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Historical Sites related to the Life and Career of Benedict Arnold


  1. Retreat from the Champlain Valley

Mount Defiance

Auto road to the summit is off Defiance St, Ticonderoga, NY

The road to the summit is open seasonally, under the control of Fort Ticonderoga. See their website at: http://www.fortticonderoga.org/

This mountain overlooks both Fort Ticonderoga and the American stronghold of Mount Independence. Benedict Arnold had warned the American commanders that it should be occupied to keep the British from mounting guns here and threatening the American forts. The commanders did not think it was possible to get large cannon to the top. Arnold climbed the hill (so the story goes), and told them "Where a man can go, he can drag a gun", but failed to convince them.

On July 5, 1777, the advancing British forces under Gen. Burgoyne succeeded in placing cannon atop the mountain, and the American Gen. Arthur St. Clair had to order the evacuation of the forts. The loss of Fort Ti, without it firing a shot in defense, was a great blow to the American cause, and opened the way to the Hudson for the British.
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Dedication plaque on the pavilion
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Dedication plaque on the pavilion

May June 2014

  • Historical marker at The Portage, corner Defiance St
  • Intersection where the historical marker is found
  • View of the fort from Mount Defiance: Fort Ticonderoga is seen on the left peninsula. The peninsula on the right is where the American fortification "Mount Independence" was located.
  • Telephoto view of the fort. The bay in front is where the portage route from Lake George enters Lake Champlain, hence the strategic location.
  • Close up of the fort
  • Cannon emplaced to shown the British angle on Fort Ti which forced the evacuation by the Americans
  • The new pavilion at the summit of Mount Defiance
  • Another view
  • View from the pavilion
  • Dedication plaque on the pavilion
  • View from the summit of Mount Defiance across the lake to Mount Independence, site of an American defensive position. Note "Masting Rock" (search for my gallery on this) which appears at the shoreline near the tip of the peninsula. It was there that the masts were stepped for Arnold's fleet.
  • View up the lake (south) in the direction of Whitehall
  • View down the lake (north) in the direction of Crown Point. Fort Ti is just out of the frame on the right.
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