Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, 1758
The Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, fought on July 8, 1758, was a significant confrontation during the French and Indian War between British forces led by General James Abercrombie and French troops commanded by General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. Abercrombie's army, totaling over 15,000 men, aimed to capture the strategically located fort, but Montcalm had fortified his position with a strong breastwork and defensive measures that proved effective. The British launched multiple frontal assaults against the French lines throughout the day, but they faced heavy casualties, suffering 550 killed, 1,355 wounded, and 27 missing, while French losses were considerably lower at 106 dead and 266 wounded. Despite their numerical advantage, the British were forced to retreat, abandoning much of their equipment and marking the end of their campaign that season. This unexpected victory for Montcalm's troops not only bolstered French morale but also solidified Montcalm's reputation as a skilled commander. Additionally, it delayed British advances down Lake Champlain towards Montreal for another year, highlighting the battle's significance in the broader context of the war.
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Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, 1758
Type of action: Ground battle in the French and Indian War
Date: July 8, 1758
Location: Junction of Lakes George and Champlain in northeastern New York
Combatants: 15,391 British and Americans vs. 3,500 French
Principal commanders:British, Major General James Abercrombie (1706–1781); French, Lieutenant General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm (1712–1759)
Result: French bloodily repel a British attack on Fort Ticonderoga (called Fort Carillon by the French)
On July 5, 1758, General James Abercrombie moved his 15,391-man army down Lake George and arrived near Fort Ticonderoga three days later. General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm stationed his troops behind a hastily, but well-constructed, six-foot wooden breastwork, three-quarters of a mile west of the fort. He fronted his position with a thick abatis. Abercrombie, fearing the arrival of heavy French reinforcements, ordered a frontal assault, rather than striking the vulnerable flanks or deploying his powerful artillery to batter down the breastwork. Abercrombie’s infantry futilely charged Montcalm’s line six times between 1:00 and 7:00 p.m., producing casualties of 550 killed, 1,355 wounded, and 27 missing. The British regulars suffered most of these losses. The French casualties were 106 dead and 266 wounded. Although he still possessed overwhelming strength, Abercrombie quickly retreated back up Lake George, abandoning much of his equipment, and ended the campaign for the season.
Significance
The unexpected victory at Fort Ticonderoga greatly boosted French morale and added to Montcalm’s growing reputation as a general. It also forestalled a British advance down Lake Champlain toward Montreal for another year.
Bibliography
Frégault, Guy. Canada: The War of the Conquest. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1969.
Hamilton, Edward P. Fort Ticonderoga: Key to a Continent. Boston: Little, Brown, 1964.
Williams, Noel St. John. Redcoats Along the Hudson: The Struggle for North America, 1754–1763. London: Brassey’s, 1997.