The patriots mainly had rifles. To fight a war, they also needed cannons and cannonballs. Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York State had many weapons. The British owned the fort. Its site was important. Fort Ticonderoga guarded the Hudson River and New York. It had many cannons.

In May 1775, Ethan Allen and his men planned to capture it. The attack was planned for dawn. Massachusetts sent Benedict Arnold and his men to help. Benedict Arnold would later spy and fight for the British. But in May 1775, he was still a patriot.

More than 80 men attacked the fort. It was a total surprise. The British soldiers gave up the fort, cannons and all. No shots were fired. No men were lost.

The next year, the captured cannons were moved to Boston. These cannons were dragged over snow and ice. It took 160 oxen to pull the cannons on sleds. Some cannons weighed 1,000 pounds. It was a 300 mile trip.

George Washington mounted the cannons on hills outside Boston. When the British saw all the big guns, it scared them. They retreated from Boston.