Rogers’ Personal Powder Horn on Display one day ONLY
Saturday, March 9, 2019
The Battle on Snowshoes event vividly recreates the savage fight between Robert Rogers’ rangers, and a mixed French force of Native Warriors, Canadians, and French army soldiers on March 13, 1758. This event is designed to be a rich experience for guests of all ages as they explore this famous battle from a new perspective to learn fact from fiction.
Throughout the day, visitors will explore the French Garrison inside Fort Ticonderoga and tour through opposing camps of well-trained British rangers. Families can make their own tuque, or wool cap, like French soldiers donned in the winter months. Strap on your snowshoes and march out to the edge of the cleared land into the woods to discover the camp of Rogers’ rangers. During the 2:00 pm battle, become immersed as the rangers make a brave stand against superior odds in hectic tree-to-tree fighting.
A special exhibit will highlight material associated with the famous Robert Rogers and his legacy across the Atlantic world. On display will be Rogers’ own powder horn, one of the only objects directly associated with the legendary officer. Rogers’ horn was carved by John Bush, an African-American soldier from Massachusetts, who is one of the best known horn carvers of the French and Indian War.
“Robert Rogers’ reputation was perpetuated well after the conclusion of the war, in print and other media, particularly following the publication of his Journals from the conflict, which described the operations of him and his corps of rangers,” said Matthew Keagle, Curator at Fort Ticonderoga. “This exhibit features an early and rare Dublin edition of Rogers’ Journals along with a London engraving that imagines the appearance of the famous ranger officer. Artifacts like these secured Rogers’ fame in Britain as well as America. Both objects speak to the depth and importance of the Fort Ticonderoga museum collections.”
Background
Major Robert Rogers force of both volunteers from the 27th foot, and his own rangers headed out on an extended scout from Fort Edward along Lake George, following an attack on a similar patrol from Captain Israel Putnam’s Connecticut rangers. Hiking on snowshoes due to the three feet of snow, the tracks of Roger’s force were spotted on their march up the west side of Lake George. Near the north end of Lake George, Major Rogers’ advanced scouts spotted their French counterparts. Rogers and his Rangers took up positions in a ravine, setting his force in ambuscade to await whatever French patrol would come to meet him.
The French patrol that met Roger’s men proved far larger than he imagined, and in this Battle on Snowshoes, the rangers’ ambush was itself surrounded and overwhelmed. In deep woods on deep snow, the rangers were forced to retreat with heavy casualties as the French regulars, Canadians, and natives pressed home their attack. Despite brave stands along the way, this retreat quickly became chaotic as rangers, Roger’s included, ran for their lives from superior numbers of French.
Fort Ticonderoga: America’s Fort™
Fort Ticonderoga is an independent nonprofit educational organization which serves its mission to ensure that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history. It serves this mission by preserving and enhancing its historic structures, collections, gardens and landscapes; and educating the public as it learns about the history of Fort Ticonderoga. Welcoming visitors since 1909, it preserves North America’s largest 18th-century artillery collection, 2000 acres of historic landscape on Lake Champlain, and Carillon Battlefield, and the largest series of untouched 18th-century earthworks surviving in America. Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 75,000 visitors each year and offers programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year and is open for daily visitation May through October. Fort Ticonderoga is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and pursues its vision to be the premier cultural destination in North America. Visit www.FortTiconderoga.org for a full list of ongoing programs or call 518-585-2821. Fort Ticonderoga is located at 102 Fort Ti Road, Ticonderoga, New York.
America’s Fort is a registered trademark of the Fort Ticonderoga Association.
Photo: Robert Rogers and his rangers return to Fort Ticonderoga Saturday, March 9, 2019 through the dramatic 1758 Battle on Snowshoes reenactment.