Phase 1 July 6, 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. Americans evacuate Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, and march to Hubbardton with British in pursuit Under the cover of darkness, General Arthur St. Clair evacuated his troops from Fort Ticonderoga. As with any nighttime withdrawal, when thousands of men are involved, there is confusion and some disgruntlement. Such a retreat was never heard of since the creation of the world, wrote one soldier named Cogan, a member of Colonel Cilleys Ist New Hampshire Regiment, to General Stark a few days later. Such order surprised both officers and soldiers . . . they left all the continental cloathing there; in short every article that belonged to the army.... (6) Not realizing the odds against them or the relative strength of the forces on each side, some of St. Clairs men were belligerent, complaining because they had not stood and fought. Nevertheless, the last of American troops moved out of the south gate of Mount Independence at about 4 a.m. on July 6. The supply train, the baggage, and the genuinely sick, supported by one regiment under the exceptionally competent Colonel Pierce Long, moved south up the Lake to Skenesborough (now Whitehall, New York). After crossing the floating bridge the remainder of the garrison assembled at Mount Independence. After the last of St. Clairs troops moved out of the south gate, they marched on the military road, a crude cart track not suitable for hauling artillery, southeast across the hills and through the forests, toward Hubbardton, Castleton, and Skenesborough. St. Clair planned to reunite his forces, baggage, supplies, and sick at Skenesborough. Later he would join General Philip Schuylers forces south of Fort Edward, where it was expected that another stand against the enemy would be made. The stout boom across Lake Champlain would, St. Clair undoubtedly believed, delay the British naval flotilla from pursuing him at once by water. A cannon, manned by a small detachment on the Mount Independence side, was to sweep the bridge and delay any enemy crossing in pursuit of his troops. The Hubbardton military road, which had been cut through the woods only the year before, skirted small settlements and occasional clearings. From Orwell, the location of Mount Independence, it extended generally southeastward, avoiding the swampy northern end of Lake Bomoseen, then through the hills to Hubbardton (now East Hubbardton) to join the older Castleton road leading south. St. Clairs attempts to maintain an orderly movement of the main body of troops were at first futile. He placed his inexperienced militia units between the more disciplined and experienced Continental brigades, but the militia still proved difficult to control. The commander and his aides moved along the column trying to restrain the men as they frequently broke formation. Not until the column reached Laceys camp, just north of Lake Bomoseen, was St. Clair finally able to restore order. Colonel Ebenezer Francis, a competent, energetic, and brave leader, followed St. Clairs troops as a rear guard. Franciss troops consisted of selected elements of his 11th Massachusetts Regiment, plus picked units from several other regiments, (7) totaling some 450 men. He was ordered to gather before him every living thing, meaning every American soldier and beast. He was to command the rear guard only as far as Hubbardton. At that point, General St. Clair would name Colonel Seth Warner to take command of Franciss rear guard plus Warners and Hales Continental regiments. (8) St. Clair, evidently, foresaw the possibility of being overtaken, with a battle ensuing. Warner, who knew the country well and who had demonstrated his ability in rear guard actions all the way from Quebec to Ticonderoga the previous year, was the right man to command the rear guard plus at this point. From all reports, the rear guard under Francis had moved out of Mount Independence in excellent order, with the best units and officers available, under an outstanding commander. (9) There was confusion in the Northern Army ahead, however. Captain Moses Greenleaf reports in his diary that forty eight rounds of ammunition per man were drawn on July 5 along with four days of provisions. (10) This is contrary to other reports of limited rations; Cogan claims that they hurled thro the woods at the rate of thirty five miles a day and adds that the troops were oblidged to kill oxen belonging to the inhabitants wherever we got them; before they were half skinned every soldier was oblidged to take a bit and roast it over the fire, then before half done oblidged to march .... (11)There is no doubt that most of the men were short of rations, even though Greenleafs men appear to have drawn theirs. At Laceys camp, about two and one half miles west of Hubbardton, St. Clair received disturbing information. A party of Indians and Tories had already reached Hubbardton, suggesting that the pursuing British had eyes and ears in advance of themselves, and in advance of the Americans as well.(12)
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 12:25:17 +0000
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