Before there was any structure on the peninsula known as Fort Ticonderoga, a French explorer by the name of Samuel de Champlain from the colony of New France (Quebec, Canada) sailed down Lake Champlain with nine French soldiers and
Before there was any structure on the peninsula known as Fort Ticonderoga, a French explorer by the name of Samuel de Champlain from the colony of New France (Quebec, Canada) sailed down Lake Champlain with nine French soldiers and a war party of Algonkaian and Huron Indians. On the evening of July 29, 1609, they were met by another war party of 200 Iroquois and the next morning a battle on or near the site of the Fort took place. The French soldiers had the advantage of mechanical weapons called arquebus and with those killed two of the Iroquois chiefs. This battle set the stage for loyalty of the Iroquois to the British in the two subsequent wars involving the Forts at Ticonderoga; whereas both the Algonkaian and Hurons remained loyal to the French.
It is important to note that diplomatic relations in Europe between France and England set the stage for their battles over North America. In 1731 France violated the compact of peace by erecting Fort St. Frederic in Crown Point and the English and the Iroquois both objected. In 1749 another peace was signed, but in 1755 the French continued to encroach further into Indian territory and built the first fort at Ticonderoga. It was called Fort Carillon.
Thus began the seven years war or the French and Indian War as it is best known. During the next seven years the French from Canada, the English in New York and New England, the Iroquois (especially the Mohawks), the Hurons and Algonkaians all fought with and against each other in this area. Fort Carillon remained as a French stronghold under General Marquis de Montcalm until July 26/27, 1759 when British General Jeffrey Amherst routed the French. During the overwhelming British siege, the French blew up the powder magazine and burned Fort Carillon as they retreated to Canada. However, the French barracks remained partly intact. The English repaired the walls in the 1760’s and Fort Ticonderoga remained a garrison fort with large stores of military supplies occupied by the English, until the Revolutionary War.
On May 10, 1775 Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold with a