The Revolutionary War, pt. 6: The Battle of Valcour Island
- Timothy Dusablon
- 28 minutes ago
- 23 min read
Benedict Arnold and his mostly newly constructed navy were now patrolling northern Lake Champlain. They were ready for the gathering storm to the north, where the British under Guy Carleton were getting ready to invade the lake. The impending showdown would take on critical importance due to the events unfolding with George Washington’s Army.
Washington Struggles in New York City
300 miles to the south in New York City, Private Daniel McCurtin looked out the window of his second floor room on Staten Island and was shocked by what he saw. Dozens of British naval vessels had entered New York Harbor. From his window, it looked like a forest of bare trees floating on the water. Eventually 120 British ships filled New York Harbor, led by none other than William Howe, The brother of George Howe who met his tragic end at Ticonderoga in 1758. They were ready to go on the offensive in a campaign that seemed likely to end the Revolution just as the ink was drying on the Declaration of Independence.
George Washington and his Army waited patiently for Howe to make his move. In a questionable decision, Washington had split his army up between Manhattan and Long Island, with most of his Long Island force on Brooklyn Heights. The American forces were protected by the Gowanus Heights, with significant American forces guarding three of the four passes through the heights. Jamaica Pass, the fourth, was left virtually undefended. And that’s where the British Army poured in. Washington’s force on Long Island was trapped with their backs to the water. The ensuing Battle of Long Island was a rout, with over 2,000 American forces killed, wounded, captured or missing.
Howe was in position to squash Washington’s American force, but didn’t. Israel Putnam, the former Rogers Ranger and no stranger to the Champlain Valley, stated that Howe is “either our friend or no general… He had the whole army in his power… Had he instantly followed up his victory, the consequence to the cause of liberty must have been dreadful.” Howe was in no rush, and wanted to wait for his navy to be in position before destroying Washington’s force.
Washington was in a desperate situation, but almost by divine intervention, a strong nor-easter swept in the following day and lasted two days. On the second day, Washington ordered all vessels in the area to help with a "Hail Mary" evacuation of his force on Brooklyn Heights over to Manhattan. A fog had also settled in, helping the American fleet complete their miraculous evacuation. The battered force lived to fight another day, by either sheer luck or an Act of God, depending on your personal viewpoints.
Washington would eventually retreat from Manhattan to New Jersey, and continue retreating until he eventually wound up in Pennsylvania. His army was shrinking and demoralized. At one time his force was over 25,000, but now it was down to a mere 5,000. Washington did not make his viewpoints known publicly, but he penned a letter to his brother stating that “I think the game is pretty near up.” It was one defeat after another for Washington, and if Howe was able to link up with the invading British Army from Canada, the rebellion would likely be over. The defense of the cause of liberty fell to one man and his navy on Lake Champlain, Benedict Arnold.
The Lake Champlain Navy Sets Sail
Arnold and his navy set sail from Crown Point, and with a favorable wind sailed north past Split Rock Point, where Split Rock Point protrudes from the west, and Thompson’s Point protrudes from the east, or Vermont shore. It creates a narrow channel on Lake Champlain just ¾ of a mile. It was Split Rock Point that marked the ancient boundary of the Mohawks of the Haudenosaunnee Nation to the south, and the Algonquin to the north. Split Rock Point was also named the boundary between New France and the English Colonies in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, which brought Queen Anne’s War to a close. The English accepted this boundary, but the French did not, and set about fortifying Lake Champlain to the south leading to further conflict in King George’s War.
They anchored for the night on the east shore, opposite of Willsborough in what is now Charlotte. This location may have been in the area of the present-day Charlotte Town Beach. But as so often happens on Lake Champlain, the wind shifted suddenly and with ferocity. A strong gale out of the north the following day pummeled the naval fleet. Arnold ordered the fleet to sail south, back past Split Rock Point to Button Bay, which provided safety from the winds. The Spitfire nearly didn’t make it back, and the Liberty ran aground.
In the safe harbor of Button Bay, Arnold invited the leadership to the shore for a “most genteel feast”. They drank wine, cider, and punch, as well as feasted on a roasted pig. They also had a friendly competition of marksmanship.
After almost a week of unfavorable winds, Arnold and his fleet finally proceeded north to Schuyler’s Island, named after Peter Schuyler from New Jersey during the French and Indian War. Peter was a distant relative to Philip Schuyler.
