A drunk French general nearly destroyed America’s revolution

The Drunken General Who Nearly Lost America

Mount Independence in Vermont holds the site where one drunk French general nearly destroyed the American Revolution with a single match.

On July 5, 1777, American forces needed to escape British General Burgoyne’s advancing army in complete silence. Major General Arthur St.

Clair ordered a secret nighttime retreat with no fires or lights. But Brigadier General Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy had other plans.

The West Indian-born soldier woke from his drunken stupor at 2 AM and set his quarters ablaze, thinking it would deny the buildings to the British.

The massive fire lit up the night sky like fireworks, exposing American soldiers as they crept away and alerting the British to the withdrawal.

This single act of stupidity forced Americans into a running battle that nearly ended the Revolution before Saratoga could save it.

British Cannons Showed Up on Mount Defiance Overnight

On July 4, 1777, American soldiers at Fort Ticonderoga got a nasty shock.

British cannons now aimed down at them from Mount Defiance, a steep hill the Americans left unguarded. General John Burgoyne’s British troops somehow hauled heavy guns up the 750-foot hill overnight.

The cannons could now fire down on both Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence across the narrow lake. American General Arthur St. Clair knew his 2,500 troops were now easy targets for Burgoyne’s 7,800 soldiers.

War Council Voted to Leave the Fort Right Away

St. Clair called an emergency meeting with his officers that same day.

Things looked bad. British forces surrounded them on three sides, and those new cannons on Mount Defiance made their position hopeless.

After heated talk, the council voted to clear out of both Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence under cover of darkness. They knew leaving this key fort would upset Congress and the public.

St. Clair ordered troops to pack needed supplies and get ready for a night march south toward Hubbardton, Vermont.

Everyone Had to Keep Quiet During the Midnight Escape

St. Clair gave strict orders for the escape: total silence.

No talking above whispers. No fires or candles.

No extra noise of any kind. The whole army would sneak away at midnight, crossing the floating bridge between Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence.

The sick and wounded would travel by boat down Lake Champlain with military supplies and food. The main army would walk quietly south through Vermont.

St. Clair stressed that secrecy was their only chance to get away.

Fermoy Got Drunk While Others Got Ready

While American troops packed supplies and prepared to leave, French Brigadier General Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy drank heavily in his quarters on Mount Independence. The West Indian-born hired soldier often let people down.

He had left troops behind in earlier battles. As commander of forces on Mount Independence, Fermoy should have helped with the exit plan.

Instead, by 10 PM, he passed out drunk. His officers worked without him, following St. Clair’s orders and getting ready for the midnight escape.

Americans Snuck Away in the Dark at Midnight

At midnight on July 5-6, the escape began. Soldiers moved in hushed lines across the floating bridge linking Fort Ticonderoga to Mount Independence.

They carried their guns and only what they needed, leaving heavier items behind. The night sky helped them, dark with no moon.

The British guards across the lake noticed nothing.

Hundreds of men filed quietly through the south gate of Mount Independence onto the road to Hubbardton. For two hours, the escape worked perfectly.

The Drunk General Set His House on Fire at 2 AM

Around 2 AM, Fermoy suddenly woke from his drunken sleep. Still drunk and confused, he decided not to let the British use his comfy quarters.

Without asking anyone, Fermoy grabbed a torch and set fire to his house on Mount Independence. The wooden building caught quickly, flames jumping to nearby structures.

This rash act broke St. Clair’s clear orders for no fires or lights.

Fermoy then stumbled away to join the retreating column, unaware of the trouble he just caused.

Flames Lit Up the Sky and Showed the Retreat

The fire spread fast across the wooden buildings. Within minutes, a huge fireball lit up the whole area.

The night sky glowed orange, visible for miles. Worse yet, the bright light showed the outline of American soldiers still crossing the floating bridge and those walking down the road.

British guards spotted the movement right away. General Simon Fraser, camped nearby with his advance guard, saw both the fire and the retreating Americans.

Fraser woke his troops and ordered them to chase after the Americans.

British Troops Ran Across the Bridge After Them

Fraser didn’t wait for daylight or backup. He gathered his light infantry and grenadiers and rushed toward the floating bridge.

They reached Mount Independence just as the last American units were leaving through the south gate.

The British moved quickly across the same bridge the Americans had used, following the clear trail of the retreating army. General Burgoyne told the rest of his forces to get ready to follow at dawn.

The British navy also started chasing the American boats escaping down Lake Champlain.

The Forest Road Turned Into a Desperate Race

American troops now moved at double-speed through the thick Vermont forest. The road south to Hubbardton became a mess of tired soldiers trying to outrun their chasers.

St. Clair pushed the main army forward, knowing Fraser’s best troops were gaining on them.

Colonel Seth Warner of Vermont, leading the rear guard, set up defenses along the way to slow the British. The Americans left wagons and supplies behind to move faster.

Fermoy, still drunk, rode ahead with St. Clair’s main force.

Vermont’s Green Mountain Boys Fought a Bloody Rear-Guard Action

On July 7, Fraser’s British forces caught up with the American rear guard at Hubbardton. Colonel Seth Warner’s Green Mountain Boys, along with regiments from Massachusetts and New Hampshire, turned to fight.

The Battle of Hubbardton erupted at 5 AM, with about 1,000 Americans facing 850 British troops. The fighting grew fierce, with heavy casualties on both sides.

Warner’s men fought valiantly, buying precious time for St. Clair’s main army to escape.

The battle lasted three hours before the Americans finally withdrew into the mountains.

One Drunken Mistake Nearly Destroyed the Revolution

Fermoy’s drunken blunder cost the Americans dearly. They lost Fort Ticonderoga, a strategic stronghold.

They abandoned valuable cannons, supplies, and ammunition. The Battle of Hubbardton resulted in 41 Americans killed, 96 wounded, and 234 captured.

Fermoy faced no immediate consequences for his actions. He continued serving until Congress finally dismissed him in January 1778.

The Americans regrouped and later defeated Burgoyne at Saratoga, a turning point in the war.

But Fermoy’s reckless act nearly handed the British a decisive victory that could have crushed the revolution in its early stages.

Visiting Mount Independence, Vermont

Mount Independence at 497 Mount Independence Road in Orwell offers six miles of marked trails through Revolutionary War archaeological remains where you can explore the site of the famous French general’s retreat blunder.

Adult admission costs $6, while kids under 15 get in free. Veterans and active military with families also enter free.

The site opens daily 10am to 5pm from May 23 through October 19, 2025. Buy trail tickets at the Visitor Center museum shop.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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