Mount Defiance

The 853-foot peak overlooking Fort Ticonderoga from the southwest that Burgoyne's artillery chief William Phillips hauled cannon up in July 1777. American commanders believed the slope too steep for artillery — they were wrong. Phillips reportedly said "Where a goat can go, a man can go; and where a man can go, he can haul a gun." Once the British placed guns on the summit commanding the fort and its water approaches, the American position became untenable. The garrison evacuated July 5–6, 1777 without a fight. A road and tower at the summit offer panoramic views explaining the tactical situation immediately.