On Saturday morning last I embarked with the army at Lake George,
the next day landed without opposition and proceeded to the saw
mills, and took post on the commanding grounds, meeting only a
trifling opposition from the enemy. We lay on our arms all night
and early on the 23rd we continued our march to the ground which
I took possession of in the forenoon, the enemy having abandoned
the lines without destroying them, first having carried off
their effects as well as sent away the greatest part of their
troops. As soon as I was set down before the place and after
having reconnoitered it, I ordered the trenches to be opened
and batteries to be made, which were finished last night, and
were to have opened at break of day, but the enemy did not think
proper to wait till then, having about ten of the clock yesterday
evening blown up a part of the Fort, and made their escape all
to about 20 deserters. Our loss considering the fire we sustained
is inconsiderable. We have only two officers killed, vis. Colonel
Townshend, Deputy Adjutant General and Ensign Harrison of late
Forbe’s.
Bourlamaque had on receipt of orders from Vaudreuil retired down
Lake Champlain leaving four hundred men under Hebecourt to defend
the fort as long as possible and then to abandon Ticonderoga and
later when pressed Crown Point and to retreat to Isle-oux-Noix at
the outlet of Lake Champlain, where defense was to be made to the
last extremity. When the English battery was ready to open fire
Hebecourt saw that further resistance was useless and lighting a
slow match to the magazine the French escaped down the lake in
their boats and a few hours later an explosion which hurled one
bastion of old Fort Carrillon skyward shook the promontory. Thus
did French Carillon become English Ticonderoga and “Ticonderoga
1758-9” should be among the battle honors to be borne on the colors
of the Black Watch. It is true that these honorary distinctions are
awarded by the King only in case of victory but Ticonderoga 1758-9
would certainly be as much a victory as “South Africa 1899-1902,”
which has been granted. South Africa was not all victory and the
Black Watch suffered at Magersfontein as it did at Ticonderoga
under Abercrombie.
The length of time elapsed since the battle would also be no
objection to the honor being now granted as it was not until 1910,
two and one half centuries later that the armies that upheld
British honor on the Coast of Morocco were authorized to bear
“Tangier 1662-1680” on their colors and appointments.
[Illustration: Copyright 1930 by William H. Hill, Fort Edward