Friends of the American Revolution at West Point
Friends of the American Revolution at West Point, Inc., (FAR) is a non- profit established to accomplish the following mission:
To preserve, protect and publicize known and to be discovered historic sites and remains at the West Point Garrison from 1775-1783
for the benefit of current, past and future cadets,
for the public and for posterity.
The goal of the organization, which is a public/ private partnership, is to restore the vast fortification system built under the leadership of General George Washington during the American Revolution. Over thirty sites from the Revolution still exist and already discovered remains can be found at West Point, Constitution Island and in Putnam County directly across the Hudson River in New York.
FAR’s goal is to complete the restoration in time for the 250th anniversary of General Washington designation as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army (1775 – 2025) and the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the American Army.
In addition, FAR will undertake a comprehensive genealogical study to identify soldiers stationed at West Point during the Revolution and provide information about those men and their units. FAR will also document civilian personnel connected to the West Point Garrison during this time period.
Cadets and others will have a unique opportunity to use the fortification system as a staff ride to better understand the challenges of leadership in the American Revolution prior to the establishment of the United States Military Academy in 1802. West Point was so important that Benedict Arnold attempted to sell its fortification plans to the British for today’s equivalent of one million dollars.
Lieutenant General Dave Palmer ’56, Distinguished Graduate and former Superintendent at West Point (1986-1991), wrote the seminal history of West Point in the Revolution entitled The River and the Rock. FAR is working with the West Point Association of Graduates to reprint this important work in paperback and digital formats to expand access to West Point’s significant history during the American Revolution.
Monday, April 8, 2013