The following day they proceeded to Cumberland Head, where Arnold witnessed 20 armed British men on shore. It was clear - the enemy was in the area. They fired grapeshot at the men who receded back into the wood line. They then proceeded north to Isle la Motte, the Island named after the commander of the French Carignan-Salieres Regiment who built Fort St. Anne in 1666, Pierre de St. Paul, Sieur de la Motte. They were close to the enemy, even if they had not seen any naval vessels.
But Benedict Arnold wanted to get even closer. The ever bold Arnold proceeded north, into the Richelieu River, back into Canada, to Ile aux Tetes, today’s Ash Island. Ile aux Tetes translates to the Island of Heads. The placename of Ile aux Tetes dates back to a battle between the Abenaki First Nation and the Mohawk First Nation on or near the island in 1694. The Abenaki were successful in the battle, decapitating the heads of their Mohawk enemies and placing their heads on spikes around the perimeter of the island. This was done to discourage future Mohawk ventures into the land of the Abenaki.
Arnold and his men encountered the enemy on shore, and then retreated back to the lake. Arnold’s gamesmanship was on-point. He wanted to spook General Guy Carleton, and make him aware he was lurking and ready. He knew that if he could get Carleton to think, he could get the overly cautious commander to delay.
On September 6th, some of the men of the Boston went onshore and were ambushed by First Nations Warriors. The following day, the crew heard a commotion of voices and axes on Windmill Point in present-day Alburgh. The British forces were preparing a battery with cannon for the trek south.
Arnold’s fleet moved back to Isle la Motte awaiting the enemy. While on a patrol on the channel between Isle la Motte and Alburgh tongue, near present-day Alburgh Dunes State Park, the crew of the Liberty saw a Frenchman on the Alburgh shore. The Frenchman spoke no English, but gestured that he wanted to come aboard. The captain of the Liberty, Mathias Primier, approached cautiously. The Frenchman went about chest deep into the water, then retreated back to the beach. When he did, over 300 First Nations Warriors and Canadian regulars let out a war whoop and emerged from the wood line. Three Americans died. The Liberty returned the ambush with grapeshot. It was a reminder that the enemy was getting ready.
Preperations of the British Naval Fleet
Up north at St. Jean, Carleton and his men were building a fleet of their own. Because of the Chambly rapids, the numerous naval vessels on the St. Lawrence were unable to proceed to the southern part of the Richelieu River and to Lake Champlain. Building a new fleet would have been too time consuming. Instead, some of the vessels from the St. Lawrence were stripped down to the ribs, and transported over a log road around the rapids to St. Jean, where they were reassembled. Carleton had two schooners, the Maria and the Carleton, as well as a captured American vessel they renamed the Loyal Convert. In addition, they had almost 20 gunboats and several radeaux, or floating batteries.
Commanding the soldiers of the force was John Burgoyne, a cocky and self-assured leader who was beginning to tire of Guy Carleton’s delays. Burgoyne proposed advanced forces of light infantry and First Nations warriors to harass the Americans at Ticonderoga and Crown Point. After initially approving the plan, Carleton changed his mind, owing to a lack of provisions.
By the end of August, Carleton had a fleet ready to enter Lake Champlain. Had he done so then, he would have encountered Arnold without his row galleys, and likely made quick work of the American rag-tag fleet. But Arnold’s foray into the Richelieu River had its intended goal, and spooked Carleton to delay. He wanted to be 100% sure of his naval superiority, and ordered the construction of a massive, three masted frigate almost 90 feet long. This would be the largest naval vessel to sail on Lake Champlain up until the Battle of Plattsburgh during the War of 1812.
In an incredible feat which rivals that of the Brown Brothers’ construction of the Saratoga at Vergennes during the War of 1812, the frigate was dismantled, and reassembled at St. Jean in 23 days. She was named the Inflexible. Carleton had his clear superiority, but at the cost of valuable time.
The impressive British force was now at the ready on the northern edge of Lake Champlain. The first vessels lined up at Windmill Point, and were joined by the mighty Inflexible at Point au Fer, which had since been abandoned by the American forces. But there was already tension, especially amongst the British naval leaders who were not accustomed to taking orders by the army. Burgoyne himself was disgruntled at the crawling pace of Carleton’s advance. The Naval commander was Thomas Pringle, not to be confused with Daniel Pring who was a leader in the British naval forces at the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1814. The two did have one commonality. Probably fueled by arrogance, they did not scout the lake before the naval advance, assuming they would make quick work of any American force. This was a big mistake during both wars.
