Fort Ticonderoga

The American army in the Northern Department had known since the summer of 1776 that the fate of their fleet on Lake Champlain might decide the fate of their campaign. After forcing the American invasion force to retreat from Canada, British general Guy Carleton had settled in at Saint-Jean to prepare for an invasion of his own. Carleton’s army busily built ships with prefabricated parts from Europe, while the American shipyard at Skenesborough, with fewer resources and less manpower, worked desperately to match them.

By October 9, 1776—250 years ago today—the Americans’ work had paid off, but not enough to close the gap to the British. Benedict Arnold, leading the American effort, had built the fleet up to a respectable 16 vessels. The British fleet, though, was over 50 vessels strong, armed with more and heavier guns, and manned by experienced sailors, while Arnold had needed to draft soldiers to man his ships. According to the fleet’s surgeon, Dr. Stephen McCrea, even his medical support was lacking.

In a letter written on October 9 aboard the fleet at Valcour Island, McCrea complained to Hospital Department officials Samuel Stringer and Jonathan Potts about the surgeon’s mates he had been assigned, who were “not fit if better could be had.” One “has no practise and little Theory, trifleing as it is, he’s of two timid a disposition to put any part of his theories in excicution”, and the other “has neither Theory nor practise”. He threatened that “unless this mistake is speedily rectifyed I shall resign” and hoped to gain Stringer and Potts’ support for the appointment of new mates.

McCrea would not have time to resign; events were moving too fast. The British had left their harbor at Saint-Jean on October 4 and were sailing south towards McCrea and the fleet as he wrote. In two days, McCrea’s unpracticed mates would have to practice their trade as the two fleets clashed at the Battle of Valcour Island. Like the crew of the American ships, outnumbered and outmatched, they would have to do their best.

Learn more about this letter (object ID MS.1961) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/29827

On October 7, 1776—250 years ago today—Ebenezer Smith was thinking of his family, as usual. On that day, he wrote to his wife Sarah, at home in New Marlborough, MA. Smith, an officer in the 6th Continental Regiment, had been stationed at Fort Ticonderoga for a little over a month. “My dear Madam,” he begins, “I have one Minut to Write, Which I Gladly Improve. I have the happyness to say that I Am Perfectly Well, an unmerited Mercy. O that I Might have A Sincere hart to Praise God for it, While Many All Around Me Are Sick and Daily Graves a Opning and [Shutting].” He prays “that I May Yet Live to see my Dear Wife and Children Again, which are continually in My thoughts”.

Smith passes on news of neighbors and friends. The captain of his company, Moses Soule, had resigned or been discharged around October 1. Smith writes of Soule’s departure with good-natured longing: “My Old Friend has forsook me and Agoing home but as Much My Friend I hope as Ever. I Dont [Begrudge] him his hapines but I should Rejoice to have the same- but that is not for Me yet”.

Soule’s successor as captain, Noah Allen, was not as lucky or happy. “Capt. Allen that Now is, is Gone to the Hospitle with the Camp distemper and Fever & Ague, but hope he Will be Back Soon,” Smith reports. Allen has featured in this series before, writing a letter to his wife Sarah in July 1775 while serving at the Siege of Boston and receiving a letter from her in May 1776. Luckily for him and Sarah, Allen would recover from this unpleasant attack of disease.

Like many soldiers at Ticonderoga, Smith looks forward to his return home. “My Dear, Make your Self as Comfortable as You Can Until Jan’y, and Then I hope you Will See the Poor Creature, Expect out of Money and Destitute of Cloaths, but however hope to have A Good heart—and God Grant that I May Return in Safty and Find all well,” he hopes. In the meantime, he can think of one thing that would make his time at Ticonderoga better: “If you can send me A Cheese I will Pay you”, he adds in a postscript.

Learn more about this letter (object ID MS.7079.1) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/30597

Ticonderoga’s garrison in fall 1776 had a long list of inconveniences and discomforts to deal with, but the weather may have topped the list. The summer had been cool and wet. On August 28, General Horatio Gates wrote to George Washington that “The Weather of Late has been so uncommonly Wet and Stormy for the Season, that we are much retarded in our Works”. Several times in July and August, he ordered the soldiers to be given rum “in consequence of the extreme wet weather”.

As fall arrived, the wet weather persisted and temperatures dropped. The first frost of the season arrived on September 25. The garrison had mostly spent the summer living in tents, but as the weather changed, more substantial shelter was needed. On September 14, Colonel Anthony Wayne of the 4th Pennsylvania Battalion ordered his men to prioritize building small wooden huts to replace their tents. On October 4, 1776—250 years ago today—Wayne was wet, cold, and disgruntled.

In this October 4 letter from Wayne to his friend, Pennsylvania militia captain Sharp Delany, he does not hold back. He opens his letter by playfully chastising Delany for not writing to him: “[H]ave you forgot that there are people in this Frigid Zone [who] are anxious for your welfare[?]” He contrasts his situation with Delany’s longingly: “It’s now Rain’g and blowing like Hell & Dam—& I have no Other shelter than an old wet rag—whilst you are basking in the sun—& in ease and plenty under a Social & hospitable roof”. Wayne’s reference to his “old wet rag” suggests that despite his orders, his own hut was not ready yet.

Weighing the current weather against a potential battle with British forces, Wayne, tongue firmly in cheek, claims to prefer the latter. “I long to be with you,” he writes, “& if Burgoyne will take pity on us and Advance, I rest assured I shall… be at your Quarters at New Years.” Unfortunately for Wayne, he would spend New Year’s, and the whole winter, at Ticonderoga. He commanded the fort’s winter garrison and stayed there until April 29, 1777.

Learn more about this letter (object ID MS.6012) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/30214

Augustus and Ruth Moore were one of many young couples separated by war in 1776. The 30-year-old Augustus was a sergeant in Colonel Samuel Brewer’s Massachusetts militia regiment. He marched to Fort Ticonderoga, then was stationed at the small outpost on nearby Mount Hope, while Ruth remained home with their three daughters in Sudbury, MA. On September 14, Ruth wrote a letter to Augustus, and on October 2, it arrived at Mount Hope. On October 3—250 years ago today—Augustus wrote his reply.

Augustus “was Very much Rejoiced to See” Ruth’s letter, as he had “Not Heard one word from you Since I Came from Home.” He worried about her news that the militia had been called up and “Every fifth man was Going to new York”, saying that “I am afrad that Ruben is Goneing”. Ruben was likely a relative or employee on their farm. Ruth would not be alone with their children if Ruben was called up; she had told Augustus that another woman, Lydia Underwood, was moving in with her. He still “Hope[d] you will be Provided for till I shall Return to you again if it should be God will.”

Augustus then described his life in camp. “I understand by your Letter that You wanted to Now where I was Steationed… I am Steationed on a Hill [called] mount Hope Near Ticonderoga… I wod Inform you that our [Provisions] are Very [Short] only one pound Beef and one pound of Bread per Day”. On these rations, he dreamed of the comforts of home: “I hope you will Save me Sum Cyder and Aples [for when] I Come Home”.

It was not guaranteed that Augustus would return home. “I am Not Very well, I have the Camp [Distemper],” he confessed, but added that “I am Better then I have Been”, and he had never been so sick that he could not perform his duties. He believed Ruth should know the truth, calling it “my Duty to Let you Now the Best as wil as the worst”, but urged twice, “Pray Dear Wife don’t be Dissteresed about me”. Still, “I Desire Your Prayer for me”. Ruth and Augustus’ story had a happy ending; he survived his service and returned home to Sudbury.

Learn more about this letter (object ID MS.7034) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/30266