chase, and Arnold's rowboats were together no match for the least of these. But at noon, while yet some leagues from Crown Point, the tired crews of the flying boats had to drop their sweeps and take to the guns, for the British ships were upon them. The wind had shifted to the north once more, and the British vessels, of course, got it first. No more desperate conflict is recorded in naval annals than that of Arnold that day. At the first broadside of the enemy the shattered Washington was so injured that surrender was unavoidable. Nevertheless Arnold ranged up within musket-shot of the big Inflexible and continued to fight while the farmer crews of the four gondolas stood to their guns and faced the storm of shot and grape from the twelve-gun and fourteen-gun schooners-faced the storm unflinchingly until one-third of Arnold's crew had been killed, his boat reduced to a wreck, and resistance could no longer damage the enemy. But, though beaten, the indomitable Americans were not conquered. They would never give up the ships. By Arnold's order the small galleys were run ashore in a creek near by and there fired, Arnold, in the Congress, covering their retreat until their crews were safe on shore, when he ran the Congress ashore also, and then stood guard while his crew fired her, "remaining on board of her until she was in flames, lest the enemy should get possession and strike his flag, which was kept flying to the last." When the Congress was so well on fire that she could not be saved, Arnold himself leaped overboard, waded ashore, formed his men in an orderly line, and marched away over a woodsy trail. He escaped the savages that were sent ashore seeking scalps, and safely reached Crown Point. The best all-around fighter under George Washington was Benedict Arnold. As a leader in actual combat he was simply unequalled. Words cannot now be found to adequately express the pity of it when it is remembered that injustice and disappointment at the last drove him mad. Although this fight on Lake Champlain was ordered on the American side by an army officer, and the crews were chiefly landsmen, it was unquestionably an exhibit of the early sea power of the United States, for the ships were built at the national expense and the crews were in the national service. Of the results of the fight a few words must be written, because their value to the Americans was well-nigh inestimable under the circumstances. The American fleet had fought A COPY of a LETTER from General Sir GUY CARLETON to Lord GEORGE GERMAIN, Principal Secretary of State for the American Department. My Lord, On board the Maria off Crown-Point, rebel feet Lake Champlain feated in two actions; the first on the rith inftant, between the ifland of Valcourt and the main; and the fecond on the 13th, within a few leagues of Crown-Point. We have taken Mr. Waterburg, the fecond in command, one of their brigadier-generals, with two of their veflels, and ten others have been burnt and deftroyed; only three of fifteen fail, a lift of which I tranfmit, having efcaped. For further particulars I refer your Lordship to Lieutenant Dacres, who will be the bearer of this letter, and had a fhare in both actions, particularly the first, where his gallant behaviour in the Carleton fchooner, which he commanded, diftinguished him fo much as to merit great commendation and I beg to recommend him to your Lordship's notice and favour: at the fame time I cannot omit taking notice to your Lordship of the good fervice done, in the first action, by the fpirited conduct of a number of officers and men of the corps of artillery, who ferved the gun-boats, which, together with the Carleton, fuftained for many hours the whole fire of the enemy's fleet, the rest of our veffels not being able to work up near enough to join effectually in the engagement. The rebels, upon the news reaching them of the defeat of their naval force, fet fire to all the buildings and houses in and near Crown-Point, and retired to Ticonderoga. The feafon is fo far advanced, that I cannot yet pretend to inform your Lordship whether any thing farther can be done this year. I am, &c. GUY CARLETON. Lift of the Rebels Veffels on Lake Champlain, before their Defeat. Royal Savage, 8 fix-pounders and 4 four-pounders--Went on fhore, was fet fire to, and blown up. (Revenge, 4 fix-pounders and 4 four-pounders--Escaped. A loop, 10 four-pounders ---Escaped. Row-Gallies Schooners Congrefs, 2 eighteen-pounders in the bow, 2 twelve and 2 two-pounders in stern, and 6 fix-pounders in the fidesBlew up. Washington, fame force-Taken. Trumble, ditto--Escaped. The Lee, a cutter, nine-pounder in the bow, I twelve-pounder in the ftern, and fix-pounders in fides--Run into a bay, and not known whether deftroyed. ndclas Bofton, I eighteen pounder in the bow, a twelve-pounders in fides --Sunk. Jerfey, ditto-Taken. One, name unknown, fame force --Run on fhore. Five ditto, ditto --Blown up. Other Veffels not in the Action. A fchooner, 8 four-pounders-Sent from their fleet for provifions. A galicy, faid to be of greater force than thofe mentioned above -Fitting out at Ticonderoga. G. C. Facsimile of a copy of the original Defcription of the Eng COPY of a LETTER from Captain DOUGLAS, of the Ifis, to Mr. STEPHENS, Secretary to the Admiralty. Quebec, 21ft Olober, 1776. HAVING for theprtant expedition on Lake Champlain, I on AVING for the space of fix weeks