Finally, on September 30th, the row galleys from Skenesboro slowly started to arrive, easing Arnold’s concerns. They would prove of great importance for him.
October 11th, 1776
The stage was set. The American fleet consisted of 15 armed vessels with 74 guns. There was the sloop Enterprise, which would serve as the hospital ship. The two schooners, the Royal Savage and Revenge, each with 8 guns. There were 4 row galleys, the Washington with 11 guns, the Trumbull with 10, and the Congress and Lee, each with 8 guns. Rounding out the American fleet were 8 gunboats, the Boston, Connecticut, Jersey, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, and Spitfire. Each with 3 guns.
The British fleet was led by the 22 gun sloop, the Inflexible. The Maria and Carleton were both schooners, with 14 and 12 guns respectively. In addition, the radeau Thunderer had 18 guns, and the gundalow Loyal Convert, a captured American vessel, had 7 guns. Rounding out the British fleet were 28 gunboats, each with one gun.
The British were the overwhelming favorites in the upcoming naval battle. However, as was almost always the case, Arnold had a brilliant but risky plan. Just south of present-day Plattsburgh lies Valcour Island, two miles long and one mile wide. It is the fourth largest island on Lake Champlain, only behind Grand Isle, Isle la Motte, and North Hero. The island lay only ¾ of a mile from the mainland of present-day Peru, forming a narrow channel.
Arnold anchored his fleet in a crescent moon formation at the south end of the Valcour Island Channel. The British would not see the line from the north, and shallows at the midway point of the channel would prevent the larger British vessels from attacking from the North. Arnold knew that any British advance would come with a strong wind out of the north, propelling the sizable British fleet south.
This was the genius of Arnold’s plan. By anchoring his fleet inside the channel, he would force the larger British vessels to go past the southern tip of the island, turn north, and face the prevailing wind. Arnold hoped that this would level the playing field, taking the largest vessels of Carleton’s fleet out of the fight, as they would be unable to maneuver in the narrow channel facing the northerly wind. It was brilliant. But it also had its risks. Arnold essentially backed himself into a corner, giving him no escape route.
It was a homefield advantage for Arnold, much like MacDonough’s similar naval alignment in Cumberland Bay in 1814 during the Battle of Plattsburgh.
But Arnold worried the British fleet might sail right by his navy and continue south without engaging. He had to entice them into the channel. He sent out the Royal Savage as bait.
The Naval Battle Begins
On October 11th, making great strides south due to a strong northerly wind, the British fleet spotted the Royal Savage as they crossed Cumberland Head. The Inflexible and Carleton made the turn hoping to engage the Royal Savage.
But there was a flaw in Arnold’s plan. The Royal Savage had to face the same strong northerly wind to get back to the American line. As they passed Petit Island, a small rock outcropping just off of Valcour Island, the Royal Savage lay motionless. She took a pounding from the Inflexible, shattering her bowsprit. Knowing he had no other choice, the captain of the Royal Savage ran her aground, so the men could escape onto Valcour Island. There was a constant fire on the Royal Savage as the crew desperately tried to escape. At this point, the British gunboats that had been focused on the Royal Savage were engaged by Arnold’s fleet.
Meanwhile, British forces landed on the island in an attempt to free the vessel and use it against the American fleet. Onboard, they found Benedict Arnold’s papers, as this had originally been Arnold’s flagship before he switched to the Congress. But the American line focused the firing on the Royal Savage, causing the British to abandon the idea of capturing the vessel. This was not the start that Arnold wanted.
But Arnold’s plan was working. The largest British vessels were unable to move into the channel, leaving the fighting up to the smaller gunboats. The British gunboats were sent to the American line, with a ferocious naval battle well underway. The action was described as a continual roar of thunder. Carleton, aboard the Maria, was almost a mile away from the action. According to British physician Dr. Knox, a cannon ball roared just feet away from Carleton’s head. This was likely aimed by Arnold. Carleton turned to Dr. Knox and stated very calmly, “Well, doctor, how do you like a sea fight?”
