In June 1777, General John Burgoyne began an attempt to gain control of this key area by moving south from the British province of Quebec.

[6] Apparently as a result of poor communications with Lord Germain, Britain's Secretary of State for the Colonies and the political official in charge of the conflict, General Howe decided instead to attempt the capture of Philadelphia and sailed south with much of his army in July, leaving Sir Henry Clinton in command at New York.

[7][8] Howe's instructions to General Clinton were primarily to hold New York City and to only engage in offensive operations that were consistent with that goal.

[10] Forces involved in the battle were:[11] The highland region of the Hudson River valley (near West Point) was defended by Continental Army troops and state militia under the command of Major General Israel Putnam, who was based at Peekskill.

[14] Putnam received word of the arrival of transports in New York on September 29 and wrote Governor Clinton for assistance, who immediately came south from Kingston to take charge of the forts.

[15] In mid-September (around the time he wrote the letter to Burgoyne), Sir Henry Clinton had around 7,000 men, including around 3,000 poorly trained Loyalists, to defend New York City.

[16] His letter to Burgoyne had been predicated on the expectation that reinforcements would arrive in time for him to make a move up the Hudson within ten days.

He then made a similar feinting maneuver at Verplanck's Point, just three miles (4.8 km) south of Peekskill on October 5, where he dislodged a poorly manned American outpost.

[19] These feinting maneuvers completely fooled Putnam, who drew his troops back into the eastern highlands and sent messages across the Hudson for reinforcements.

)[21] On the foggy morning of October 6, Sir Henry Clinton landed 2,100 men at Stony Point on the west side of the Hudson and, with the assistance of a Loyalist guide, marched them up onto a local rise called the "Timp".

[22] A force of about 900 men under Lieutenant Colonel Campbell, composed of the 52nd and 57th regiments, a detachment of Hessian chasseurs, and about 400 Loyalists led by Beverley Robinson, began the 7 miles (11 km) trek around the gorge toward Fort Montgomery.

[2] The detachment from Fort Montgomery numbered about 100 men and included a small artillery piece commanded by Captain John Lamb.

[24] The main approach to Fort Clinton was via a narrow strip of land about 400 yards (370 m) wide between a small lake and the river.

In addition to being covered by the fort's cannons, Governor Clinton had protected the approach by placing abatis to impede the British advance.

[26] Sir Henry had by then returned to New York due to illness, leaving General John Vaughan in charge at the forts.

Because of delays in sending transports with reinforcements north, a flotilla carrying Vaughan and 1,700 men did not depart until October 15, with orders from Clinton to "proceed up Hudson's river, to feel for General Burgoyne, to assist his operations".

)[27] Vaughan's troops burned Esopus the next day and then sailed further north, where they raided the Livingston estate, the seat of the noted Patriot family.

Putnam's forces, which had grown considerably with the arrival of militia companies from Connecticut, posed a significant enough threat to Vaughan that he then withdrew to the boats.

[28] On October 17, Sir Henry received a request for 3,000 men from General Howe (probably sent after Washington's failed attack on Germantown) to support the occupation of Philadelphia.