This video is part of a scene explaining the start of the French and Indian War – from my documentary “The Siege of Fort William Henry”

The Battle of Lake George

1755

In 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, the British planned a multipronged attack against several French forts in North America.

Major General William Johnson, agent to the Iroquois Indians, was tasked with mounting the attack on Fort St. Frederick – a French fort at Crown Point on Lake Champlain.

By September Johnson and his men had traveled North, from Albany to Lake George, on the New York frontier.

September 8, 1755

The French troops at Fort St. Frederick had learned about the British presence to their South and moved to remove them.

On the morning of September 8, 1755 William Johnson ordered 1,000 men under the command of Colonel Ephraim Williams from the Massachusetts regiment to move South to intercept the French troops.

Bloody Morning Scout

The British troops were ambushed on by the French and their Indian allies.

The scene quickly descended into chaos, with the British colonials fleeing back to Lake George.

Back at Lake George

When the men at Lake George heard the repeated musket fire drawing closer, they quickly prepared for an attack. William Johnson ordered boats brought up from the lake and wagons overturned to create an improvised breastwork for the encampment.

As the French army approached, the regulars rushed up the lake road. They hoped to draw the majority of the musket fire, while the Indians and Canadians flanked the encampment.

illustration of men overturning a wagon to create cover during the Battle of Lake George during the French and Indian War

Commanders Wounded

The battle lasted for several hours. Ultimately both William Johnson, the British commander and Baron Dieskau, the French commander, were wounded.

After seeing the French commander fall, the Canadians and their Indian allies retreated.

Aftermath of the Battle of Lake George

After the victory at Lake George, the British troops did not pursue their objective to capture Fort St. Frederick. They chose instead to better secure their position.

For the next several months the British colonials at Lake George worked diligently on the construction of Fort William Henry.

The Full Documentary about the Siege of Fort William Henry

The video at the beginning of this post is an excerpt from my full length documentary. To purchase a DVD of the movie visit the shop.

The Battle of Lake George – video excerpt from my documentary

The Battle of Lake George

1755