The Siege of Fort William Henry - Day 1 - the French approach - History Documentary

During the French and Indian War, Fort William Henry was subject to a siege.
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This battle took place during an important time in American history. The outcome of the war would decide whether England or France would control the continent. The aftermath of the French and Indian War can be tied to the start of the American revolution. The cost of the war caused England to raise taxes, and break promises, leading the American colonies to rebel.

In addition to this, many of the officers in the revolution had gained experience in battle during the French and Indian War. some at the Siege of Fort William Henry and the events surrounding it, such as the Battle of Lake George.

This video is a short scene from a full length documentary.
The French had assembled an army of 8,000 men, including 1,800 Indians from more than 30 nations at the Southern end of Lake Champlain. At the beginning of August 1757 the moved south toward Fort William Henry.
The French army traveled by water up Lake George, accompanied by 1,500 Indians in their canoes. On the night of August 2, 1757 a British scouting party in a whale boat revealed the position of the enemy. This discovery caused the French to quicken their pace.

The following morning they made their final approach to Fort William Henry.

On August 3, 1757 the French army began their Siege of Fort William Henry. The siege lasted for 6 days, culminating in a series of events made famous by the Last of the Mohicans.

This is a short scene from the full documentary, relaying the French approach as described in historic journals from the men who were there.

The documentary is currently available on DVD at the link below

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