▁river ▁level ▁to ▁ ▁at ▁some ▁places ▁in ▁the ▁immediate ▁area . ▁ ▁The ▁combination ▁of ▁the ▁narrow ▁river ▁turns ▁and ▁the ▁command ing ▁high ▁ground ▁made ▁this ▁place ▁the ▁perfect ▁location ▁for ▁the ▁Cont inental ▁Army ▁to ▁build ▁its ▁strong hold ▁against ▁British ▁tro op ▁movement ▁into ▁up state ▁New ▁York ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Revolution . ▁ ▁The ▁Cont inental ▁Army ▁first ▁occupied ▁the ▁relatively ▁level ▁plain ▁and ▁constructed ▁Fort ▁Cl inton ▁and ▁supporting ▁red ou b ts ▁and ▁batter ies ▁of ▁art illery ▁on ▁prominent ▁hills ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁across ▁the ▁river ▁on ▁Constitution ▁Island . ▁ ▁Gu ests ▁of ▁cad ets ▁who ▁visit ▁Fl irt ation ▁Walk ▁can ▁experience ▁g lim ps es ▁of ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War ▁era ▁terrain ▁as ▁the ▁sh or eline ▁along ▁the ▁river ▁below ▁the ▁plain ▁has ▁not ▁changed ▁much ▁in ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 ▁years . ▁ ▁It ▁wasn ' t ▁until ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁that ▁con gress ▁actually ▁purchased ▁the ▁land ▁upon ▁where ▁Fort ▁Cl inton ▁stood . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 0 , ▁Congress ▁purchased ▁an ▁initial ▁tract ▁of ▁ ▁from ▁a ▁Stephen ▁Moore ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁hundred ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁Academy , ▁ship - board ▁traffic , ▁then ▁later ▁rail - tra ffic , ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁ways ▁to ▁access ▁West ▁Point ▁from ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁years ▁immediately ▁following ▁the ▁Revolution ary ▁War , ▁the ▁Hudson ▁High lands ▁surrounding ▁West ▁Point ▁were ▁sp ars ely ▁populated ▁and ▁often