A New Year’s Resolution that Will be Fun to Keep
Many of us make New Year’s Resolution this time of year, only to discover by the end of January that most (or all) of them have fallen by the wayside. I’d like to encourage you to make a resolution that will be a pleasure to keep—why not try participating in one educational program at Fort […]
Raising Montcalm’s Cross
Young and old are fascinated by great battles in history. In addition to these generic themes of the roar of cannons, musketry, and grim statistics, every battle has a unique story. It is these unique stories that have filled the imaginations of armchair generals and casual history buffs alike for centuries. Fort Ticonderoga has been […]
Diana in the King’s Garden
In the center of the King’s Garden rests the bronze sculpture, The Young Diana, that depicts Roman mythology’s goddess of the hunt. Displayed on a pedestal in the reflecting pool, the statue is located on a cross-axis and serves as a focal point when viewed from the garden entrances. It was a gift from museum […]
Combat in the North Woods
In discussing firelocks, cannons, or mortars with visitors, the question that logically comes up is the use of these weapons in a battle. Unfortunately, mentioning “A Battle” leads to images conjured out of the movies. Despite the rugged, wooded hills surrounding Fort Ticonderoga, as well as Lake Champlain, the hypothetical battle in which these weapons […]
His story deserves to be told…
Battles are often remembered for the major military figures involved and how the actions that took place on the battlefield contributed to the greater outcome of a war. Usually when discussed today, battles are described in terms of tactics, commanders, and remarkable feats of heroism. Casualty numbers are generally known, and people understand very well that […]
Becoming Soldiers in 1775
The citizen soldiers of Colonel Hinman’s regiment that garrisoned Fort Ticonderoga in the summer of 1775 arrived as well equipped and trained as one could expect for soldiers rapidly raised following the Lexington alarm. Arms, accouterments, and drill weren’t the only important aspects of being a soldier, as these and other colonial soldiers discovered during […]
What Connects Us to History?
Two words, perhaps an idea, that comes up frequently with visitors is “my history” as in this Fort, or its history is, “my history.” While this idea of a personal connection to Fort Ticonderoga’s history seems relatively simple to define, it is not a simple concept. A personal connection to history could be defined by any number of […]
The Many Faces of 1775
The classic image of those citizen soldiers who stood up to the British redcoats on Lexington green or at the old French fort of is in a word, white. The reality of those colonial militia and regulars was far more diverse. As we explore the Connecticut colonial regulars who garrisoned Fort Ticonderoga in the summer […]
Stephen H.P. Pell and World War I
Fort Ticonderoga Museum founder, Stephen Hyatt Pelham Pell (1874-1950) served two nations in World War I. In early 1917, prior to the United States’ involvement in the war, Stephen Pell enlisted in the Norton Harjes Ambulance Service attached to the Chasseurs Alpins achieving the rank of sergeant. On October 2, at Baccaret, France, after lying […]
Benedict Arnold, Independence, & Independent Companies
Both famous and infamous, Benedict Arnold first made his name leading the Green Mountain Boys through the gates of Ticonderogaalong side Ethan Allen. That is easy enough to picture, but it begs the question, “What was he wearing in the early hours of May 10 1775?” Most New England militia units were un-uniformed in the […]