33 2 Naval War of 1812 



fleet forty times the strength of the other's flotilla; 

 but the way in which the work was done was very 

 similar. And it must always be remembered that 

 when Perry fought this battle he was but 27 years 

 old; and the commanders of his other vessels were 

 younger still. 



CHAMPLAIN 



The commander on this lake at this time was 

 Lieutenant Thomas Macdonough, who had super- 

 seded the former commander, Lieutenant Sydney 

 Smith, whose name was a curious commentary on 

 the close inter-relationship of the two contesting 

 peoples. The American naval force now consisted 

 of two sloops, the Growler and Eagle, each mount- 

 ing ii guns, and six galleys, mounting one gun 

 each. Lieutenant Smith was sent down with his 

 two sloops to harass the British gunboats, which 

 were stationed round the head of Sorel River, the 

 outlet to Lake Champlain. On June 3d he chased 

 three gunboats into the river, the wind being aft, 

 up to within sight of the fort of Isle-aux-noix. A 

 strong British land-force, under Major-General Tay- 

 lor, now came up both banks of the narrow stream, 

 and joined.the three gunboats in attacking the sloops. 

 The latter tried to beat up the stream, but the cur- 

 rent was so strong and the wind so light that no 

 headway could be made. The gunboats kept out 

 of range of the sloop's guns, while keeping up a 

 hot fire from their long 24'$, to which no reply 

 could be made; but the galling fire of the infantry 

 who lined the banks was responded to by showers 



