6-15-10

Our last full day in New York and we began at Fort Ticonderoga. I do not get to teach much about the battles of the American Revolution (U.S. History II begins after Reconstruction) but it was well worth while. I have never been to a French and Indian War and Revolutionary War site before and it was very humbling. I do teach a little about the French and Indian War and although some say the larger Seven Years War, I disagree with the comparison. Although the Seven Years War did take place over a long period of time and in many places across the earth, calling it a “world war” inherently puts it side by side with World War I and World War II. The Seven Years War is in almost no way comparable to the two great wars–not in size, scope, destruction, refugees, famine, military strategy and weaponry, etc. I tell the students that the Seven Years War took place across the world, and I believe the terminological distinction is apt.

Our guide explained that General Abercrombie (Abercromby?- I saw it spelled both ways at different locations within Fort Ticonderoga), in 1758, assembled the largest army ever in North America. Later I asked him to elucidate what he meant and he said “up to that point in history.” The French (and I believe some Native-American allies) force consisted of 3,568 soldiers under Montcalm, while Abercrombie (and, again, I believe some Native-American allies) had a force of around 15,000-16,000 soldier—and the French won. The importance of this to my classes is that, as our guide Jim Hughto

Jim Hughto

elucidated, this defeat showed many future Colonial soldiers (and French soldiers) that the hegemonic British army could be defeated. This obviously has tremendous ties with the American Revolution.

Seeing the Fench entrenchments, field fortifications remains, and abates remnants was amazing and I believe it will help me to relate conditions of the time to my students better, especially with my training in the U.S.M.C. Infantry.

One of our teachers (I think it was C. Jones) asked simply, why did the French win? This was a good question, as the French were almost hopefully outnumbered and Jim said part of the reason was the discipline of the British (Scottish) Royal Highlanders Regiment or the “Black Watch.” He said that they kept moving forward (an exhibit in Fort Ticonderoga said that they eerily used bagpipes to scare their enemies and move their soldiers forward) and that some were impaled on the wooden abatis spikes from being pushed forward from the ranks toward the rear. In 3 hours over 600 were killed or wounded.

As we moved forward and crested a hill the fort came into view. It was an amazing thing to see and I believe that site, along with the French lines’ remnants will stay with me throughout my teaching career. Also seeing Mt. Defiance was interesting. I had no idea that the British guns placed there later in the American Revolution could shoot so far. Jim said they could have reached the fort and beyond–to Mt. Independence—the line of American retreat connected to Fort Ticonderoga by a bridge at that time.

In the museum in Fort Ticonderoga I noticed many weapons, but I also noticed a ceramic whistle, a mouth harp, dice, a fiddle, and a Rosary. These items reminded me that soldiers are the same everywhere. They are usually just people following orders and trying to make the best of a bad situation.

I also saw shackles (which make sense) and an unlabeled torture device called a thumbscrew device (which I am not sure what it might have been used for).

Also there was a display of a silver bullet. This contained a secret dispatch which a British soldier was carrying from Clinton to Burgoyne. He was supposed to swallow it if found and he was found. However he is seen swallowing the bullet and he is captured and the bullet is “retrieved.” The British prisoner was condemned as a spy and hung.

We then travelled to Saratoga and it was equally educational. In the museum there was a picture of a painting depicting the death of General Montgomery at the failed assault on Quebec City. Interestingly, in Teddy Roosevelt’s Home which we visited a few days ago, the same scene was depicted in a drawing of an engraving on an upstairs wall. The image is stirring.

At the Saratoga museum, the fiber optic battlefield was an important part of this trip for me. It illustrated one way in which a battle can be overviewed with students in a way that makes it more understandable. Even with many of the computer generated or illustrated battle resources, this was hard to beat. I wish we had the time to see the whole battle at the museum and I will think about a way to use the concept in my future classes.

Our guide mentioned three defensive attributes that were crucial to the battles of Saratoga: (1) bluffs close to the Mohawk River, (2) steep ravines protecting these bluffs, and (3) the Saratoga Great Vly- a wetland/quasi-swamp for most of the year a deep mud at other times.

I also learned that the Barber Wheat Field was the turning point of the Revolution. At the last stop I walked the British lines by myself. At a distance I heard fireworks or possibly some type of reenactment. There were 20-30 of what sounded like distant gunfire volleys. Several minutes later I heard it again. It made me think about what those brave men (and women) did for my freedom and it made very emotional. Also in the distance I heard our guide asking about veterans in our group and I was glad I was not with the group, as I did nothing like the hundreds and hundreds of thousands of combat veterans that have given more than I can understand.

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