Fort William and Mary was a colonial fortification in Britain's worldwide system of defenses, manned by soldiers of the Province of New Hampshire who reported directly to the royal governor. The fort, known locally as "the Castle", was situated on the island of New Castle, New Hampshire, at the mouth of the Piscataqua River estuary. First fortified by the British prior to 1632, the fort guarded access to the harbor at Portsmouth and served as the colony's main munitions depot. In 1774, it was the only permanently-manned military post in New Hampshire.
On December 14, 1774, local Patriots from the Portsmouth area, led by John Langdon, stormed the post and seized the garrison's powder, which was distributed through several New Hampshire towns for potential use in the looming struggle against Great Britain. On December 15, 1774, patriots led by John Sullivan again raided the fort, this time seizing numerous cannon.
Read more about Fort William And Mary: 1774 Raid, Aftermath, Fort Constitution, The Lighthouse
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