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Commemorating the 400th Anniversary of Samuel de Champlain's Explorations on the lake
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BATTLE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN
at Valcour Island

American Revolution

By James P. Millard

ORDERS OF BATTLE

Forces involved in the Battle 
October 11-13, 1776

American Continental Forces on Lake Champlain*
Ship Type Length Commander

Guns

Crew Notes
Royal Savage 2 Masted
Schooner
  Capt. David Hawley 6-6 pounders 
4-4 pounders
12 swivels
50 Run aground, boarded and burned by British early in the Battle. Arnold had moved to the Congress prior to the battle, but all his papers and personal belongings were lost aboard the Savage.
Revenge 2 Masted
Schooner
  Capt. ____
Seamon
8-4 pounders 
10 swivels  
35 Escaped to Ticonderoga
Liberty 2 Masted
Schooner
  Capt. ____
Premier
2-4 pounders 
6-2 pounders
6 swivels  
35 Taken earlier from the Tory Philip Skene, was not present at the battle, had left for provisions
Enterprise Sloop   Capt. ____
Dickenson 
(a.k.a. Dickson)
10-4 pounders 
12 swivels 
50 Escaped to Ticonderoga
New Haven Gondola   Capt. Giles
Mansfield
1-12 pounder  
2-9 pounders 
8 swivels 
45 Run aground and burned at Ferris' Bay, October 13
Providence Gondola   Capt. ____
Simmons [Simonds]
3-9 pounders 
7 swivels 
45 Run aground and burned at Ferris' Bay, October 13
Boston Gondola   Capt. ____
Sumner
1-12 pounder   
3-9 pounders  
8 swivels
45 Run aground and burned at Ferris' Bay, October 13
Spitfire Gondola   Capt. ____
Ulmer
  3-9 pounders 
4 swivels
45 Possibly sunk at Schuyler's Island, October 12. Recently discovered sitting upright, in excellent condition, at the bottom of lake. The location has not been made public.
Philadelphia Gondola   Capt. Benjamin Rue 1-12 pounder   
2-9 pounders 
8 swivels 
45 Sunk at Valcour, October 11. Raised and on display at Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Connecticut Gondola   Capt. ____
Grant
2-9 pounders  
8 swivels
45 Run aground and burned at Ferris' Bay, October 13
Jersey Gondola   Capt. [Graham]
Grimes
1-12 pounder 
2-9 pounders
45 May have been scuttled at Schuyler's Island. More likely she was captured by the British at Split Rock.
New York Gondola   Capt. ____
Reed
1-12 pounder  
1-9 pounder
2-6 pounders
1  
45 Escaped to Ticonderoga
Lee Cutter   Capt. ____
Davis
1-12 pounder   
1-9 pounders   
4-4 pounders  
45 Captured, recovered by British, probably in the Onion (Winooski) River
Trumbull Galley   Capt. Seth 
Warner
1-18 pounder 
1-12 pounder 
2-9 pounders
2-6 pounders
2-4 pounders
10 swivels
80 Escaped to Ticonderoga
Congress
Flagship
Row Galley   Capt. James
Arnold
(Gen. Benedict Arnold on board)
2-18 pounders   
2-12 pounders   
4-6 pounders 
10 swivels 
80 Became Arnold's Flagship after he left the Royal Savage. Run aground and burned at Ferris' Bay, October 13
Washington Row
Galley
  Capt. John
Thatcher, David Hawley
1-18 pounder   
3-12 pounders  
4-6 pounders
10 swivels  
80 Upon the death of Capt. Thatcher at Valcour, command assumed by Hawley, of the Savage. Col. Waterbury aboard. Captured by British at Split Rock.
Gates Galley   Capt. Frederick Chapel 2-18 pounders   
2-12 pounders   4-4 pounders
10 swivels  
80 Still on the ways at Skenesborough at the time of the battle. Did not participate.

His Majesty's Forces on Lake Champlain*

Ship

Type Length Commander Guns Crew Notes

Inflexible
Flagship

Three-masted Ship 80' Lieut. John Schank 18-12 pounders 120

Constructed in pieces, transported to St. Jean.  Re-assembled and launched in 28 days.

Maria

Schooner 66' Lieut. John Starke 14-6 pounders 120?

Captured by Americans in November, 1775, recaptured by British- May, 1776. Dis-assembled, transported in pieces from Chambly to St. Jean.

Carleton

Schooner 59' Lieut. James Richard Dacres 12-6 pounders 45 Captured by Americans in 1775, recaptured by British- May, 1776. Dis-assembled, transported in pieces from Chambly to St. Jean.

Thunderer

Two-masted
Radeau
(Ketch)
91' Lieut. George Scott 6-24 pounders
6-12 pounders
2-howitzers
35 The largest and most powerful vessel of the British fleet. Did not take an active role in the battle, as she could not get close enough due to winds. Sunk near Windmill Pt. (Alburgh) while ferrying sick and wounded from the Saratoga defeat.

(R)Loyal Convert

Gondola
(Hoy)
62' Lieut. Edward Longcroft 7-9 pounders 35 Dragged up the rapids at Chambly to St. Jean.

 3 Gunboats 

Gunboat 37'

unknown

1-24 pounder

The standard British Gunboat had a single mast, a beam of 12' and carried one cannon in the bow of various sizes.


Gunboats 

unknown

1-18 pounder


Gunboats 

unknown

1-12 pounder

11 Gunboats 

unknown 1-9 pounder
1 Longboat Longboat 20-40' unknown 1-4 pounder

Served as "Arm'd Tenders," each carried a "Carriage Gun."

3 Longboats unknown 1-2 pounder
24 Longboats Longboats 20-40' unknown none

Carried Provisions 


1
The New York is the only gunboat that had 6 pounders. One of them is believed to have exploded, killing and injuring crew members.

*This is a work in progress, subject to correction and verification. If you know of errors and can supply references or sources that will help make these charts more accurate, please forward to mail@historiclakes.org . Thank you.

Note from the publisher: It was recently pointed out to me that this material, unlike most of the feature articles on the site, is not sourced. I don't want to make any excuses, there really aren't any. The page was among the earliest created on the site, dating back to 1998.   I have attempted to correct this serious oversight but have found the task too daunting to take on at this time. I simply have too much Valcour Island material. I need to focus on my new book.

Please know that I intend to correct this when I can. About the best thing I can suggest  at this time is to review the site bibliography and sources page here-
http://www.historiclakes.org/biblio.html.

My apologies to all.

Jim Millard, June 2009

Related pages on the Site...

 

The Valcour Bay Research Project

Follow the progress of an actual underwater archeological survey in beautiful and historic Valcour Bay!


The Battle of Lake Champlain (Introduction)
The Battle of Valcour on Lake Champlain

Valcour Island- Scene of The Battle of Lake Champlain
Arnold's Bay- Panton, Vermont

A tale of two ships: The Continental Gunboat Philadelphia
Lieut. James Hadden's Account of the Battle of Lake Champlain:
An eyewitness account of the extraordinary events on Lake Champlain between October 11-13, 1776

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