The battle raged on, with the vessels just hundreds of feet from one another. Those experienced British sailors were actually quite impressed by the American naval skill, which was all due to Benedict Arnold’s tireless training. He had taken men with little to no naval experience, and turned them into a respectable fighting navy.
Aboard the vessel New York, a six-pound cannon exploded, killing Lieutenant Thomas Rogers instantly, and injuring another man, a friend of the Lieutenant, in his arm. Most of the remnants of the exploded cannon remained at the bottom of the Valcour Island Channel until the early and mid 2000’s. The last piece of this cannon was discovered and raised in July of 2026. The wife of Lieutenant Rogers placed a gravestone at the Westford, Massachusetts churchyard, with the inscription “Momento mori” “This Monoment [sic] is Erected to the memory of Lieu Thomas Rogers by Mis Molly his Sorowfull [sic] widow He was Killed by the Splitting of a Cannon on the Lake Champlain on the 11th day of Oct 1776 in the Continental Army in the serves [sic] of his Country and in the caus [sic] of Liberty Aged 26 years and 9 months”
On the side of the British, a young and upcoming naval commander named James Dacres was able to skillfully maneuver the Carleton, against the wind, into the Valcour Island channel. The other vessels were not able to follow suit. Dropping anchor, he began a calculated fire on the American line, finally giving the British gunboats some assistance. A cannon from the American line fractured some rigging and knocked Dacres unconscious. He was seemingly dead, and was just about to be thrown overboard when another British commander, Edward Pellew, realized there was still life in the poor man. He was brought below deck. The Carleton, almost exactly in the middle of the crescent-shaped American formation, took a beating and was taking on water. Pellew fought valiantly, and would go on to fame as an Admiral in the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.
The Carleton was eventually towed to safety. As the battle raged on, the wind died down, and the mighty Inflexible, the 90 foot long three masted frigate, finally made it to the front lines. As she moved into position, the American forces looked in awe. They had survived and held their own to that point. But the Inflexible threatened to make quick work of the battered American fleet. She let out a barrage that echoed deafeningly throughout the valley. Her firing was devastating. However, the sun was setting over the Adirondack peaks, and nighttime saved the beleaguered American fleet.
In one last action of a hot day of battle on the cool autumn day, the British set fire to the Royal Savage, which ran aground in the opening salvo of the battle. The powder magazines made for an impressive explosion, causing the vessel to burn throughout the night.
The battle had taken its toll. Blood stained the decks of both fleets. Bodies that were unsympathetically dumped overboard, floated in the water. The wounded cried out in agony. Surgeons rushed to amputate arms and legs. Those who were lucky enough to avoid serious injury or worse were almost deaf from the continual sound of cannon fire. Both sides had to get to work repairing their battered fleets. All together, there were 120 casualties on both sides (⅔ were American). The fighting was not done, however.
Arnold's Daring Escape
As darkness descended over the lake, the British felt very optimistic, despite the lackluster start. The Americans, however, were trapped in the channel. Arnold had plenty of cause for concern. Many of his vessels were battered, including the Philadelphia, which sank to the bottom of the channel. She was found and raised in the 1930’s and eventually found a permanent home at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., where she remains on display as the oldest American naval vessel still in existence.
Arnold was trapped, and worse yet he was almost out of gunpowder. He called a council of war. Arnold had a daring plan of escape. The British had not effectively closed in on the American fleet, and there was room to escape if the American vessels hugged the shore of the mainland. Arnold in his preparation had taken depth soundings of the channel, and knew that the water was deep enough along the shore to make this daring escape.
Arnold ordered his fleet to be rowed single file in silence past the unknowing British. He had the oars greased so they would not make noise. The lanterns on the back of the vessels were painted black on three sides, so they could follow one another. Almost through miraculous intervention, a fog emerged above the water that night. It was very reminiscent of the miracle on Long Island earlier that summer. The fire from the Royal Savage had illuminated the fog, making it easier to hide the American escape. Quietly they snuck past the British fleet, hearing the shouts of British officers, and the hammering of nails for repairing the vessels. The darkness of that cold autumn night was the fleet’s greatest ally.
It worked. They snuck out undetected. They moved into the broader lake before they reached the sandy shallows around the mouth of the Au Sable River, and continued south to Schuyler Island.
