The French and Indian War broke out in 1754 between British and French colonists over territorial disputes along their colonial frontiers, and escalated the following year to include regular troops.[4] By 1756, the French had enjoyed successes in most of their frontier battles against the British. Their only notable failure occurred when the British stopped their southward advance from Lake Champlain in the 1755 Battle of Lake George. From bases at Fort St. Frédéric (located at what is now Crown Point, New York) and Fort Carillon (known to the British as Fort Ticonderoga), the French and their Indian allies continued to scout and probe the British defenses on Lake George and the upper Hudson River.[5] The British, who had fewer Indian allies, resorted to companies of rangers for their scouting and reconnaissance activities.[6] The ranger companies were organized and directed by Robert Rogers, and eventually became known as Rogers' Rangers.[7]