known battle fought july french indian war global seven years war fought near fort known shore frontier area british colony new_york french colony new france battle took place primarily rise quarters mile fort french army men general decisively defeated overwhelmingly numerically superior force british troops general assaulted entrenched french position field artillery lack left british allies vulnerable allowed french win decisive victory battle war casualties suffered french losses british american historian wrote campaign military campaign launched american soil involved greater number errors judgment positions responsibility military historians cited classic example tactical military incompetence confident quick victory ignored viable military options flanking french waiting artillery laying siege fort instead relying flawed report young military engineer ignoring engineer recommendations decided favor direct frontal assault thoroughly entrenched french benefit artillery concerned weak military position fort conducted defense spirit lack time committed strategic errors preparing area defenses competent attacker exploited tactical errors attacker job easier fort abandoned garrison captured british following year known location battle gave fort reputation effect future military operations area despite large scale military movements area french indian war american revolutionary war major battle fought near fort location geography situated point land natural point conflict french forces moving south canada lake british forces moving hudson albany fort sited east mount independence rising far immediately south fort lay mouth drains river largely non trail northern end location french built assist fort construction trail crossed twice miles miles fort north fort road going fort west low rise land lay rise commanded trail far fort pose danger geographic defect fort location known time battle lay south fort foot hill steep densely forested provided excellent firing position cannon aimed fort chief engineer said fort site entrusted siege require mortars cannon background prior french indian war gone poorly british military met objectives following string french victories north_america coupled military setbacks europe gained control direction british military efforts seven years war embarking strategy emphasized defense europe france strong offense north_america france weak resolved attack new france colonial holdings france north_america strategic campaigns large scale campaigns planned capture fort pennsylvania frontier fortress known campaign assigned general launch attack canada probably preferred skilled dynamic leader lead expedition political considerations led appoint relatively instead howe appointed brigadier general placed second command french started construction fort launching point successful siege despite successes north_america situation look good early march commanding general responsible french forces north_america governor aware british planning send large numbers troops relatively little support king france lack support france large french military risk movement significant military forces atlantic_ocean dominated britain royal_navy situation exacerbated canada poor harvest resulted food shortages winter progressed differed deal british threat fewer regular troops estimated thousand militia men limited number indian allies bring british forces reported number limited combat experience wanted divide french forces send picked force men british northwestern believed plan enable british easily divert forces fend french attack prevailed june left quebec british preparations british amassed army command general near remains lay southern end destroyed following capture french previous year army numbered fully men making largest single force deployed north_america time complement regular troops included lord 42nd 27th 44th 46th 55th regiments 1st 4th battalions 60th provinces providing militia support included connecticut massachusetts new_york new_jersey rhode_island july troops embarked boats north end july french defensive preparations colonel command prior arrival knew june major british offensive begin sent messenger bearing letter conventional exchange opposing commanders june expecting return fact british held indication messenger probably learned british camp increased scouting activities learned captured british scouts approximate size british force arrived fort june found significantly staffed garrison men food sufficient days scouts reported british troops near remains fort william henry given large force facing defects fort site opted strategy defending likely approaches fort immediately detached battalions occupy river crossing trail miles northern end miles fort took battalions occupied fortified advance camp remaining troops work preparing additional defenses outside fort sent word montreal situation requesting possible men sent reinforcement troops intended duty western frontier forts left montreal instead ordered troops departed montreal july word reached july british fleet coming sent captain men observe fleet possible prevent landing learning size british fleet reportedly large cover face lake george ordered retreat satisfied defensive situation resisted withdrawing repeated orders times aware scope movement ordered troops bridges trail destroyed isolated men main body situation worse indian guides alarmed size british fleet abandoned beginning evening july french began lay rise northwest fort miles away commanded land routes fort july constructed lengthy series trees branches pointed outward end day constructed wooden trenches hastily erected defenses proof small arms fire ineffective british cannons british army began unopposed landing north end morning july landed advance force check area forces found recently deserted supplies equipment left french hasty departure bulk army landed formed columns attempted march west stream connected trail bridges destroyed wood thick columns maintained near area enters captain troop attempting return french lines encountered connecticut regiment sparking skirmish woods general howe column near action led direction approached battle scene general howe hit instantly killed musket ball column massachusetts drawn battle cut french patrol rear desperate fighting men killed captured men including escaped swimming died day wounds suffered battle sources disagree number casualties suffered claims british casualties light dead wounded claims killed wounded including loss british frustrated difficult woods howe death exhausted overnight boat ride camped woods returned landing point early morning road july sent lieutenant colonel sizable force path reaching crossing camped rebuilt bridge proceeded crossing army followed set camp scouts prisoners reported men expecting arrive moment reinforcements ordered engineer lieutenant aides captain uncertain related french defenses ascending known reported french position appeared incomplete easily forced cannon unaware french disguised works shrubs trees fact largely complete clerk report included recommendations summit base decided attack morning hopefully supposed arrived arrived fort evening july troop regulars held war council evening options presented staff limited asking day attack ranks council opted plan attack omitted clerk recommendation summit addition frontal assault pound guns floated mounted base troops support effort early morning july clerk went base observe french defenses report indicated felt french lines taken assault battle lines form battle began morning july rogers rangers light infantry colonel regiment light armed foot pushing remaining french scouts followed new_york massachusetts columns regulars way provincial formations begin attack 27th 60th right column command 27th col 44th 55th col center 42nd 46th 42nd col formed left column column preceded regimental light infantry companies held reserve provincial regiments connecticut new_jersey organized french forces brigades