Fort Philip (Newburyport, Massachusetts)

Newburyport · Massachusetts · American Revolutionary War, War of 1812

Quick BriefFort Philip guarded the mouth of the Merrimack River from Plum Island's northern point near Newburyport. Originally built of wood and sand in 1776 to defend Patriot shipping, it was rebuilt as an enclosed battery of earth and timber in 1808 before eroding away in the 1830s.

Coastal defense

History & Significance

In May 1776, Newbury and Newburyport voted to erect a fort on Plum Island, with Newburyport appropriating up to four thousand pounds and Newbury contributing two hundred pounds. The fortification was located on the northern end of Plum Island at Lighthouse Point, guarding the mouth of the Merrimack River.

Newburyport leveraged the challenging Merrimack River to its defensive advantage; the river's brackish, muddy water and difficult navigation discouraged British approach. The 1808 rebuilding was part of the second system of US fortifications, with a battery of wood filled with sand and sod, constructed of wood due to the shifting sands.

By December 1811, the fort was described as an enclosed battery built of earth and timber, mounting five heavy guns. The fort served through the War of 1812 to around 1815. The site eventually washed away in the 1830s.