Attack on Fort George

"In the chaos, I will slip inside, find Charles Lee -- and silence him forever."

―Ratonhnhaké:ton to Lafayette, 1781.^[src]^-[m]

Attack on Fort George

Conflict

Assassin-Templar War / American Revolutionary War

Date

16 September 1781

Place

New York City, New York, British America

Outcome

Assassin victory; Haytham Kenway was killed and Fort George was destroyed

Combatants
Colonial Assassins French Navy	Colonial Templars

Commanders

Ratonhnhaké:ton
Marquis de Lafayette
François-Joseph Paul de Grasse
Stephane Chapheau and other Colonial Assassins

Haytham Kenway †

The Attack on Fort George was an Assassin offensive on the Templar-controlled Fort George in New York City during September of 1781.

Having aided the French Navy during the Battle of the Chesapeake, the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton enlisted the aid of Admiral François-Joseph Paul de Grasse for his planned assault on the fort. There, he hoped to find and assassinate Charles Lee, the disgraced general of the Continental Army and second-in-command of the Colonial Templars. Instead, Ratonhnhaké:ton was confronted by his father and the Templar Grand Master, Haytham Kenway, who had sent Lee away.

After a grueling fight, during which both combatants were injured by cannon fire from Admiral de Grasse's fleet, Ratonhnhaké:ton emerged the victor and reluctantly killed Haytham. As a result, Lee became the new Grand Master of the Colonial Templars and went into hiding, though Ratonhnhaké:ton would track him down and assassinate him months later.

Infiltrating the fort[edit | edit source]

Having acquired the support of the Comte de Grasse's forces, Ratonhnhaké:ton headed for New York to meet with Lafayette and his fellow Assassins in the city's underground. Arriving there, Lafayette informed him that de Grasse's fleet was now on standby and he only needed to light the fort's signal tower for them to strike.^[1]

With everything in place, Ratonhnhaké:ton entered the district, a heavily occupied military zone, surrounding Fort George. In an effort to remain undetected, he took to the rooftops, freerunning his way across them until he arrived at the fort.^[1]

Reaching the signal tower, he hurriedly climbed his way up it and lit the torch, signalling de Grasse and his men to fire.^[1]

Father and son[edit | edit source]

Ratonhnhaké:ton: "The Patriot leaders do not seek control; there will be no monarch here. The people will have the power as they should."

Haytham: "The people never have the power. Only the illusion of it, and here’s the real secret, they don’t want it. The responsibility is too great to bear."

—Ratonhnhaké:ton and Haytham arguing their sides of the war, 1781.^[src]^-[m]

With the fort under siege, Ratonhnhaké:ton leapt from the tower to a haystack below. As soon as he left the haystack however, a cannonball hit the tower, causing the debris to knock him unconscious.^[1]

Eventually waking, a critically wounded Ratonhnhaké:ton made his way to the fort's courtyard, calling out for Lee as he did so. He was instead met by his father Haytham Kenway, Grand Master of the Colonial Templars, who informed him that Lee had fled, before striking him in the face. Ratonhnhaké:ton retaliated, hitting Haytham in the groin. The brief fist fight between the two led to Ratonhnhaké:ton using his Hidden Blade to stab Haytham in the arm.^[1]

As Haytham stumbled back, Ratonhnhaké:ton demanded that he give him Lee, to which his father refused, going on to say Lee was the promise of a better future. Following this, Haytham drew his sword, to which Ratonhnhaké:ton responded with his tomahawk.^[1]

The two engaged in battle, arguing their sides of the war as they fought. Ratonhnhaké:ton defended the Patriots and their right to freedom, while Haytham claimed that freedom was dangerous and that it would ultimately lead to war. As they sparred, another cannonball hit, sending them both to the ground.^[1]

Ratonhnhaké:ton crawled his way to Haytham, offering to spare him should he surrender. Instead, Haytham climbed atop Ratonhnhaké:ton, wrapping his hands around his throat as he mocked him and his Order, insisting that the Templars would forever triumph. Ratonhnhaké:ton, having no alternative, extended his Hidden Blade and stabbed his father in the neck.^[1]

As Haytham fell, he told his son that he was somewhat proud of him, remarking that he had shown great conviction throughout his quest. With his dying breath, he said that he should have killed Ratonhnhaké:ton long ago. The Assassin merely wished his father farewell in turn and left the fort, determined to resume his pursuit of Charles Lee.^[1]