On May 10, 1775, a surprise dawn attack led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold successfully captured the lightly defended fort from a small British garrison of roughly 50 men. This event marked the first offensive victory for American forces, securing the strategic “Gibraltar of North America” and providing critical artillery used later to break the Siege of Boston. The Americans seized 78 cannons, 6 mortars, and vast supplies of ammunition, which were transported to Boston by Colonel Henry Knox.

Situated at the confluence of Lake Champlain and Lake George, Fort Ticonderoga controlled access north and south between Albany, New York and Montreal, Canada. In the early days of the American colonies the lakes and rivers of the countryside acted as the highways and byways of the North America. Lake Champlain and Lake George combined to form a superhighway of sorts between New York and Canada. The lakes offered an attacker an avenue of advance, while a defender could fortify strategic points along the waterways.

On May 10, 1775, the American force silently rowed across Lake Champlain from present-day Vermont and captured the fort in a swift, late-night surprise attack. In reality, the fort had fallen into disrepair and the undersized garrison of some 45 British officers and men were taken wholly by surprise. The capture was the first offensive victory for American forces and secured the strategic passageway north and opening the way for the American invasion of Canada later that year.