Noble Train of Artillery - Fort Ticonderoga“Noble Train Begins”, running December 5-7, commemorates the daunting 300-mile transport of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to drive the British out of Boston

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Ticonderoga, N.Y.—This week, beginning December 5 and running through December 7, Fort Ticonderoga will celebrate the 250th anniversary of one of the most ambitious and successful military operations of the American Revolution. Henry Knox’s expedition to bring a “Noble Train of Artillery,” featuring nearly 60 tons of vital military equipment on a 300-mile journey from Fort Ticonderoga to George Washington’s army outside Boston, is one of the Revolution’s most enduring events.

“Noble Train Begins” is a two-day commemoration of Henry Knox’s stupendous feat of military logistics. A team of 60 staff and volunteer reenactors will inspect and load replica artillery aboard reproduced colonial-era carts and wagons, to be hauled by horse and oxen teams from Fort Ticonderoga to the shores of Lake George.

“We are calling this celebration ‘Noble Train Begins,’ because the historic journey truly started right here at Fort Ticonderoga,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “This week, visitors to Fort Ticonderoga will have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness Knox’s selection of guns, the dramatic ‘cleaning’ of the cannon using the explosive force of gunpowder and the loading and transport of artillery on period vehicles pulled by oxen and horses.”

In late 1775, after months of siege, General George Washington’s Continental Army had failed to evict the British from Boston. As early as the spring, cannon at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point were considered to be a solution. By October, General Washington together with congressional and military leaders agreed it was time to get these cannon to the American lines. Washington dispatched the young but promising civilian volunteer, Henry Knox, to deliver the artillery captured at Fort Ticonderoga earlier that spring. Knox succeeded in his mission, and the British were ultimately driven from Boston.

“‘Noble Train Begins’ is an opportunity for us to put a dramatic exclamation point on all that happened in 1775 on the road to American independence,” said Hill.

This week’s “Noble Train Begins” schedule includes:

  • December 5 – 2:00 p.m. EXCLUSIVE Premium Experience: Join us on the 250th anniversary of Henry Knox’s arrival at Ticonderoga for a special behind-the-scenes “Ticonderoga’s Treasures” experience. This program explores original archival documents, rare books, prints, and artifacts from 1775 that illuminate Henry Knox’s Noble Train of Artillery. Pre-registration is required; limited tickets available for in-person and on-line.
  • December 6 – 10 a.m.-4 p.m. REAL TIME REVOLUTION® Signature Event: “Noble Train Begins”: Exactly 250 years later, watch Henry Knox at Fort Ticonderoga selecting through the captured guns of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, St. Jean, and Chambly. Experience the science of artillery as soldiers inspect these big guns before scaling them, dramatically cleaning them with the explosive force of gunpowder. Follow the re-creation of the first leg of the Noble Train of Artillery as Fort Ticonderoga assembles the largest number of oxen- and horse-driven period vehicles since 1775.
  • Highlighted Programming Throughout the Day:
    • 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.: Cannon Demonstration – Watch New York soldiers examine the guns of Ticonderoga for fatal faults, before scaling and cleaning them with the explosive force of gunpowder.
    • 1:00 p.m.: Cannon, Mortar, & Howitzer? – Explore the three different types of 18th century artillery through premier examples from the Collections of Fort Ticonderoga. See both the “not-so-Knox” cannons and genuine Noble Train artillery pieces, with real stories of the incredible artifacts on display.
    • 2:30 p.m.: "From Quebec, if in our hands" – Henry Knox and Cannon for Boston – Henry Knox famously moved nearly 60 tons of artillery from Ticonderoga to the American Army outside Boston, but where did these cannon come from? Join Fort Ticonderoga Curator Dr. Matthew Keagle as he explains the origins of Knox's Noble Train of Artillery from Lake George to Canada.
    • 3:00 p.m.: “the work of 43 men for 2 days” – Arming Henry Knox with the cash and credit of the Continental Congress, General Washington dispatched his most able engineer on November 16, 1775. See how Knox managed the operation, worked to account for soldiers’ labor and succeeded in accomplishing the mission.
  • December 7 - 11:00 a.m.: The Noble Train to Lake George – Witness the reenactment of the critical first leg of Henry Knox’s journey. Beginning in the Town of Ticonderoga, join Fort Ticonderoga as the largest number of oxen- and horse-driven period vehicles are assembled since December 1775. At the corner of modern-day Montcalm Street and Champlain Avenue, the reenactors will drag cannon to the shore of Lake George, where they were loaded to sail up the lake and onward to the Siege of Boston. Celebrate the beginning of this remarkable achievement, which culminated in the liberation of an American city and inspiring a nation towards independence.

The "Noble Train Begins” celebration and reenactment are part of REAL TIME REVOLUTION®, a multi-year initiative coinciding with our nation’s 250th year anniversary to bring to life the people and events that defined the fight for independence. Running from 2025 to 2027, the immersive experience brings the critical years of 1775-1777 to life through daily living history programs and signature events, offering visitors an unparalleled day-by-day, moment-by-moment experience of the historic events surrounding the American Revolution.

For more information about the two-day “Noble Train Begins” immersive event, click here. For a complete visitor schedule and more information about other Fort Ticonderoga programs, visit www.fortticonderoga.org

About Fort Ticonderoga: Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga is a major cultural destination, museum, historic site, and center for learning. As a multi-day destination and the premier place to learn more about North America’s military heritage, Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors each year with an economic impact of more than $16 million annually. Presenting vibrant programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits, Fort Ticonderoga and is open for daily visitation May through October and special programs during Winter Quarters, November through April. Fort Ticonderoga is owned by The Fort Ticonderoga Association, a 501c3 non-profit educational organization, and is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts. To view Fort Ticonderoga’s electronic press kit, click here.

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