TICONDEROGA, N.Y. (WCAX) – Fort Ticonderoga is celebrating the 250th anniversary of one of the American Revolution’s most ambitious military operations with a three-day commemoration.
Nearly 250 years ago, American patriots stationed at Fort Ticonderoga began a months-long journey to deliver cannons that would ultimately liberate Boston.
In December 1775, American patriots were riding high after a string of victories in Quebec that resulted in new weapons, like rifles and cannons. On December 5, Henry Knox arrived at Fort Ticonderoga with orders from General George Washington.
“He had his opportunity to select exactly what he thought would be best of the guns, mortars, and howitzers stockpiled at Ticonderoga that would best serve General Washington to leave the city of Boston and its harbor,” said Fort Ticonderoga’s Stuart Lilie.
Knox and his fellow soldiers used oxen, horses, and boats to haul almost 50 pieces of artillery to Lake George on what is called the Noble Artillery Train. Lilie said the effort gave Washington’s army a significant advantage.
“It was a pivotal decision to fundamentally change the Continental Army’s artillery. To take what had just been a collection of cannons that had been squirreled away in the days leading up to the battle of Lexington and Concord into something that could really prosecute war. That was able to deliver sieges on the levels of well, the other nations of Europe,” Lilie said.
Fort Ticonderoga is commemorating Knox’s arrival and departure with a weekend-long event. The first activity is the Treasures event, where people can learn more about Knox through books he recommended for soldiers, a British rifle captured in Quebec and a letter penned by Knox himself.
“What happened here is now part of your story. So, making that accessible to people is vital to understand that this region shares some of the most significant aspects of our struggle for independence, which constitutes some of the most important parts of our history,” said Fort Ticonderoga’s Matthew Keagle.
The event ends Sunday with a reenactment of Knox’s Noble Artillery Train at 11 a.m.
