96 



CIVIL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Part II. 



NAVAL FORCES ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. 



BATTLE AT PLATTSEURGH. 



pecting an attack by land, and, after an 

 action of ten minutes, tliey surrendered 

 themselves prisoners of war. The Amer- 

 ican force engaged was 102, and the num- 

 ber of prisoners taken and sent to Bur- 

 lington, was 101. Nine of tlie enemy 

 were killed, and 14 wounded. The army 

 under Gen. Hampton engaged with the 

 enemy at Chateauguay, on the 26th of Oc- 

 tober, but being unsuccessful, and the sea- 

 son far advanced, he soon after returned 

 into winter quarters, at Plattsburgh. 



A brigade of Vermont militia, which 

 had been drafted into the service of the 

 United States, and marched to Platts- 

 burgh, were on the lOth of November, 

 disciiarired from service by a proclamation 

 of Gov. Chittenden, and ordered to return 

 home. To this order tlie officers of said 

 brigade, refused obedience, and returned 

 a written protest against it. The militia, 

 however, returned before their time of 

 service was expired, and no further no- 

 tice was taken of the transaction. Com- 

 modore JNIacdonough went into winter 

 quarters at Otter Creek, with his flotilla, 

 on the I'Jth of December. Thus termin- 

 ated the northern campaign, for lr;13. 



In the spring of 1^14, the northern ar- 

 my, having been placed under General 

 Wilkinson, advanced from Plattsburgh 

 alouT the west side of the lake, and en- 

 tered Canada. After an unsuccessful at- 

 tack upon the stone mills at Lacole, and 

 some other skirmishes, in which the 

 Americans lost al)out 100 men in killed 

 and wounded, they found it necessary to 

 retreat. In the mean time Commodore 

 Macdonough was making every eft'ort to 

 get in readm.r*ss in Otter Creek, a suffici- 

 ent naval force to match tliat of the ene- 

 my upon the lake. On the 14th of iNlay, 

 the enemy's fleet, consisting of a brig, 

 3 sloops, and 13 gallies, passed up the 

 lake, and opened a spirited fire upon the 

 battery, at the mouth of Otter Creek, 

 with a view of forcing their way up the 

 creek and destroying the American ship- 

 ping before it should be ready for service. 

 But in this they were unsuccessful. They 

 were repulsed by the garrison, and the 

 Vermont militia, and soon after returned 

 to the northward. 



About the last of INIay, Commodore 

 Macdonough entered the lake with liis 

 flotilla and proceeded to Plattsburgh, and 

 afterwards advanced nearer the line, but 

 nothing of consequence occurred on the 

 lake till the latter part of the season. 

 Abovit the first of September, Governor 

 Prevost entered the territory of the United 

 States, at the head of 14,000 men and 

 advanced towards Plattsburgh, which was 

 garrisoned by only one brigade, under 



General Macomb ; the main northern ar- 

 my having marched to the westward. On 

 the 7th of September, the enemy appear- 

 ed before Plattsburgh, and were employed 

 in getting on liieir battering train, erect- 

 ing batteries, and in skirmishes with the 

 Americans, but did not make a general 

 assault till the arrival of their flotilla. 



In the mean time every effort was made 

 to call in the neigliboring militia. E.\- 

 presses were sent into Vermont, and the 

 Green Mountain Boys, without distinction 

 of party, shouldered their guns and has- 

 tened forward to repel the invasion ; and 

 in the part which they took in tiie subse- 

 quent conflict, tliey nobly sustained their 

 high character for firmness and bravery. 

 The American land force, iiowever, con- 

 tinued much inferior to that of the British. 

 The British iorce upon the lake was also 

 superior to the American. It was com- 

 manded by Commodore Downie, and con- 

 sisted of a frigate of 3!> guns, a brig of 

 16, two sloops of 11 guns each, and 13 

 gun-boats, carrying 18 guns, amounting 

 in the whole to 'J5 guns, and manned by 

 ]().")0 men. The American Iorce under 

 Commodore Alacdonough, consisted of 

 tiie Saratoga, of 26 guns, the Eagle, of 

 20, Ticonderoga, of 17, tiie Preble, of 7, 

 and 10 gun-boats, carrying 16 guns, 

 amounting in the whole to 86, and man- 

 ned by 820 men. 



As it was generally understood to be 

 the intention of the British to make an 

 attack both by land and water, at the 

 same time, Corn. Macdonough determin- 

 ed to await the approach of the enemy's 

 squadron, at anchor in Plattsburgh Bay. 

 Early in the morning of the 11th of Sep- 

 tember, the lookout boat announced the 

 approach of the enemy, and about 9 

 o'clock, tliey anchored in a line about 

 300 yards from the American squndron. 

 In this situation the whole force on both 

 sides became engaged. The conflict was 

 exceedingly obstinate; the enemy fought 

 with great bravery, but the superiority of 

 the American gunnery prevailed over the 

 enemy's superior force. After an action of 

 two hours and 20 minutes, the fire of the 

 enemy was silenced, and her frigate, brig 

 and two sloops were surrendered to the 

 Americans. Some of their gallies were 

 sunk, and the others made their escape. 

 The British lost in this action, 84 killed 

 and, 116 wounded. Among the kill- 

 ed were Commodore Downie, and three 

 lieutenants. The American loss was 52 

 killed, and .58 wounded. Among the for- 

 mer were lieutenants, Gamble and Stans- 

 bury. 



The commencement of the naval ac- 

 tion seemed to be the signal for a general 



