Fort Independence (Vermont)
Encyclopedia
Fort Independence was a fort built in 1775 on Mount Independence
next to Lake Champlain
. It was placed directly across from Fort Ticonderoga
to help fortify the approach to Albany. The intent was to provide a combined, two-shore defense to approaching British Forces. The stone crafted Fort Ticonderoga
, that was originally built as Fort Carillon
by the French in 1756, was misplaced to effectively repel an attack from the north.
The joint two-shore defense, mainly headed by engineer Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin who arrived in February 1777, included a 400 yards (365.8 m) heavy log boom
across a narrow just up the lake, a 12 feet (3.7 m) wide bridge to cross between the two forts, two blockhouses to guard Mount Hope
and the Lake George
outlet, and three new redoubts on the Ticonderoga side of the bank. All of the extended defenses would require 10,000 troops. The Americans only had 1/3 of this number in July 1777. More dismaying, Mount Defiance
(800 feet (243.8 m)) rose above both positions, yet it was unfortified.
It was captured on July 6, 1777, after a 4 day siege, when its commander, Major General Arthur St. Clair
, decided to withdraw his entire command when British Lieutenant General John Burgoyne
(Western Shore) and Hessian Major General Baron Friedrich Adolph Riedesel zu Eisenbach (Eastern Shore) arrived with a combined 10,000 men.
Location of Mount Independence 43°49′37"N 73°22′50"W
Mount Independence
Mount Independence is a high hill on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain, in the northeastern United States.It is a Vermont State Historic Site and was the site of Fort Independence, an American revolutionary war fortification built opposite Fort Ticonderoga...
next to Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
. It was placed directly across from Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
to help fortify the approach to Albany. The intent was to provide a combined, two-shore defense to approaching British Forces. The stone crafted Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
, that was originally built as Fort Carillon
Fort Carillon
Fort Carillon was constructed by Pierre de Rigaud de Vaudreuil, Governor of Canada, to protect Lake Champlain from a British invasion. The fort was not far from Fort Saint Frédéric. It was built to prevent an attack on Canada and slow the advance of the enemy long enough to send reinforcements...
by the French in 1756, was misplaced to effectively repel an attack from the north.
The joint two-shore defense, mainly headed by engineer Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin who arrived in February 1777, included a 400 yards (365.8 m) heavy log boom
Log boom
A log boom is a barrier placed in a river, designed to collect and or contain floating logs timbered from nearby forests sometimes called a fence or bag. The term is also used as a place where logs were collected into booms, as at the mouth of a river...
across a narrow just up the lake, a 12 feet (3.7 m) wide bridge to cross between the two forts, two blockhouses to guard Mount Hope
Mount Hope
There are several places named Mount Hope:in Antarctica*Mount Hope , a hill at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier*Mount Hope , a mountain in the Eternity Range, Palmer Landin Australia:* Mount Hope, New South Wales...
and the Lake George
Lake George (New York)
Lake George, nicknamed the Queen of American Lakes, is a long, narrow oligotrophic lake draining northwards into Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River Drainage basin located at the southeast base of the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York, U.S.A.. It lies within the upper region of the...
outlet, and three new redoubts on the Ticonderoga side of the bank. All of the extended defenses would require 10,000 troops. The Americans only had 1/3 of this number in July 1777. More dismaying, Mount Defiance
Mount Defiance
Mount Defiance is an high hill on the New York side of Lake Champlain, in the northeastern United States. It is notable in that the hill militarily dominates both Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence, but it was deemed inaccessible so never fortified. Mount Defiance was previously known as...
(800 feet (243.8 m)) rose above both positions, yet it was unfortified.
It was captured on July 6, 1777, after a 4 day siege, when its commander, Major General Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
, decided to withdraw his entire command when British Lieutenant General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
(Western Shore) and Hessian Major General Baron Friedrich Adolph Riedesel zu Eisenbach (Eastern Shore) arrived with a combined 10,000 men.
Location of Mount Independence 43°49′37"N 73°22′50"W