Experience one of Fort Ticonderoga’s signature events, “Montcalm’s Cross,” a two-day battle reenactment, Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21. Featuring hundreds of reenactors, cannons, drums, muskets and more, this is the largest battle reenactment of the year at Fort Ticonderoga. The battle will highlight the epic Battle of Carillon fought between the British and French in July 1758, considered the bloodiest battle in North America until the American Civil War.
Admission to this must-see event is included with the purchase of a general admission ticket. All general admission tickets include a second day of admission free. For more information on this event and to view the entire event schedule, please visit www.fortticonderoga.org or call 518-585-2821.
A Stunning Logistical Achievement and Defeat:
All weekend, Ticonderoga will bring to life the stunning logistic feat by the British to amass more than 16,000 troops and try to capture Fort Carillon (later renamed Ticonderoga). Meet British and Provincial soldiers in their camps to explore the weapons, manpower, and preparations to lay siege to Carillon. Visit the French-held fort and meet French soldiers to discover how they engineered timber, treetops, and terrain into a stunning victory against an overwhelming enemy.
A Defining Story Brought to Life:
“The opportunity to witness the battle as French soldiers inflict a stunning defeat on the significantly larger British Army is an immersive educational experience you won’t find anywhere else,” said Beth L Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Each day of this battle reenactment brings to life a different story.”
Opening shots of battle on Saturday will recreate the July 6 tumultuous skirmish which left the British General dead, was the impetus that sealed the British fate at Carillon. On Sunday, blasts from French cannons aimed at British barges on the La Chute River will narrate the battle as French soldiers hold the lines against a significantly larger British Army including the famous 42nd Highland Regiment or Black Watch. Visitors will experience the dramatic moments of the main assault and witness how the Battle of Carillon sealed the reputation of Ticonderoga for generations to come.
Sweetness of Historic Proportions:
Explore how British sutlers followed the army, selling all sorts of comforts to soldiers, including the ingredients for delicious chocolate beverages. Be sure to stop by the Mars Education Center throughout the weekend and join the Mars American Heritage Chocolate team to see demonstrations and try samples of this historic beverage as you learn the incredible story of chocolate in the Colonial world!
Rare Museum Objects Featured in a Special Exhibition:
Rare Native American artifacts from the Robert Nittolo collection, considered the most significant private collection of its kind, will go on exhibit July 20th as part of the weekend special event.
Objects will include a rare Native American style bag with ornamentation known as quillwork and a war club that represents the distinctive martial material culture of Native Americans by the late 18th century.
“These items on loan from the Robert Nittolo Collection reveal the unique artistic vocabulary of Native peoples and stand as a reminder to our visitors the significant place Native Americans held in the conflicts that shaped North American history,” said Matthew Keagle, Fort Ticonderoga Museum Curator.
So Much to See and Do All Weekend:
From scenic narrated boat tours on Lake Champlain, daily tours and battle briefings, to music and marches with Ticonderoga’s Fifes and Drums, to museum exhibits, gardens, and the Mount Defiance experience, visitors of all ages will have a fully immersive weekend experience. Each day offers a uniquely different experience for guests and are filled with historical fun and re-enactments. View the weekend schedule here.
Fort Ticonderoga offers more than 100 exciting and unique events and programs this season. Visit www.fortticonderoga.org for a full list of ongoing programs.
About Fort Ticonderoga:
Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga preserves North America’s largest 18th-century artillery collection, 2,000 acres of historic landscape on Lake Champlain, and Carillon Battlefield, and the largest series of untouched Revolutionary War era earthworks surviving in America. As a multi-day destination and the premier place to learn more about our nation’s earliest years and America’s military heritage, Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 75,000 visitors each year with an economic impact of more than $12 million annually and offers programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year, and is open for daily visitation May through October. Fort Ticonderoga is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
Photo: Experience one of Fort Ticonderoga’s signature events “Montcalm’s Cross” a two-day battle reenactment, Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21.