▁Hook . ▁The ▁assault ▁was ▁planned ▁to ▁begin ▁shortly ▁after ▁mid night ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 7 7 9 . ▁Lee ▁led ▁a ▁force ▁of ▁about ▁ 3 0 0 ▁men , ▁some ▁of ▁whom ▁got ▁lost ▁during ▁the ▁march , ▁through ▁the ▁sw amp y , ▁mar sh y ▁land . ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁late ▁in ▁getting ▁started ▁but ▁the ▁main ▁cont ing ent ▁of ▁the ▁force ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁fort ' s ▁gate ▁without ▁being ▁challeng ed . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁mist ook ▁the ▁approaching ▁force ▁for ▁H ess ian ▁al lies ▁returning ▁from ▁pat rol ▁but ▁this ▁is ▁not ▁documented . ▁The ▁attack ing ▁Patri ots ▁succeeded ▁in ▁dam aging ▁the ▁fort ▁and ▁took ▁ 1 5 8 ▁prisoners , ▁but ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁fort ▁and ▁sp ike ▁its ▁can n ons . ▁As ▁day time ▁arrived , ▁Lee ▁decided ▁that ▁pr udent ▁action ▁demanded ▁that ▁the ▁Patri ots ▁withdraw ▁before ▁the ▁British ▁forces ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁could