Lechmere Point - Fort Ticonderoga

54 Sciarappa St, East Cambridge, MA 02141

All the surrounding land was once Lechmere’s Farm. Mind you the coast line was also much closer (see map link). On Nov 9 1770 the British raided the farm for supplies and in particular meat while under continental cannon. They grabbed 12-14 head of cattle and engaged in crossfire between the two sides. British soldiers left with no one wounded or dead while patriots lost 9 men but still considered it a victory because they drove the British back.

This spot also held colonial fortifications as it surrounded Boston and guarded the mouth of Willis Creek. It was one of the areas where Washington first set up the cannons that Henry Knox retrieved from Fort Ticonderoga. Both the victory in NY and the trek of equipment were impressive undertakings.

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Washington arrived in Cambridge on July 2nd and immediately took about to size up his new army, which was bands of militia that was entirely ignorant of military tactics, formations, and discipline. This was an oversized mob. He set about establishing order, gathering provisions, and training the men. He had to manage scarce foodstuffs and scarce gunpower, a lack of artillery, and smallpox was hitting the men at an ever-increasing rate.

To begin the story of where Washington got the artillery he used on Lechmere Point, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, together with Benedict Arnold, captured Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775. Fort Ticonderoga was the first offensive victory for American forces in the Revolutionary War. This Fort had been weakened during the French and Indian war as it had undergone heavy bombardment in the bloodiest battle in North America (1759) until the Civil War. The Green Mountain Boys stormed the fort in a swift, late-night sneak attack and both surprised and overwhelmed the small British garrison stationed there.

While the location was important during the French and Indian war, Americans weren’t as concerned with the location as much as the vast trove of artillery which was instrumental in the Siege of Boston. Washington needed that artillery and sent Henry Knox to retrieve as much has he could. Once he arrived at the fort, he selected 58 pieces of artillery to take back to Boston. Most of artillery pieces were “12-pounder” or “18-pounder” cannons (depending on the weight of the cannonball they fired). Knox also brought one massive 24-pounder cannon, nicknamed “Old Sow,” that weighed more than 5,000 pounds and several high-arching mortar guns that weighed one ton each. In total, Henry Knox’s “Noble Train of artillery” weighed 120,000 pounds, or 60 tons. This was accomplished in miserable blizzard conditions crossing Lake George and over the Hudson River using improvised sleds over 330 miles and took 40 days. This was sixty tons of artillery moved in a technically complex and demanding operation called the “Noble Train” and completed in just 40 days despite nearly freezing the men to death in the process.

Once the guns were finally in Washington’s grasp, they were placed here at a spot called Lechmere’s Point, Cobble Hill in Cambridge (Now Somerville), and on Lamb’s Den in Roxbury; and were bombarding Boston from here. However, at this distance they weren’t as effective as needed. Instead, the cannons made a better distraction as Henry Knox and Nathaniel Greene recommended to Washington. So, they snuck cannons overnight onto Dorchester Heights. See “Dorchester Heights” for info on the Siege of Boston.

-Source Links-

https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2007/12/view-from-lechmere-point.html

https://boston1775.blogspot.com/2007/10/british-raid-on-lechmeres-point.html

https://historycambridge.org/history-hubs/fort-washington-history-hub/

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/siege-of-boston-map.htm Map

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/guns-ticonderoga Ethan Allen’s Noble Train

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/fort-ticonderoga-1775 Fort Ticonderoga NY 1775 Military Fortification

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/i-have-never-spared-spade-and-pick-ax-fortifications-american-revolution