Soon after landing,
late in the day, a portion of the army became lost in the forest and
while entangled in the wilderness of trees encountered a French force of
observation which had been sent to watch their movements at Lake
George. This force, likewise lost in the woods, was cut to pieces by the
Rangers, only fifty escaping, while nearly three hundred were either
killed, wounded, or taken prisoners.
This was the sole success of the expedition, and this cost the lives of
many men, including young Lord Howe, who was a great favorite in the
army with both regulars and Colonials. He had insisted on forging ahead
with Putnam, who, as usual, was in front with his Rangers, and against
his urgent remonstrances went with him into the vortex of the fire,
where he was killed. The soldiers considered their success on the first
day as a foretaste of victory to follow on the morrow; but while
Abercrombie delayed his advance for various reasons, Montcalm and his
men did herculean work by felling a forest of trees and constructing an
impenetrable abatis in front of the fort.
It was this terrible entanglement, composed of thousands of trees with
pointed and jagged limbs turned outward, that really prevented the
British and Provincials from gaining even the outer works of
Ticonderoga, behind which lay not more than thirty-six hundred men under
Montcalm.
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