Revolutionary War soldier’s pipe, recovered at Ft. Ticonderoga

This is another great piece being offered, it is a Revolutionary War Soldier’s pipe. This unique piece was recovered at Ft. Ticonderoga in the early 1900s (see pictures). Located on Lake Champlain in northeastern New York, Fort Ticonderoga served as a key point of access to both Canada and the Hudson River Valley during the French and Indian War.

On May 10, 1775, Benedict Arnold joined Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont in a dawn attack on the fort, surprising and capturing the sleeping British garrison. Although it was a small-scale conflict, the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga was the first American victory of the Revolutionary War and would give the Continental Army much-needed artillery to be used in future battles.

Restoration of the fort was first undertaken by the Pell family in 1909. Many of the townspeople helped with the project and were allowed to take small artifacts such as this pipe. These types of pipes were a common find at Revolutionary War sites. In “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution”, there are similar examples shown. There is also one of many in the Fort Ticonderoga Museum Collection (see pictures).