250 Years Ago Today: The Lesson of Fort Ticonderoga

250 years ago today there occurred another in a series of miracles that led to America’s independence from Great Britain. In one of the first offensive actions of the war, jointly led by local Vermonter Ethan Allen and newly appointed Colonel Benedict Arnold (the latter acting officially on behalf of the Continental Congress), a force of about 400 men took Fort Ticonderoga at the base of Lake Champlain from the British. At the time the fort, which had served an important role in the war against the French, was considered strategically unimportant and was lightly defended. But it was also armed with heavily artillery. The American patriots had no standing army, let alone cannons at this early stage. Now they did. The “other shoe” of this remarkable coup dropped when future general and Secretary of War Henry Knox, a bookseller by trade, oversaw the transport of all of those big guns down to Boston, where they defended the city during the Battle of Bunker Hill a few weeks later. The early days of the Revolution were charmed.

The lesson of this small but significant battle is naturally that when it seems that the adversary who is oppressing you has all the advantages, the smarter and more desperate side can carry the day with nothing more than good ideas, well-executed. It’s been proved a thousand times, and more often than not, non-violently.

Fort Ticonderoga was acquired by the Pell Family in 1820, restored, and opened as a tourist attraction in 1909. They are celebrating this weekend in a big way, of course, culminating with a major re-enactment of the taking of the Fort, which is being live-streamed tonight at 9PM EST! Get all the details here.