The explosive power struggle behind America’s first victory at Fort Ticonderoga

Arnold and Allen’s Bitter Partnership at Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga saw an odd team-up in May 1775. Benedict Arnold got orders from Massachusetts to grab the fort, only to find Ethan Allen’s Green Mountain Boys had the same plan.

Arnold raced to catch up, even killing a horse on his mad dash north. When they met in Vermont, sparks flew.

The Boys flat-out refused to follow Arnold, with some even pulling weapons. After a day of hot talk, they struck a deal – both men would lead from the front.

Next morning, they took the sleeping British fort without firing a shot. Yet bad blood stayed.

Allen took all the credit while Arnold, who spent his own cash on the mission, got none. The fort stands today, where you can see rare Revolutionary War items that tell this tale of America’s first victory.

Massachusetts Gave Arnold a Secret Mission

The Massachusetts Committee of Safety picked Colonel Benedict Arnold on May 3, 1775 to lead a secret mission to take Fort Ticonderoga from the British.

They gave him horses, gunpowder, bullets, and 100 pounds for the operation.

Arnold knew the fort held 80 heavy cannons, 20 brass guns, and 10-12 large mortars from his earlier scouting.

He left on May 4, keeping track of every cost along the way, including “shoeing horses on the road.” By nightfall, he reached Shrewsbury.

Connecticut Already Had Their Own Plan Brewing

While Arnold got his orders, Connecticut had already started their own plan. Captain Edward Mott left Hartford on April 28 to join Ethan Allen.

The Connecticut group entered the New Hampshire Grants on May 3 and got to Bennington that same day. They met at Catamount Tavern, home base for Allen’s Green Mountain Boys.

Arnold didn’t know it, but he was already two days behind this other secret mission when he got his job. The race to take the fort was on, but Arnold had no clue he had rivals.

Arnold Rode His Horse to Death

On May 6, Arnold learned some shocking news. Ethan Allen and his men were already 50 miles ahead of him.

Trying to catch up, Arnold pushed his horse so hard that it collapsed and had to be killed. By evening, Arnold made it to Nehemiah Smedley’s Tavern in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Meanwhile, Allen and his second-in-command Seth Warner had already reached Rupert, Vermont hours before Arnold even knew about the other group. The gap between them was closing, but trouble was brewing.

Two Commanders Clash in Castleton

Everyone gathered in Castleton on May 8, with Edward Mott leading the war meeting. Arnold showed up at 4 p.m. , after they had finished.

When he came in waving his Massachusetts papers and demanding to be in charge, the room blew up. Many of Allen’s men threatened to “club their muskets” and leave rather than follow this stranger.

The two stubborn leaders spent most of the day arguing. Both wanted to lead, both had official backing, and neither would back down.

Green Mountain Boys Almost Start a Mutiny

The Green Mountain Boys made it clear they only followed Ethan Allen.

When Arnold tried to take charge, many of Allen’s men pulled out their weapons, creating a dangerous situation.

Some warned Arnold that trying to lead would be pointless since Allen’s loyal followers wouldn’t listen to anyone else. Things got so tense that the whole mission was at risk.

If Allen’s men left, there wouldn’t be enough soldiers to take the fort. Arnold faced a tough choice: work together or watch the mission fail.

The Commanders Strike a Deal

No one wrote down exactly what Allen and Arnold agreed to.

Some reports say they decided on joint command, while others suggest Arnold just got permission to march beside Allen. Captain Epaphras Bull noted they agreed Arnold would “take the Left hand of Coll.

Allen” during the attack. What we do know is that Arnold let Allen keep command with one condition: both men would lead from the front when they attacked the fort.

This shaky partnership set things up for what happened next.

The Night Before at Hand’s Cove

By the evening of May 9, between 200 and 300 men gathered at Hand’s Cove in Shoreham, Vermont. They sent Samuel Herrick to Skenesborough to find boats while Asa Douglas went north looking for more.

Hand’s Cove was perfect for launching the attack, sitting right across Lake Champlain from Fort Ticonderoga. The men got ready through the evening, and by 11:30 p.m. , they stood ready to cross the lake.

The weather was good, but they faced a problem: not enough boats to carry everyone at once.

Sunrise Attack With Half Their Force

Arnold and Allen led about 85 men across the narrow channel as dawn came on May 10. Only half their force made it across before sunrise, but Allen decided to attack rather than wait.

Luck helped them when they rushed the fort’s south gate. The lone guard tried to fire his musket, but it failed.

He turned and ran. The Americans charged into the fort, waking British soldiers from their beds at gunpoint.

The surprise worked perfectly, with only one American getting a small bayonet wound.

The Fort Falls Without Firing a Shot

Allen and Arnold ran up to the officers’ rooms to find Captain William Delaplace. Allen famously demanded surrender “In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.”

Captain Delaplace stumbled out of his bedroom in his nightclothes, confused by the noise. He had no choice but to give his sword to the Americans.

The British had just 48 men plus 15 women and children. They gave up without firing a single shot.

The Americans captured a strategic fort with valuable cannons that later helped the Continental Army.

Celebration Turns to Chaos

After winning, Allen’s men broke into the fort’s rum supply and started drinking heavily. They also began stealing anything they could carry.

Arnold watched in horror as discipline fell apart. He tried to restore order but found he had little real power over the Green Mountain Boys.

They listened to Allen, not him. Eventually, Allen and most of his men left the fort, while Arnold stayed with a small force to guard the position.

When Allen wrote about the victory, he barely mentioned Arnold, and his story spread widely through the colonies.

Arnold Quits After Being Demoted

The Massachusetts committee sent representatives who arrived on June 22. They made it clear that Arnold would now serve under General Hinman.

Arnold spent two days considering this insult, then disbanded his command and resigned his commission. He had spent more than £1,000 of his own money on the expedition and felt betrayed.

This slight began a pattern of frustration between Arnold and the Continental leadership. While Allen became a hero, Arnold’s contributions went largely unrecognized.

The seeds of resentment that would later lead to his infamous betrayal were planted in the aftermath of America’s first victory.

Visiting Fort Ticonderoga, Vermont

Fort Ticonderoga is at 102 Fort Ti Road in Ticonderoga, New York.

You can learn about Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen’s uneasy partnership when the Green Mountain Boys nearly mutinied rather than serve under Arnold. Buy one day admission and visit the next day free.

The fort is open Tuesday-Sunday, 9:30am-5pm from May 3-October 26, 2025. Catch the evening May 10 reenactment of their joint capture of the fort.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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