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A Tale of Ticonderoga

Painting of the Battle of Ticonderoga

This Halloween we share the eerie tale of Major Campbell of Inverawe.

18 years before the Battle at Ticonderoga Campbell was at home in the Highlands, when there was a knock at the door. On answering he found a man, covered in blood, asking for shelter. True to traditional Highland hospitality he allowed the man into his house.

Some hours later he was visited by a group of armed men who were looking for a man who had just committed a murder. He refused to give up his guest.

That night, the ghost of Campbell’s cousin appeared to him in a dream. It was he who was the murderer’s victim and he berated Campbell before leaving him with the words ‘Farewell Inverawe, ‘til we meet again at Ticonderoga’.

Not knowing of such a place, Campbell remained relaxed and allowed his guest to leave the next day. 18 years later in 1758 he was preparing to take part in The Black Watch’s assault on Fort Carillon.

On the day of the attack he came out of his tent ashen-faced. His cousin had appeared to him during the night in order to tell him the Native American name for the local area: Ticonderoga.

During the battle, Campbell’s right arm was shattered. He died nine days later and was buried at the British Camp at Fort Edward.

The story of Campbell’s premonition is the basis for a famous ballad by Robert Louis Stevenson called Ticonderoga: A Legend of the West Highlands, published in 1887.

When visiting The Black Watch Museum take time to view the stone from the grave vault of Major Campbell of Inverawe in Gallery 3.

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