siege fort siege fort occurred july fort near end state new_york lieutenant general man army occupied high ground fort nearly surrounded defences movements precipitated occupying continental_army strength force command general withdraw surrounding defences gunfire exchanged casualties formal siege pitched battle army occupied extensive fortifications vermont lake opposition july advance units pursued retreating americans surrender caused american public military circles widely believed virtually vital point defence general superior general congress eventually courts martial careers adversely affected lost command time court martial held field commands remainder war background september early american revolutionary war embarked invasion quebec invasion ended disaster july army chased large british army arrived quebec small fleet defeated october battle delay required british build fleet caused general hold attempting assault advance forces came miles season difficulty maintaining supply lines lake winter caused withdraw forces quebec british forces general arrived quebec prepared lead british forces assembled south aim gaining control hudson_river valley dividing rebellious provinces british_army troops consisted 9th 20th 21st 24th 47th 53rd 62nd regiments flank companies regiments left garrison quebec light infantry flank companies formed army advance force commanded brigadier general remaining regulars leadership formed right wing army left composed command baron forces consisted regiments regiment forces arrived participated campaign drove american army quebec total size regular army addition regulars indians relatively small number loyalists acted primarily scouts screening reconnaissance army accompanied civilians including pregnant woman small children including non military personnel total number people army general recited troops fort saint jean near northern end june june carrying army lake arrived fort crown point june indians elements advance force laid effective screen american defenders unaware exact location strength force moving lake route authored proclamation americans written style known frequently criticized parodied american defences american forces occupied forts crown point captured small garrison undertook significant efforts improve defenses surrounding peninsula east lake renamed heavily fortified north old americans built numerous large fort site earlier french fortifications fort quarter mile long floating bridge constructed lake facilitate communication mount independence command went variety changes early general headed continental_army general gates charge march continental congress gave command department gates protested action congress reversed point gates longer willing serve left philadelphia command fort given general arrived weeks army entire complex manned strength regiments continental_army militia units new_york nearby states war council held june concluded number troops post rank file greatly inadequate defense provide retreat consequently plans retreat routes water southernmost point lake second overland rough road leading east present day vermont sugar height called sugar known overlooked independence large cannons height fort impossible defend tactical problem pointed gates command believed impossible british place cannons heights injured climbed noted gun carriages probably dragged defence lack thereof complicated widespread perception reputation held abandoning fort small force sufficient respond attack strength viewed politically viable option defending fort associated outer works require troops currently leaving defend sugar furthermore george_washington congress opinion known quebec likely strike south moving troops sea new_york_city following war council june ordered hold long avoid having avenues retreat cut took command reserve force albany washington ordered regiments held readiness hudson_river battle british advance july general unaware strength army lay miles away deployed advance force right column west lake hoping cut defences german column deployed east lake objective mount independence road gave order advance july morning july decided withdraw men occupying defence post exposed subject capture detachment set fire works retreated old french lines called site french defence battle getting away long arrival advance guard afternoon company british soldiers indians came lines near significant damage opened fire ordered men hold fire enemy closer fired british soldier defenders follow suit soldier fired fell british troops fled man captured turned fallen drunk deception placing man posing captured loyalist learned nature opposing forces advance forces occupied july ordered scouts indians east lake reconnaissance ahead german column brought germans west british camp placed close american lines harassed gunfire prevent british making repairs bridges road british engineers discovered strategic position realized american withdrawal gave access starting july began clearing building gun height working carefully avoid notice americans spent days drawing larger guns slope objective spring trap germans position cut american retreat american retreat july americans held quiet celebration commemorate previous year declaration independence night british lost element surprise indians lit fires americans presence morning july held war council decision retreat position completely exposed delayed departure nightfall movements concealed conversation observed save character lose army holding fort save army lose character retreated giving clear indication political reaction expecting decision possible armaments camp followers supplies loaded fleet boats began lake accompanied colonel long regiment owing shortage boats left largest cannons variety supplies tents cattle rest army crossed mount independence headed road forces reached handful men left bridge loaded cannons fire british attempts cross drunk british arrived morning british occupied forts firing single shot detachments troops set pursuit retreating americans road troops lake aftermath seven americans killed wounded prior american retreat british casualties tallied killed skirmishes americans good time road force reached march miles evening july british pursuit resulted caught rear guard morning july enabled main american body escape eventually joining forces smaller american force fled boat fought advance force forced abandon equipment sick wounded confrontation substantially slow advance forced leave garrison men area wait july dispersed elements army encountered delays traveling heavily wooded road general forces effectively ruined trees destroying bridges terrain campaign ultimately failed forced surrender general gates reported governor november independence abandoned burned retreating british political public outcry political public outcry withdrawal significant congress appalled criticized loss wrote think shall able defend post shoot general george_washington said event surprise compass reasoning rumors circulated taken bribes exchange retreat eventually removed commander replaced fall reasons cited removed command sent headquarters inquiry maintained conduct honorable demanded review court martial court martial held september political washington completely given field command cleared wrongdoing court martial news headlines europe king george reported burst chambers clad queen beat beat americans french spanish courts happy news supporting americans allowing use ports engaging trade action british demand france spain close ports americans demand rejected tensions european powers
Siege of Fort Ticonderoga (1777)