The Forts

Fort Edward and Rogers' Island lay approximately 12-14 miles South of the famed Fort William Henry. Rogers took to the Island encampment for privacy, training, and security. Venturing to Fort Edward for final stores and orders, Rogers and his famous Rangers were at home in the photo on the left. As recently as 1992, archeologists have discovered proof of the overgrown terrain being the location of Rogers' headquarters. They have unearthed items such as camp tools, bits of weapons, lead, and the final resting place of some of the Rangers. Fort Edward was strategically the last bastion protecting the southern trail and Hudson River leading to Albany, NY.

Fort William Henry, as featured in the epic novel, by James Fenimore Cooper,    The Last Of The Mohicans

On the southern-most shore of Lake George stands the famed Fort William Henry. It was built in the mid 1700s by the British to protect the trail south to present-day New York City. The photo on the right depicts a reenactors firing a period cannon. In the photo, you are looking due North. In the distance would be the locations of Fort Ticonderoga, and the fort at Crown Point. The architectural sketch of the fort on the left, due south would be the Locations of Fort Edward and Rogers' Island.

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Fort Ticonderoga was originally built in 1755 by the French and named Carillon

The English pushed north as far as the south end of Lake George, and built Fort William Henry. The French, as far south as Crown Point and built Fort St. Frederic. All between was a wild country, claimed by both France and Great Britain. "A chime of bells," named from the sound of the falls where the water from Lake George runs into Lake Champlain. The French employed the garrison from Crown Point and at one time, as many as two thousand men were at work and made extraordinary progress, considering that they were erecting a Fort in the wilderness. The famous guns mounted on the fort were mostly from Crown Point and Montreal, but some were brought from Fort William Henry in 1757 when Montcalm captured that fort from Lt. Col. Munro. It was after Munro's surrender that the famous massacre of Fort William Henry occured. The British garrison was marching unarmed to Fort Edward, when it was attacked by Montcalm's Indians. The French officers did their best to protect the garrison, but most were slain. Robert Rogers reconnoitered Ticonderoga several times during its construction, and reported on the progress of the work. Later, during the American Revolution, the cannons at Ticonderoga were towed by both men and oxen to Boston, under the leadership of General Henry Knox. This enormous task was successfully carried out in the dead of winter, through heavy snow. You can find out in much greater detail, this and other stories concerning the Forts, by visiting the Forts, and the Museums at Forts William Henry and Ticonderoga; A trip well worth taking.

Crown Point

Fort St. Frederic

During the 17th century, both Britain and France were to lay claim to what is today known as Crown Point and the Champlain Valley. The French claimed the area by virtue of the explorations of Verrazano and Champlain, while the british claim was based on the voyages of the Cabots. This rivalry for territory and colonial expansion was to flare into full-scale warfare in North America, as well as Europe, from 1689 to 1763.

Here, on the western side of Lake George; approximately midway between Fort William Henry to the south, and Ticonderoga to the north; lies Rogers' Rock. It was here that a portion of the Rangers' Legacy was formed. First it became a Rally Point. In the winter they would skate to the western side of the lake, hiding all supplies unnecessary to make a northern reconnaissance. When the lake was clear of ice, they would travel in canoe and whaleboat, north along the lake until finding a secure place to cache their boats and extra stores, always leaving scouts, and anyone unable to travel farther, out. The Indians allied with the French claimed Rogers and some of his Rangers actually leapt from the highest point on the rock, landing in the lake and somehow escaping. A tactical note for history, Rogers and his Rangers would often wear their snowshoes backwards, to fool their followers as to their direction.

Rogers' Rock

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