reserve commanded battalions center commanded battalions right led battalions left battalion given roughly yards defend cannon protected flanks right completed low ground left flank guarded militia marines constructed help protect position reserve forces fort grounds fort portions battalion held reserve assist areas needed battle expected battle begin elements new_york regiments left began engaging french defenders sounds battle led believe french line penetrated ordered men forward regulars place given order advance result orderly coordinated advance french position entry regulars battle companies regulars came forward arranged lines instructed began advance right column shorter distance travel attacked followed center left 42nd initially held reserve insisting allowed participate joined action french position able lay fire british forces advanced word shares rapidly killing field clear wave attack failed active battlefield having removed coat moving men giving encouragement making sure needs met reported early historians like away action reported aide near rear lines battle approached french lines point early battle uncertain wave attack failed persisted ordering attacks writing defense later claimed relying clerk assessment works easily taken clearly refuted failure charge british barges carrying artillery floated contrary plan came channel island shore brought range french left fort guns fire cannons fort southwest sank barges remaining vessels retreat ordered reserves connecticut new_jersey battle clear attack failed tried recall troops significant number notably 42nd 46th regiments british left persisted attack 42nd desperate advance actually succeeded reaching base french wall actually managed scale british observer noted forces fell exceeding fast wrote cut like grass slaughter went nightfall great men retreating erected battlefield finally realizing scope disaster ordered troops muster march landing retreat dark woods somewhat panicked disorganized rumors french attacks troops dawn morning army rowing reaching base southern end sunset nature retreat immediately apparent participants lieutenant colonel wrote retreated aftermath wary british counterattack concerned fatigue troops long day battle barrels beer wine brought forward lines troops spent night alternating sleeping working defenses anticipation renewed attack news battle received england shortly news fall putting celebrations marking victory scope british victories reach english shores later year learned successes key steps completing conquest new france fallen conquest completed happened montreal point resistance surrender campaigns launched quebec captured renamed forces command victor led military campaign active lake george little provide support successful attack fort authorized war council july left men july refused engage offensive acts alleging shortage manpower british secretary state designed british military strategy received word defeat august wrote september king judged proper return england continued promoted eventually reaching rank general fact indians allied british witnessed hand complicated future relations news defeat circulated widely communities significant effect ability british agents recruit indians future operations casualties battle war casualties suffered french casualties normally considered comparatively light killed wounded main battle combined effective elimination force july casualties percent french force percentage similar losses british having lost percent general reported killed wounded missing report claimed french recovered british bodies implying actual death toll estimates number british killed died wounds main battle wounded skirmish july cost british killed wounded loss known paid loss lives severely wounded men including officers killed similar number wounded representing significant fraction total casualties suffered british king later july designated 42nd royal regiment gallantry earlier battles issued letters service adding second battalion testimony majesty satisfaction extraordinary courage loyalty conduct highland regiment king learn regiment loss half strength battle august legend long circulated concerning death major ghost campbell dead brother said appeared dream promise meet place unknown time campbell died wounds sustained battle analysis actions commanders extensively analyzed action performed battle tactical options escaped notice actions preparing defenses open question contrast questioned widely held historians incompetent commander commanders product environment european warfare generally took place open fields relatively easy mobility uncomfortable woodland warfare liked irregular warfare practiced indians british counterparts like saw necessary evil given operating environment french depended indian support increase comparatively small numbers war indian forces low battle generally disliked practices particular benefited practicing irregular form warfare apparently inspected landing area north end location contest british landing furthermore french confined woodlands blunt numerical advantage british contested entire road fact fortifications built road abandoned french indication failure strategic thinking estimates crossing road gained additional day defensive preparations writing noted american british writers contemporary historical words like old woman describe battle criticisms begin reliance relatively poor intelligence reports reached french strength expected reports french captives investigated sending scouts light infantry reports accurate army significantly outnumbered sources reported shortage provisions fort sign siege ended quickly error apparent reliance analysis lack experienced engineers caused state french defences repeatedly clear stated desire want act clerk recommendation sought blame clerk claiming merely acting engineer advice clerk battle casualties unavailable defend assignment blame captain 44th foot wrote prospect cannon hill particular offer ally immediately commanded lines small cannon planted drove french short time breast work thought imagine occur absolutely far sunk wear bells tactical decision bring cannons forward probably significant errors use cannon french works cleared paths breached option avoid pitched battle instead beginning siege operations french position force large fully invested french position arriving reinforcements tactics notable errors judgment battle failure recognize wave attacks chosen method attack unlikely work instead ordering additional waves troops slaughter retreated safe distance considered alternative actions second failure apparently considered ordering flanking maneuver french right minimum stretched french defenses allowing attackers find weak points fact french twice battle sent companies militia works right british attackers battle disorganized nature british retreat demonstrated loss effective command experienced commander easily landing taken stock situation begun siege operations french surprise army ordered retreat way south end unable find rational reasons claims general panicked legacy fort endangered british assault fort effectively handed british retreating french army future defenders fort superior officers familiar site shortcomings fell spell idea general advanced beginning campaign general george_washington seen fort thought highly defensive value preparing defenses arrival wrote washington fort carried loss blood surrendered americans fight july modern flag quebec based banner carried victorious french forces banner known flag dates 17th century confirmed textile expert flag doubt exceptional piece document 17th century coat arm madonna erased probably charles governor new france silver governor right personal crest banner arms france eagles support crest flag probably fabricated date arrival date flown order motto historian opinion stories flag presence battlefield appear 19th century evidence large religious banner meters feet flag design based actually standard battle
Battle of Carillon