st,
thus neglected by St. Clair, that the British gave it the significant
name of Mount Hope.

The enemy now proceeded gradually to invest Ticonderoga. A line of
troops was drawn from the western part of Mount Hope round to Three
Mile Point, where General Fraser was posted with the advance guard,
while General Riedesel encamped with the German reserve in a parallel
line on the opposite side of Lake Champlain, at the foot of Mount
Independence. For two days the enemy occupied themselves in making
their advances and securing these positions, regardless of a cannonade
kept up by the American batteries.

With all the pains and expense lavished by the Americans to render
these works impregnable, they had strangely neglected the master key
by which they were all commanded. This was Sugar Hill, a rugged
height, the termination of a mountain ridge which separates Lake
Champlain from Lake George. It stood to the south of Ticonderoga,
beyond the narrow channel which connected the two lakes, and rose
precipitously from the waters of Champlain to the height of six
hundred feet. It had been pronounced by the Americans too distant to
be dangerous. Colonel Trumbull, some time an aide-de-camp to
Washington, had proved the contrary in the preceding year by throwing
a shot from a six-pounder in the fort nearly to the summit. It was
then pronounced inaccessible to an enemy. This Trumbull had likewise
proved to be an error, by clambering with Arnold and Wayne to the top,
whence they perceived that a practicable road for artillery might
easily and readily be made. Trumbull had insisted that this was the
true point for the fort, commanding the neighboring heights, the
narrow parts of both lakes, and the communication between. His
suggestions were disregarded; their wisdom was now to be proved.

The British general, Phillips, on taking his position, had regarded
the hill with a practised eye. He caused it to be reconnoitred by a
skilful engineer. The report was that it overlooked and had the entire
command of Fort Ticonderoga and Fort Independence--being about
fourteen hundred yards from the former, and fifteen hundred from the
latter; that the ground could be levelled for cannon, and a road cut
up the defiles of the mountain in four and twenty hours. Measures were
instantly taken to plant a battery on that height. While the American
garrisons were entirely engaged in a different direction, cannonading
Mount Hope and the British lines wit