#OnThisDate As he commanded Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point, Captain William Delaplace, of the 26th Regiment of Foot, kept up regular correspondence with Governor General of Canada, Guy Carleton, and Commander in Chief of British Forces in North America, General Thomas Gage, among many others. In January 1775 Captain Delaplace sent a packet of letters to General Gage in Boston, which included an inventory of repair needs for Fort Crown Point, and detailed rosters of the solders under his command. Following this routine series of reports, Captain Delaplace wrote again to General Gage from his headquarters at Fort Ticonderoga, on February 10, 1775, making him aware of a concerning incident.
Sir,
In Consequence of a letter I received from his Excellency General Carleton, to report to him, the state and condition of the Forts and posts under my Command, as also what lodgments there are for the Officers and Soldiers, likewise to keep a strict look out on whatever passes in my neighborhood, I beg leave to acquaint your Excellency, that on Friday the third of Febry. Nine men arm’d came at the dead time of night, to one Curry, who lives within two miles of the Fort, rapp’d at the Door, were very impatient to be let in, that no sooner the Door was open’d, but they behav’d very rudely, sies’d upon all the poor man’s provisions, and went away, steering their course across the Lake towards the New Hampshire Government, since his happen’d, on Tuesday following, another man came to said Curry’s house, ask’d him several Questions, particularly, as to the strength of the Fort, whether or no, any sentry was planted at the Gate? If he could sell him some powder? he told him, as to powder, he had none, and as to the state of the Garrison, he was an entire stranger to it, and soon after he cross over the Lake, steering the same course the other men did. before I reciev’d this Intelligence they were far out of my reach to pursue them. It is surmis’d, that their intentions are, to [torn] some settlers on the New York grants, in New Hampshire Government, and to seize upon the ammunition in this Fort, this I thought my duty to acquaint your Excellency therewith, taking every necessary precaution to frustrate their designs, if so intended. (1)
Captain Delaplace signed the letter “Your most Obedient Servant, W. De la Place, Captain Commanding Ticonderoga and Crown Point.” Though we do not know who “Curry” was, he was likely one of the many settlers along the New York side of Lake Champlain. Many of these settlers were ex-British soldiers or had purchased or rented land from one several British officers, who received land grants after the French & Indian War. Major Phillip Skene, famously received the tract of land at the south end of Lake Champlain, creating a manor called Skenesborough.
Captain Delaplace described Curry’s mysterious assailants as being from the “New Hampshire Government,” referring to the New Hampshire Grants, in present-day Vermont, that New England settlers defended—legally and illegally– against competing New York colonial claims. Captain Delaplace interpreted questions about the strength and security of Fort Ticonderoga as related to local armed disturbances between New York and New England settlers, particularly the Green Mountain Boys. Captain Delaplace could have been completely right in his deduction. Much like Captain William Delaplace, we don’t know who these armed individuals were, but the series of questions that Mr. Curry received fascinating foreshadowing of events to come. By March 29, 1775, John Brown wrote of his travels through the New Hampshire Grants, through Caughnawaga, to Montreal, beseeching Samuel Adams and Joseph Warren, the Massachusetts Committee of Correspondence in Boston, to capture Fort Ticonderoga if hostilities broke out. By April 28, Connecticut appointed a committee to capture Fort Ticonderoga. Independently, Benedict Arnold wrote to the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, proposing to capture Ticonderoga as well. We know very little about the incident that Captain Delaplace described to General Thomas Gage, including if it had any broader connection to the political situation in Boston. This incident can be viewed among the many contemporary American schemes that considered Fort Ticonderoga as a target in early 1775.
- Gage Papers, American Series, Volume 125, Clements Library, University of Michigan.
