July 05, 1777 : Fort Ticonderoga (now NY): The British under Burgoyne managed to get several cannon up the steep slopes of Mt. Defiance. This peak was over a mile from Fort Ticonderoga, but from it a cannon could fire on both the fort and the causeway of boats that allowed the Americans to supply the fort. Continental Major General Arthur, with only 2,500 men to hold the position, elected to abandon Fort Ticonderoga.