Photo of the encampment and battle area, taken from Mount Defiance. British tents are visible, the French are hiding their tents under the trees.

Click here to read Pvt. Chauncey's report and to see more pictures.

Fort Ti Report by Pvt. Jack Chandler

Fort Ticonderoga 2002 was an event to remember. I arrived on Thursday afternoon and set up. I then sat around and talked to people I hadn't seen for a while. Friday was everyone setting up, as usual. We all got together, and I helped Paul and Diane get all kinds of things ready for the wedding.

Saturday morning we had formation and drilled. We looked great, or so we were told, and then we practiced our part for the wedding. Then, we went back and ate lunch and got in the mindset for battle. We had about 30 people going into the field. At 1:15 we had to form up for the 2:00 battle. Then, we waited, for about 45 minutes.  Finally, after being inspected twice, we went out to battle.

We marched down to the lake and sat under the shade of a tree, with about 60 other people. Some decided to sleep. After another 20 minutes of waiting we marched toward the battlefield. The battle scenario was the "Battle of the Scalped Ox", a [fictitious] 1758 battle of Ticonderoga (Fort Carillon, as it was then called). The plan was that we were scouting the front with the regulars protecting an ox cart and women and children, the French take the cart and the women and children, and then we push them back. We started out and had to pretend not to see the French Milice less than 50 feet away. The battle then started and the French took the ox cart, we pushed forward to the Milice and they retreated. It was a long battle of moving forward, filling holes, and we had three companies, Sean was first, Jay was second, and Craig was third. Paul did not field with us because he was preparing for the wedding. At the end we paraded past the spectators, then marched back to the camp, where we dispersed.

We met again around 6:30 for the wedding. We marched down and set up as we had when we practiced earlier. This was the first 18^th century style wedding I had ever seen. Everyone looked great. Chauncey was absent, but Sarah was present and she did a great job singing. After, the wedding party marched through the Royal Rousillion's arc of swords, then we followed.  This became an issue later, as the commander of the French, Jon Soule, claimed that by going under the arched swords we Rangers were submitting ourselves to him as captives.  The truth is, our muskets forced them to put theirs up, otherwise we could not have marched under their swords.  We marched back to the camp, and the reception went on into the night.

    

The next morning many people were not present for formation at 10:00.  Hmmm, wonder why.  We marched to the fort and took our group picture. The Major then informed us that the French General had written us a letter, which Private Goodrich read to us. The general felt that since we had crossed under his arc of swords we were being submissive to him. The major incorrectly took this to mean that the General wanted a date. After we all went to lunch and prepared for battle.