Ft. Ticonderoga/Mt. Independence

Overview

Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence played crucial roles during the American Revolution as strategic fortifications in the northern theater of the war. Fort Ticonderoga, located in present-day New York, was originally built by the French in the mid-18th century and later captured by the British. In May 1775, a small force led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold surprised the British garrison and successfully captured the fort, acquiring valuable artillery and military supplies. This victory provided a much-needed boost to the American morale and demonstrated their capability to challenge the British.

Meanwhile, across Lake Champlain, Mount Independence was another fortification that served as a companion to Fort Ticonderoga. It was constructed by the Americans in 1776 to strengthen their control over the strategically important area. Mount Independence’s location on the Vermont side of the lake allowed it to effectively support Fort Ticonderoga in defending the crucial waterway connecting New York and Canada. The fortification at Mount Independence included earthworks, barracks, and artillery batteries, making it a formidable defensive position.

Together, Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence formed a formidable complex that guarded the vital northern frontier. Although the British eventually recaptured both forts in July 1777, the American victory at Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 provided a significant early success and secured much-needed supplies and weaponry for the Continental Army. The legacy of these forts remains an important part of American Revolutionary history, reminding us of the strategic challenges and triumphs of the Revolutionary War.

Diaries and Memoirs

Allen, Ethan, and Stephen Carl Arch. A Narrative of Colonel Ethan Allen’s Captivity. Acton, Mass.: Copley Pub. Group, 2000.

Upon his return from British captivity in 1779, Ethan Allen wrote a biographical essay of his Revolutionary activities including the famous capture of Ft. Ticonderoga in May 1775.  In this account, he writes the glorious words that he demanded the fort’s surrender in the “name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress”.  Whether he uttered these words or as other reported, “Come out you old rat”, the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga turned Allen into a folk hero.  His captivity narrative was purported to be the second best selling book during the Revolution after Thomas Paine’s Common Sense.

Trumbull, John, and Theodore Sizer. The Autobiography of Col. John Trumbull. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1953.

The Trumbull memoir contains a 1776 account where he purports to prove that cannon on top of Mount Hope could command Fort Ticonderoga and render it indefensible.  Further, Trumbull asserts that it would require 10,000 troops and 100 pieces of artillery to properly defend Ft. Ticonderoga/Mt. Independence.  He concludes that it was proper for and good military judgment by Brig. Gen. Arthur St. Clair to abandon the fort in face of British Gen. John Burgoyne’s invasion in 1777.

Secondary Sources

Darley, Stephen. The Battle of Valcour Island: The Participants and Vessels of Benedict Arnold’s 1776 Defense of Lake Champlain, 2013.

Pell, S. H. P. Fort Ticonderoga – A Short History. Ticonderoga, NY: Foirt Ticonderoga Museum, 1835.

Wickman, Donald H., and The Mount Independence Coalition. Strong Ground:  Mount Independence and the American Revolution. Orwell, VT: The Mount Independence Coalition, 2017.

Revolutionary Era Maps

The stairs climbed by Ethan Allen to roust British Captain William Delaplain from Sleep to demand his surrender

Views of Ticonderoga

Largely destroyed during the American Revolution, Fort Ticonderoga has been reconstructed.  It is maintained by the Fort Ticonderoga Association.

Views from Mt. Independence

View from Mount Independence west to Fort Ticonderoga and north down Lake Champlain.  Note both Mount Independence and Fort Ticonderoga were denuded of trees during Revolutionary years providing unhindered sight lines.