CHAPTER NINE Burgoyne Takes the Fort and Brown Fails to Retake It

The winter of 1776-1777 was a terrible one. The sufferings among the troops at Ticonderoga exceeded anything at Valley Forge. Men were frozen to death in their tents, smallpox broke out in the spring and altogether it was almost unbearable. General Gates succeeded General Schuyler as commander-in-chief of the Northern Army. Anthony Wayne was succeeded by Arthur St. Clair as commander at Ticonderoga, in the spring of 1777 and took command of 2500 Continental troops and 900 militia. General John Burgoyne had succeeded Sir Guy Carleton as commander-in-chief of the British Army in Canada.

With the destruction of the American Fleet at Valcour Island the autumn before, there was nothing to stop the advance of the British, and their army moved south up Lake Champlain in a great flotilla of bateaux and little sailing vessels. A large part of the American army was concentrated at Mount Independence directly across the lake from Ticonderoga and a floating bridge had been built connecting the two posts.

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General John Burgoyne

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Early in July Burgoyne invested the defenses on the New York side of the lake. John Trumbull in 1776 had suggested the fortifying of Mount Defiance which commanded the Fort, but it was never done. On July 5th the British succeeded in drawing a battery of guns to the top and opened up on the Fort. General St. Clair decided to retreat by way of the bridge and Mount Independence, the only road open. The retreat was well conceived, but someone set fire to General de Fermoy’s house and the British outposts discovered the American army retreating. A rear guard had been left at the Mount Independence end of the bridge, but unfortunately, they found a cask of wine and when the British succeeded in repairing and crossing the bridge, the whole guard was hors de combat. Part of the Americans retreated toward Skenesborough, the Whitehall of today, in the few gondolas and row galleys that had escaped the defeat at Valcour Island the year before. Most of the army, however, marched east toward Castleton. The British soon cut the boom which had been thrown across the lake from Willow Point to the Vermont shore and part of their army went on up the lake by water after the fleeing Americans. General Fraser pursued the retreating army and overtook the American rear guard under Seth Warner near Hubbardton. A sharp engagement took place and the Americans were defeated, losing 324 in killed and wounded. It was the German troops under Baron Riedesel, who, coming into the action a little late, forced the Americans from the field. On July 6th some of the British ships pursued the American galleys as far as Whitehall, then Skenesborough, and captured two of them, forcing the Americans to blow up the remainder. Burgoyne left a garrison at Ticonderoga under General Powell and proceeded to follow out his plan of taking northern New York and meeting General Howe at Albany.

St. Clair was courtmartialed for retreating but was exonerated as it was the only thing he could have done under the circumstances. In the meantime the army from Ticonderoga formed the nucleus that eventually, having received an enormous number of recruits from New York, Vermont and New Hampshire, forced the capitulation of Burgoyne and the surrender of his whole army at Saratoga late in the autumn. It was Burgoyne’s bombastic proclamation to the settlers to be loyal to the King, or he would unloose his Indians, coupled with the unfortunate murder of Jane McCrea by some of his Indians, which aroused the countryside.

A determined attempt to recapture the Fort was made by Colonel John Brown, the same Brown who probably was the originator of the capture by Allen two years before. He was supported by Colonel Johnson whose duty it was to take Mount Independence and by Captain Ebenezer Allen, whose job it was to capture Mount Defiance. The attack was by way of the foot of Lake George and his own account reads as follows:

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The Battle of Saratoga. (From a painting in the Museum.)

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Colonel Brown to General Lincoln:

“North end of Lake George landing.

thursday Sept. 20 1777

Sir; with great fatigue after marching all last night I arrived at this place at the break of day, after the best disposition of the men I could make, immediately began the attack, and in a few minutes carried the place. I then without any loss of time detached a considerable part of my men to the mills, where a greater number of the enemy were posted, who also were soon made prisoners, a small number of them having taken possession of a blockhouse in that vicinity were with more difficulty bro’t to submission; but at a sight of a cannon they surrendered. During this season of success, Mount Defiance also fell into our hands. I have taken possession of the old French lines at Ticonderoga, and have sent a flag demanding the surrender of Ty and of mount independence in strong and peremptory terms. I have had as yet no information of Col. Johnson’s attack on the mount. My loss of men in these several actions are not more than 3 or 4 killed and 5 wounded, the enemy’s loss is less. I find myself in possession of 293 prisoners, viz, 2 captains, 9 subs, 2 commisaries, non Commissioned officers and privates, 143 British, 119 Canadians, 18 artificers, and retook more than 100 of our men, total 293, exclusive of the prisoners retaken—The watercraft I have taken is 150 bateaus below the falls on Lake Champlain 50 above the falls including 17 gunboats and one armed sloop, arms equal to the number of prisoners. Some ammunition and many other things which I cannot now ascertain. I must not forget to mention a few cannon which may be of great service to us. Tho my success has hitherto answered most sanguine expectations, I cannot promise myself great things, the events of war being so dubious in their nature, but shall do my best to distress the enemy all in my power,—having regard to my retreat—There is but a small quantity of provisions at this place which I think will necessitate my retreat in case we do not carry Ty and independence—I hope you will use your utmost endeavor to give me assistance should I need in crossing the lake &c—The enemy has but a very small force at Fort George. Their boats are on an island about 14 miles from this guarded by six companies, having artillery—I have much fear with respect to the prisoners, being obliged to send them under a small guard—I am well informed that considerable reinforcements is hourly expected at the lake under command of Sir John Johnson—This minute received General Powel’s answer to my demand in these words, ‘The garrison intrusted to my charge I shall defend to the last.’

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Surrender of Burgoyne. (From a painting in the Museum.)

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“Indeed I have little hopes of putting him to the necessity of giving it up unless by the force under Colonel Johnson.

I am &c, John Brown.”

Brown, running short of provisions for his own men and his numerous prisoners, retreated up Lake George and made an unsuccessful attack on Diamond Island.

Sir John Johnson, son of Sir William Johnson, of Johnson Hall, arrived at Ticonderoga shortly before Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga. Numerous deserters from Saratoga informed Powell of the situation there and he immediately made preparations to retreat to Canada. He burned the houses and barracks at Ticonderoga and Independence and made good his escape.

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George Washington at Halfway Brook, 1783
From a Painting Owned by Glen Falls Insurance Company

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