Near Lake George in Warren County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Colonel Ephraim Williams, Jr.
Outnumbered and ambushed
On September 8, 1775, after the sighting of French and Indians in the area, Colonel Williams, commander of 1,000 New England sodiers and 200 Indians, was sent from Lake George to Fort Edward to assist in protection of that critical supply base. On the way, his force was ambushed by 1,400 French and Indians, led by one of the most experienced professional soldiers to arrive from France, Baron de Dieskau.
When Williams fell, two soldiers in his regiment concealed his body in the brush so that it would not be disturbed. On the day after the battle, 136 bodies were buried, including that of Col. Ephraim Williams, Jr. on this spot.
Not a final resting place
In 1834, Dr. William H. williams of Raleigh, North Carolina, the nephew of Ephraim Williams, Jr. located his uncle's grave, removed the skull and carried it away. Twenty years later, Williams College alumni placed a large rock over the site and had engraved into it the initials "E.W."
Inn 1920, the Trustees of Williams College arranged for the transfer of the remains of Ephaim Williams, Jr. from this site to the vault of the Thompson Memorial Chapel at Williams College, where they are still interred.
Providing for the future
A few months before his death Ephraim Williams, Jr. wrote a will that provided the funds to start a free school near his home at Fort Massachusetts. That school became Williams College in 1793 and remains a fitting tribute to its Founder.
The Mohawk Chief Hendrick
Also killed during the Bloody Morning Scout was Chief Theyanoquin, a sachem or chief of the Mohawks, named Hendrick by the Dutch. He was renowned for his wisdom and skill as an orator. Born near Westfield, Massachusetts around 1685, reputedly Mahican by birth and Mohawk by adoption, Hendrick supported the British cause in the French and Indian War.
Erected by Williams Society of Alumni.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • War, French and Indian. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1848.
Location. 43° 22.533′ N, 73° 42.033′ W. Marker is near Lake George, New York, in Warren County. Marker is on Glens Falls Lake George Road (U.S. 9) 0.4 miles north of State Route 149 intersection (U.S. 149), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lake George NY 12845, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Col. Williams Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Military Road (approx. 0.3 miles away); French Mtn. Hamlet (approx. half a mile away); Gen. Henry Knox Trail (approx. half a mile away); Bloody Pond (approx. one mile away); This is "Porcellino" (approx. 1.8 miles away); Five Mile Run (approx. 1.8 miles away); Believe It! The Comet (approx. 1.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lake George.
More about this marker. In the upper right of the marker is a picture of Colonel Ephraim Williams, Jr. falling in battle. It was provided for use on the marker courtesy of the Chapman Historical Museum in Glen Falls, NY.
In the middle right of the marker is a picture of the Thompson Memorial Chapel on the Williams College campus in Williamstown, Massachusetts. As mentioned on the marker, Col. Ephraim Williams, Jr.'s final resting place is in the Thompson Memorial Chapel.
In the middle left of the marker is a picture of Chief Hendrick, provided for use on the marker courtesy of the Williams College archives.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 31, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2009, by John Farrell of Lake George, New York. This page has been viewed 3,057 times since then and 220 times this year. Last updated on March 25, 2009, by John Farrell of Lake George, New York. Photos: 1. submitted on March 24, 2009, by John Farrell of Lake George, New York. 2. submitted on March 25, 2009, by John Farrell of Lake George, New York. 3. submitted on December 25, 2020, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 4. submitted on March 24, 2009, by John Farrell of Lake George, New York. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.