Fort Montagu

Service Description

Built in 1741-1742 by the British, Fort Montagu on East Bay Street in Nassau is the oldest surviving fort on New Providence. Constructed of local limestone, it was designed to defend the eastern entrance to Nassau Harbor against Spanish invasions and pirate raids. The fort is notably tied to United States history as the site of the first successful amphibious assault by the newly formed U.S. Marine Corps in 1776. The 1776 U.S. Raid: During the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Army and Navy were desperately short of gunpowder. Under the command of Commodore Esek Hopkins, roughly 200 Continental Marines landed on the beaches of New Providence. The Capture: Rather than fighting, the local Bahamian militia retreated, and the Marines successfully seized Fort Montagu. Their main objective—a large stockpile of British gunpowder—had already been secretly shipped to St. Augustine by the British Governor, but the raid still stands as a monumental moment in U.S. military history. Other Conflicts: The fort also saw action in 1782 (when it temporarily surrendered to the Spanish) and again in 1783 during a successful raid by American Loyalists seeking to reclaim the island. Today, the fort overlooks the popular Montagu Beach and serves as a historical tourist site.