During the 18th century, when nations fought to control the strategic route between the St. Lawrence River in Canada and the Hudson River to the south, the fortification overlooking the outlet of Lake George into Lake Champlain was called "a key to continent."
The French constructed here in 1755 the stronghold they named Carillon and made it a base to attack their English rivals. In 1758, Carillon, under Marquis de Montcalm, withstood assault by superior British Forces. The next year, Jeffery Amherst's troops captured Carillon and forced the French to retreat from the Lake Champlain. The British renamed the fortress Fort Ticonderoga.
During the American Revolution, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys captured Ticonderoga in a surprise attack, May 10, 1775. Cannon hauled from Ticonderoga to Boston helped George Washington drive the British from that city. In July 1777, General Burgoyne's invading army overwhelmed the American fort and Ticonderoga became British. Americans unsuccessfully attacked the fort in September 1777; later the British abandoned it.
No fort in the world has had such an active, yet short history. In two decades, Fort Ticonderoga was the center of attack by great nations as many as six times, four times during the American Revolution.
2 comments:
Nice weather for a tour. I particularly like the fence and the blue sky. We've had nothing but rain down here.
Nice history lesson I had no Idea how active this fort was..
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