Could Ticonderoga have been held by the Continental Army in 1777? Was its loss a disaster or a prudent retreat? Create your own answers to questions that have enthralled officers and armchair generals alike for 239 years. For the answers, head to Fort Ticonderoga on Friday (July 8!)
Even in 1777, as the British Army prepared to drive south from Ticonderoga, the July 8th, 1758 Battle of Carillon loomed large on this landscape. Legendary within the British & American army, personally remembered by many senior officers in both, this battle filled Ticonderoga with far more meaning than merely its strategic location. March out to the “Old French Lines,” where American soldiers entrenched themselves on the very same ground General Montcalm’s French soldiers defended in 1758. Set among the surviving American earthworks, imagine the great charges across a bare forest of tree stumps towards the twisted tree tops and stacked logs of the first French Lines. Remember those regular and provincial soldiers who fell, fighting for this ground in 1758.
Visitors Schedule:
9:30 AM: Fort Opens to Visitors
10:15 AM: Key to the Continent Tour: The Year of the Hangman (Begins at the American Flag)
Could Ticonderoga have been held by the Continental Army in 1777? Was its loss a disaster or a prudent retreat? Create your own answers to questions that have enthralled officers and armchair generals alike for 239 years. Explore how two decades of military occupation culminated with rich cultures and characters at Ticonderoga in 1777.
11:00 AM: Musket Demonstration (Demonstration Area)
Artillerymen were first trained as soldiers. In a pinch, soldiers were trained to serve the artillery. Discover how muskets and carbines, slung across the backs of cannon crews, were vital in the defense of their guns, their positions, and their lives.
11:30 AM: Battle of Carillon Commemoration(Begins at the American Flag)
March behind the Fifes and Drums of Fort Ticonderoga up to the Carillon battlefield to lay a wreath in remembrance of this immense battle.
11:30 AM: Continent’s Collections Tour: A Guided Tour of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum (Parade Ground)
Exhibitions staff will lead you on a guided tour of this remarkable museum's highlights. Beginning more than a century ago, the Fort Ticonderoga museum has North America's largest and most important collection of 18th-century military material culture. Get the scoop on the most significant, rare, and interesting pieces in the collection.
11:45 AM: Breaking Ground: A Tour of the Historic Gardens (Begins in the King’s Garden)
From military garrison gardens to a secluded colonial revival commemorative spectacle of color and light, explore one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. Discover the layers of horticultural history of the Ticonderoga peninsula.
12:30 PM: Fife and Drum Concert (Parade Ground)
Listen to stirring tunes that eased the drudgery of a long march, or the many calls that regulated activity in the fort. Explore how drumbeats, trilling fifes and songs created an 18th-century world of military music.
1:15 PM: Key to the Continent Tour: The Year of the Hangman (Begins at the American Flag)
Could Ticonderoga have been held by the Continental Army in 1777? Was its loss a disaster or a prudent retreat? Create your own answers to questions that have enthralled officers and armchair generals alikefor 239 years. Explore how two decades of military occupation culminated with rich cultures and characters at Ticonderoga in 1777.
2:00 PM: Cannon Demonstration (Demonstration Area)
Don’t let the wooden wheels fool you, the cannon and its carriage was an intricate piece of military hardware. Discover the surprising power of a well-drilled cannon crew operating this finely-tuned weapon.
2:30 PM: Garden March (Begins at the American Flag)
Follow the Fifes & Drums of Fort Ticonderoga down to the King’s Garden. Enjoy your favorite 18th century tunes and marches, with this corps as your musical guide.
2:30 PM Continent's Collections: A Guided Tour of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum (Parade Ground)
Exhibitions staff will lead you on a guided tour of this remarkable museum's highlights. Beginning more than a century ago, the Fort Ticonderoga museum has North America's largest and most important collection of 18th-century military material culture. Get the scoop on the most significant, rare, and interesting pieces in the collection.
2:45 PM Breaking Ground: A Tour of the Historic Gardens (Begins in the King’s Garden)
From military garrison gardens to a secluded colonial revival commemorative spectacle of color and light, explore one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. Discover the layers of horticultural history of the Ticonderoga peninsula.
3:00 PM Key to the Continent Tour: The Year of the Hangman (Begins at the American Flag)
Could Ticonderoga have been held by the Continental Army in 1777? Was its loss a disaster or a prudent retreat? Create your own answers to questions that have enthralled officers and armchair generals alike for 239 years. Explore how two decades of military occupation culminated with rich cultures and characters at Ticonderoga in 1777.
4:00 PM Mount Defiance: Witness to History Tour (Begins at the Summit of Mount Defiance)
Oh the stories this graceful hill overlooking Fort Ticonderoga could tell! As Fort Ticonderoga relives 1777, discover the unique tactical role of Mount Defiance in the story of this decisive campaign.
For more information, call (518) 585-2821. Here’s the info on how you can buy tickets.
