Ticonderoga 1758

A detailed, illustrated account of France's unexpectedly won battle at Ticonderoga.

On 5 July 1758 General Abercromby's expedition against Fort Carillon set off from its camp. Within hours, tragedy struck. Some rangers ran into a French scouting party and in the fierce skirmish that followed Lord Howe, the darling of the army, was shot through the heart. The army was shattered at the loss, but Abercromby went to pieces.

He decided to attack Montcalm's completed breastworks head-on. Battalion after battalion was sacrificed, the most famous of these hopeless assaults being that of the Black Watch. With the failure of his plan and the exhaustion of his army Abercromby retreated to the foot of Lake George – Montcalm had saved Canada, with Abercromby's help.

René Chartrand describes the skirmish as it unfolded, including profiles of the commanders and key aspects of their plans.