38 



CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part II. 



RETREAT FEOM CANADA. 



NAVAL FORCES OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 



The American army in Canada was so 

 much inferior to the British, that nothing 

 remained for them but to make the best re- 

 treat in their power. On the 14th of June, 

 they abandoned their post at Sorel, which 

 a few hours afterwards was in possession 

 of the British army. Gen. Burgoyne wns 

 immediately detaclied with one column in 

 pursuit of the Americans, but with orders 

 not to hazard an engagement until he 

 sjiould receive a re-enforcement. On the 

 15th of June, Arnold withdrew with his 

 troops from Montreal and marched to 

 Chainblee, where the American forces 

 were assembled, and were engaged with 

 much spirit and resolution in dragging 

 their artillery and stores up the rapids. 



This service was attended with much 

 difficulty and danger ; but they succeed- 

 ed in drawing up more than one hundred 

 batteaux, heavily laden, and having set 

 fire to the mills and the shipping which 

 they could not bring olf, they left tlie vil- 

 la sre of Chamblee at the very time the 

 Britisli were entering it on the other side. 

 On tlie 18th of June, Gen. Burgoyne reach- 

 ed St. Johns in t)ie evening, but the Am- 

 ericans had taken away every thing of 

 value and set fire to the fort and barracks. 

 Major Bigelow, with about 40 men re- 

 mained at St. Johns till the works were 

 all destroyed, and left that place the same 

 evening that Burgoyne arrived there, and 

 joined the American army which had 

 halted at the Isle-aux-Noix. 



The British were unable to get any of 

 their vessels over the rapids at Chamblee, 

 and were, consequently, unable to con- 

 tinue the pursuit of the American army, 

 which now proceeded in safety to Crown 

 Point. This retreat was conducted by 

 Sullivan, with such consummate skill and 

 prudence, as to retrive his character from 

 the imputations brought upon it by the 

 rash and unsuccessful expedition against 

 Three Rivers, and to merit the thanks of 

 Congress, and of the ^^llolc army. 



On tlie l'2th of July, Gen. Sullivan was 

 succeeded by Gen. Gates, in the com- 

 mand of the northern army. The first 

 I business of Gates was to restore to health 

 and soundness the sick and wounded, and 

 to increase his force by new recruits. He 

 assembled a council of war, b}' which it 

 was resolved to abandon Crown Point, 

 and concentrate all their strength and 

 make a vigorous stand at Ticonderoga, 

 and on Mount Independence, which is 

 situated on the opposite side of the lake. 

 A general hospital was established at fort 

 George, to which those who were sick 

 with the small pox, were sent forward, 

 and to avoid this contagious and loath- 

 some disease, the new recruits were as- 



sembled at Skenesborough. On the sixth 

 of August, six hundred men arrived from 

 New Hampshire, and re-enforcements 

 were daily arriving from other quarters. 

 The army was alsa all the time improving 

 in health and discipline, and was active 

 and vigorous in preparations for defence. 



As it was of the greatest importance to 

 the Americans to preserve the command 

 of the lake, by constructing upon it a na- 

 val force superior to that of the British, 

 they engaged with their usual activity in 

 accomplishing this object. But in the 

 prosecution of it they had innumerable 

 difficulties to encounter. Their tim])or 

 was to be cut in tlie woods and dragged 

 by hand to the place where it was wanted 

 for use ; the materials for naval equip- 

 ments were to be brought from a great 

 distance over roads almost impassable ; 

 and the ship-carpenters were «o well em- 

 ployed in the sea ports tiiat it was with 

 extreme difficulty that any could be pro- 

 cured. Yet, notwithstanding tlicse ob- 

 stacles, by perseverance and industry, 

 they had, on the IStli of August, com- 

 pleted and equipped three schooners and 

 five gondolas, carrying in the whole 5-5 

 cannon, consisting of twelve, nine, six 

 and four pounders, and seventy swivels. 

 This armament was manned by three 

 hundred and ninety-five men, and was 

 completely fitted for action. 



In the mean time the British were em- 

 ployed in preparing a fleet at St. Johns. 

 Six armed vessels had been built in Eng- 

 land and sent over for the express purpose 

 of being employed on lake Champlain ; 

 but it was found impossible to get them 

 over the falls at Chamblee without taking 

 them in pieces, transporting them in that 

 form, and then put them together again 

 above the rapids. They succeeded in 

 dracftring uj) a large number of boats en- 

 tire, and having re-built their vessels, 

 they were ready by the first of October, 

 to enter the lake with their fleet. This 

 fleet consisted of the Inflexible, carrying 

 eighteen twelve pounders, the Maria, of 

 fourteen six pounders, the Carleton, of 

 twelve six pounders, the Thunderer, a 

 flat bottomed radeau, or raft, with six 

 twenty pounders, six twelves and two 

 howitzers, some gondolas, carrying seven 

 nine pounders, twenty gun boats, carry- 

 in<T each one brass field piece from nine 

 to twenty four pounders, and some with 

 howitzers, and four long boats, with each 

 a carriage gun, serving as tenders. These, 

 amounting to thirty-one in number, were 

 all designed and prepared for attack and 

 battle ; and were to be followed by a suf- 

 ficient number of vessels and boats for 

 the transportation of the royal army, with 