attended the naval equip the 4th instant saw, with unfpeakable joy, the re-constructed ship, now called the Inflexible, and commanded by Lieutenant Schank, her rebuilder, fail from St. John's, twenty-eight days after her keel was laid, towards the place of rendezvous; taking in het 18 twelve-pounders beyond the fhoal which is on this fide the Iffe aux Noix, in her way up. The prodigies of labour which have been effected fince the rebels were driven out of Canada, in creating, re-creating, and equipping a facet of above thirty fighting veffels of different forts and fizes, and all carrying cannon, fince the beginning of July, together with the tranfporting over land, and afterwards dragging up the two rapids of St. Terefe and St. John's, thirty long-boats, the flat bottomed boats, a gondola weighing about thirty tons, and above four hundred batteaus, almoft exceed belief. His Excellency the Commander in Chief of the army, and all the other generals, are of the opinion, that the failors of his Majesty's fhips and tranfports have (far beyond the ufual limits of their duty) exerted themselves to the utmost on this great and toilfome occafion; nor has a man of that profeffion uttered a fingle word expreffive of difcontent, amidst all the hardships they have undergone, fo truly patriotic are the motives by which they are actuated.-To crown the whole, above two hundred prime feamen of the transports, impelled by a due fenfe of their country's wrongs, did moft generouily engage themfelves to ferve in our armed veffels during the expedition, and embarked accordingly. Such having then been our unremitting toils, I am happy beyond expreffion in hereby acquainting my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that the deftruction of almost the whole of the rebel fleet, in two feveral battles on the eleventh and thirteenth inftant, is our reward. I have recived a letter from Captain Pringle, of the Lord Howe armed fhip, who commands the officers and feamen on the Lake, and who bestows the highest encomiums on their behaviour in both engagements. The rebels did by no means believe it poffible for us to get upon Lake Champlain this year; were much furprized at the first fight of the van of our force; but ran into immediate and utter confufion the moment a three-mafted fhip made her appearance, being a phoenomenon they never fo much as dreamt of. Thus have his Majesty's faithful fubjects here, (contrary to a crude but prevailing idea) by ftraining every nerve in their country's caufe, out-done them in working as much as in fighting. The fhip Inflexible, with the Maria and Carleton fchooners, all reconftructions, did the whole of the fecond day s bufinefs, the flatbottomed radeau called the Thunderer, and the gondola called the Loyal Convert, with the gun-boats, not having been able to keep up with them. The faid gondola was taken from the rebels the day the fiege of Quebee was raifed. The lofs we have fuftained, confidering the great fuperiority of the infurgents, is very small, confifting of between thirty and forty men killed and wounded, feamen, foldiers, artillery-men, and all; eight whereof were killed outright, and fix wounded, on board of the Carleton.-As to farther particulars, I muft refer you to Lieutenant Dacres, who, in juftice due to his merit, for the part he bore in destroying the rebel fleet, I am happy in fending upon this occafion to their Lordships in the Stag tranfport, as alfo in thereby complying with the General's defire, who, for the fame reafon, is pleafed to honour him with the conveyance of his dispatches. Printed for R. SAYER and J. BENNETT, Map, Chart, al broadside at the Lenox Library. A Lift of his Majesty's Naval Force on Lake Champlaih. Ship Inflexible, Lieutenant Schank, 18 twelve-pounders. Schooner Maria, Lieutenant Starke, 14 fix-pounders. Schooner Carleton, Lieutenant Dacres, 12 fix-pounders. Radeau Thunderer, Lieutenant Scott, 6 twenty-four, 6 twelvepounders; 2 howitzers. Gondola Loyal Convert, Lieutenant Longcroft, 7 nine-pounders. Twenty gun-boats, each a brass field-piece, some twenty-fours to nines, fome with howitzers. Four long-boats, with each a carriage - gun, serving as armed tenders. Twenty-four long-boats with provisions. A Lift of the Seamen detached from his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the River St. Lawrence, to ferve on Lake Champlain. On board the Maria, off Crown-Point, the 15th of October, 1776. If congratulating their Lordships upon the victory compleated T is with the greatest pleasure that I embrace this opportunity the 13th of this month, by his Majesty's fleet under my command, upon Lake Champlain. Upon the 11th I came up with the rebel fleet commanded by Benedict Arnold: they were at anchor under the illand of Vali-. cour, and formed a strong line, extending from the island to the Weft fide of the continent. The wind was fo unfavourable, that for a confiderable time nothing could be brought into action with them but the gun-boats: the Carleton fchooner, commanded by Mr. Dacres, (who brings their Lordships this,) by much perseverance at laft got to their affiftance; but as none of the other veffels of the fleet could then get up, I did not think it by any means advifeable to continue fo partial and unequal a combat; confequently, with the approbation of his Excellency General Carleton, who did Print Sellers, No. 53, FLEET - STREET. Price ONE SHILLING |