The Noble Train of Artillery: Henry Knox Reports from Lake George

Posted on December 17, 2025

The Noble Train of Artillery: Henry Knox Reports from Lake George

250 years ago today—December 17, 1775—Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery had completed the first step of its journey, traveling from Fort Ticonderoga to the southern edge of Lake George. The journey over the lake was challenging. The scow carrying the majority of the artillery got stuck on an underwater rock; several days later it foundered and sank, needing to be re-floated. By December 17, the scow and all of Knox’s other boats had finally arrived at the southern end of Lake George. More challenges lay ahead.

On December 17, Knox wrote a letter to his wife Lucy, another to General Washington, and this letter to General Philip Schuyler, commander of the army in the Northern Department. He reported, “We have been so fortunate as to get the Mortars, Cannon, &c. safely over the Lake to this place.” He had made arrangements for the next stages of the journey too: “I have agreed with Capt. Palmer of Stillwater to get proper conveyances for [the artillery] from hence to Springfield.”

Knox was candid about the challenges that lay ahead. The journey ahead would involve multiple crossings of the Hudson River, a difficult enterprise, particularly if the river wasn’t frozen solid enough to hold the weight of tons of artillery. “We are apprehensive of a difficulty in crossing over at Albany for want of a proper Scow”, Knox admitted.

Many of the challenges that Knox faced could be handled with careful planning and clever logistics. One thing that he couldn’t control, though, was the weather. He reported to Schuyler, “I expect Capt. Palmer up with the Teams on Thursday & hope to move as far as Saratoga if the Sleding continues as at present, from thence we must wait for snow.” Without thick ice, moving the train over the frozen river would be nearly impossible; without snow on the ground, or with too much snow, the progress of the sleds carrying the artillery would be slowed. Knox would have to rely both on good planning and good meteorological luck to get his cannon to Boston.

Learn more about Knox’s letter (object ID MS.1937) on the Ticonderoga Online Collections database: https://fortticonderoga.catalogaccess.com/archives/29974