noble train artillery noble train artillery known expedition led continental_army colonel transport heavy weaponry captured fort continental_army camps outside boston massachusetts winter went november course winter months moved tons cannons armaments boat horse drawn manpower poor quality roads semi frozen rivers forests swamps lightly inhabited boston area called exploit feats logistics entire route moved weaponry known henry trail states new_york massachusetts erected markers route background shortly american revolutionary war broke battles lexington concord april militia leader connecticut arrived unit support proposed fort captured small british garrison reason gave justify presence heavy weaponry committee gave arnold massachusetts colonel commission authorized operation idea capture raised disputed territory present day vermont allen arnold joined forces force men captured fort fight day detachment men captured nearby fort crown point combat arnold began inventory forts usable military equipment hampered lack resources conflict command forts allen later connecticut militia company sent hold fort june arnold eventually abandoned idea transporting armaments boston resigned commission expedition planning july george_washington assumed command forces outside boston significant problems identified nascent continental_army lack heavy weaponry offensive operations virtually impossible uncertain exactly proposed operation retrieve cannons biographers tend credit arnold giving washington idea washington eventually chose young job year old interest military matters served massachusetts militia good friends washington arrival boston washington gave assignment wrote trouble expense spared obtain november washington issued orders retrieve cannons authorized purpose wrote general asking assist endeavor washington weapons echoed issued colonel commission november reach returned expedition departed washington camp november traveling new_york_city supplies reached december night fort george southern end shared cabin young british prisoner named taken prisoner siege fort jean way south prison camp similar age temperament found common ground talk meeting time met presided court martial convicted sentenced death role treason albany arrival immediately set identifying equipment organizing transport selected pieces equipment including cannons ranging size pounders mortars estimated total weight transported pounds tons metric tons largest pieces pounder big feet long estimated weigh pounds equipment carried overland northern end train loaded like ship called december set sail southern end lake sailing ahead small boat ice beginning cover lake grounding submerged rock reached day sailed going ahead reached fort george good time appear expected boat sent check progress reported sunk far appeared setback brother william captain reported water line ship refloated days later arrived southern end lake december wrote washington built exceeding strong provided drag far springfield hoped days able present noble train artillery set albany ahead train crossed frozen hudson_river proceeded reaching present day north albany christmas day feet snow fell day slowing progress snow covered route needed broken open day slowed significant snow ground finally reached albany met general worked days locate send north equipment personnel assist moving train south snowfall sufficient use train overland river ice thin hudson men tried accelerate process river ice pouring additional water existing ice january cannon arrived albany way albany crossing hudson heading east massachusetts cannons crashed ice river instance cannon recovered january cannons crossed hudson rode ahead oversee stage journey crossing details remaining journey journal ends january reached vicinity new_york january proceeded reaching massachusetts days later lead crew refused continue owing lack snow upcoming steep descent connecticut river valley hired additional persuaded crew train moved east news spread people came watch pass loaded big guns powder fired applause assembled crowd springfield hire new work crews new_york based crews wanted return home reported seeing artillery train pass january days later arrived cambridge personally reported washington artillery train arrived according accounting spent operation hoped weeks instead took weeks arrival equipment began arrive boston area washington seeking end siege formulated plan draw british boston point launch attack city pursuing plan placed cannons cambridge lamb dam batteries opened fire boston night march preparations cannons threaten city british fleet harbor night march continental_army troops occupied high ground british general planned contest assaulting position prevented execution consideration decided instead withdraw city march british troops loyalist colonists boarded ships sailed halifax nova scotia went chief artillery officer continental_army later served united_states secretary war legacy commemorate achievement time anniversary states new_york massachusetts placed historical markers route believed taken time markers new_york moved new information surfaced train movements albany state boundary markers massachusetts route train assumed given documentation known roads massachusetts time fort army post kentucky famous site named
Noble train of artillery