British+Capture+Fort+Ticonderoga

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=__The British Capture Fort Ticonderoga__ = Constructed during the [|7-Years-War], Fort Ticonderoga was built by the French, located in between Lake George and Lake Champlain. [|Fort Carillon], (Ticonderoga's original name,) was the first fort built in North America, and was built to keep the British out. This fort was so important because it access to both Canada and the Hudson River Valley, and therefore New York City. This made it a vital communication and supply source. At first, a large amount of British troops failed to sieze the fort from a small amount of French troops in [|1758], but the British captured the for the subsequent year, and renamed it Fort Ticonderoga, which means "the place between two waters." Then, on May 10, [|1775], an American army of about 200 led by [|Benedict Arnold] and [|Ethan Allen] stormed the fort with a surprise attack, and they captured Fort Ticonderoga without a single shot being fired. The next year, in October of 1776, [|Sir Guy Carleton] and his British troops attempted to capture the fort once again, but the Americans were well prepared, (under the command of [|Horatio Gates]) and seeing that, the British decided NOT to advance with the attack. Then on July 2nd, 1777, the British decided to attack again. This time, the Americans were not very prepared, so [|General John Burgoyne] and the British had the advantage. The Americans retreated to [|Castleton]. Two months later, when the Americans returned to Fort Ticonderoga, even when they greatly outnumbered the British and essentially surrounded the fort, the British did not retreat, so the Americans did not further pursue them, resulting in British ownership of Fort Ticonderoga until the end of the war.





=__Geographics, Location, History and Statistics__ = ==
 * Fort Ticonderoga is located in what is now upstate New York.
 * It lies at a narrow part of Lake Champlain. Champlain defines part of the border between New York and Vermont, and the Hudson River. This made Ticonderoga an extremely important travel route.
 * Fort Ticonderoga, "the place between two waters" got its obvious name because it lies between Lake Champlain and Lake George.
 * It was built in 1755 by frenchman Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil to keep the British out.
 * The fort is star-shaped.
 * A barrack is a building set to permanantly accomodate soldiers. Fort Ticonderoga had 3 of these, and there were also 4 warehouses to store goods.
 * The walls of Fort Ticonderoga were 7 feet high, 14 feet thick, and surrounded by a moat that was 5 feet deep and 15 feet wide.
 * A half-completed steel fence also surrounded parts of the fort.

=__Ethan Allen__ = = = [|Ethan Allen], of Connecticut, was the leader of the [|Green Mountain Boys], a military unit established in the 1760s between New York and New Hampshire. After seeing the power, trade routes, military routes, and the basis for supplies, that was offered with the ownership of [|Fort Ticonderoga], the [|Connecticut Assembly] requested that Ethan Allen and his men capture it. By the time Allen was ready to lead the siege, he learned that both he and Benedict Arnold would lead anywhere from 100-200 men to the base of the fort. Before they reached a compromise, some of Ethan Allen's loyal followers would only march with Ethan Allen in front. Even though both Arnold and Allen were responsible for taking the fort, most [|credit] was given to Ethan Allen. He was, for the most part, the decision-maker, and the success WAS mainly because of him, despite Benedict Arnold also leading the troops.

=__Benedict Arnold __= <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">[|Benedict Arnold], though known as a traitor by many, was contributor to many victories, including the [|Battle of Saratoga], the [|Battle of Ridgefield], the [|Siege of Fort Stanwix], and the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga. At about the same time that Ethan Allen was elected by the Connecticut Assembly, Benedict Arnold was called upon by the Massachusetts [|Committee of Safety]. Even though Ethan Allen was the main decision-maker during the siege, Benedict Arnold was the one who originally proposed to idea of capturing the fort. After the plan was approved, he was directed to gather 400 men, but concurrently, Ethan Allen had been ordered to do the same. When the two met up, they argued about who would lead the troops. Connecticut preferred Allen, but Massachusetts preferred Arnold. Finally, it was decided that both men would lead the troops, but by the time they had gotten to the fort, there were only about 100-200 men because the others had not crossed the river on the boat yet, but Allen decided it was time to attack.

=<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 120%;">__Additional Video Reenactment__ =

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