Explore Life at Fort Carillon on the Eve of the Epic 1758 Battle!

July 6, 2012 - PRLog -- (Ticonderoga, NY)  Discover the seemingly miraculous victory of General Montcalm and his French troops on July 8th, 1758 at Fort Ticonderoga’s Battle of Carillon living history weekend! Throughout the weekend visitors will be immersed in life behind the scenes with the French troops on the eve of one of the largest battles in North America prior to the American Civil War.

Highlighted programs will be offered throughout the weekend including special tours, musket demonstrations, battlefield programs, French fife and drum performances and more! The Battle of Carillon living history weekend will be presented July 7th-8th; from 9:30 am until 5 pm. Admission to the event is included in a Fort Ticonderoga’s general admission ticket.  To learn more about the event visit www.fortticonderoga.org or call 518-585-2821.

Throughout the weekend visitors will witness how French soldiers lived inside Fort Carillon, and learn about what it was like with 3000 soldiers encamped across the garrison grounds. Watch axes fly as French soldiers demonstrate the construction of the famous French Lines, the mile-long breastwork that successfully defended the heights of Carillon. Learn about the martial engineering of the abatis placed in front of the French lines, similar to barbed wire in modern warfare. Hear the roar of musketry as French soldiers demonstrate how a murderous fire was maintained all day long from the parapets of the French Lines on the fateful day in July 1758.

In July 1758 the British army attacked the French at Ticonderoga, named Fort Carillon by the French, attempting to capture the Fort and take control of the portage between Lake George and Lake Champlain.  On the 7th of July the French at Ticonderoga constructed a half mile-long log wall protected in front by a dense tangle of treetops and sharpened branches to serve as a barrier against the British attackers.  This fortification was known as the French Lines.  On July 8th, the British attacked.  At the end of the day-long battle, the British had suffered casualties of nearly 2,000 men killed and wounded.  Broken and dismayed, the British retreated back to their camp at the southern end of Lake George.  The French won the battle and achieved what would prove to be France’s greatest victory of the French & Indian War.  

The Fort Ticonderoga Association, a private not-for-profit historic site and museum, preserves and interprets the entire Fort Ticonderoga garrison grounds, including Carillon Battlefield.  Preserved on the Carillon Battlefield is the largest series of untouched 18th-century earthworks surviving in North America.

FORT TICONDEROGA
America’s Fort
Located on Lake Champlain in the beautiful 6 million acre Adirondack Park, Fort Ticonderoga is a private not-for-profit historic site and museum that ensures that present and future generations learn from the struggles, sacrifices, and victories that shaped the nations of North America and changed world history. Serving the public since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors annually and is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of Fort Ticonderoga’s history.  Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Fort Ticonderoga offers programs, historic interpretation, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year and is open for daily visitation May 18 through October 18. The 2012 season features the Fort’s newest exhibit Bullets & Blades: The Weapons of America’s Colonial Wars and Revolution which highlights over 150 of the museum’s most important weapons and is a comprehensive and expanded reinterpretation of its world renowned historic arms collection!  Visit www.Fort-Ticonderoga.org for a full list of ongoing programs or call 518-585-2821. Funding for the 2012 season is provided in part by Amtrak.  Visit http://www.fortticonderoga.org/visit/directions for a special 2 for 1 Amtrak offer! Fort Ticonderoga is located at 100 Fort Ti Road, Ticonderoga, New York.