As the long night gave way to sunrise, the fog was still thick on the lake. Carelton prepared his crew for what he thought would be the closing salvo, the chance to finish off Arnold and the American fleet. As the fog lifted, Carleton looked into the Valcour channel, and couldn’t believe his eyes. They were gone. There was no trace of the enemy other than the bodies and wreckage floating on the top of the lake. After the shock wore off, Careton was furious. He could not believe the enemy was allowed to slip away.
A long lasting legend in the Champlain Valley states that Carelton saw what he believed to be one of Arnold’s naval vessels in the distance. According to this legend, Carleton fired upon the vessel, only to realize as they got closer that it was a rock outcropping just off of Providence Island with a tree growing on the top. To this day, the rock outcropping is known as Carleton’s Prize. With that said, there are almost no first-hand accounts of this incident, causing some historians to doubt whether this event actually happened. That said, some divers have claimed to pull up cannon balls from the lake surrounding Carleton’s Prize.
On October 12, the wind had shifted on the lake, as it so often does, with a strong wind out of the south. Both fleets struggled to move south, and spent the day licking their wounds. The American fleet desperately regrouped at Schuyler Island. The Gondola Jersey was taking on a severe amount of water. She was beached nearby and set fire. The Lee, a cutter, was also severely damaged, and was rowed across the lake to the mouth of the Winooski River and beached. The most severely damaged was the Spitfire. She was abandoned and sunk in the deep waters of Lake Champlain. The Spitfire was discovered during an underwater archeological survey in 1997. She remains at the bottom of the lake in almost pristine condition, having landed upright. Efforts are underway to hopefully raise and preserve the vessel in the near future.
Aboard the other vessels, sails and rigging were torn to pieces. The fatigued men rowed as hard as they could, but made very little progress against the south wind, with some of the fleet now anchored off of Willsboro Point.
The Naval Battle Resumes at Split Rock
As daybreak came on October 13, two days after the fighting in the Valcour channel, the American fleet would try desperately to make it to Crown Point before the British. The notoriously fickle winds of Lake Champlain were once again showing themselves. As the American fleet was getting pelted by a southerly wind, in the distance Arnold could make out the masts of the British fleet, taking advantage of a northerly wind just a few miles to the north.
Now the enemy was less than a mile away. By the time the American fleet reached Split Rock Point, the British had caught up to them, and a running naval battle commenced. The open lake gave the more experienced British Navy the upper hand.
Arnold initially wanted to regroup at Split Rock and reengage the British fleet. But the line was never able to form, owing to the battered condition of many of the vessels. General David Waterbury aboard the Washington had the enemy at his heels. There was no chance of escape. He was forced to strike his colors and surrender.
The Enterprise, the hospital ship, continued full speed to Crown Point with the wounded. As did the Trumbull. Benedict Arnold’s vessel the Congress and four other gondolas, the Providence, New Haven, Boston, and Connecticut, began a two hour running naval battle with the approaching British fleet. The battle was once again fierce, as described by Dr. Knox.
It became clear to Arnold there was no way they were going to make it back to Crown Point. Arnold had to think on the fly. Once again, Benedict Arnold’s careful planning paid off. He knew of a nearby bay that was shallow enough for his fleet to maneuver, but was too shallow for the larger British vessels. The place was called Ferris’ Bay, named after Peter Ferris and his family who lived in the bay in present-day Panton, Vermont. Just six months earlier, Ferris and his family had been host to the congressional delegation bound for Canada, which included Benjamin Franklin. Now, the war was right at their doorstep.
Arnold's Bay in Panton, Vermont
Arnold aboard the Congress ordered the four gondolas to reverse course, and follow him into the bay to beach the vessels. The bottoms ran aground on the rocky and sandy beach. Next, Arnold ordered his men to spread the remaining gun powder along the deck to torch the 5 vessels. Then, in an act of defiance, he ordered that the flags remain flying aboard the vessels, to make clear to the enemy that they were not surrendering. Under a barrage of grapeshot, the men fled up the steep embankment. At the top of the bluff, they stood at the ready, making sure that the vessels were thoroughly destroyed to prevent capture by the British.
At this time, a controversial event took place. When the ships were set ablaze, a tremendous explosion happened when the rest of the gunpowder exploded. According to British eye witnesses, a body was thrown into the air from the explosion in a rather gruesome scene. Dr. Knox’s journal shares this event. The British circulated a report that Arnold had blown up dozens of his own sick and wounded. In fact, some early American history books who shamelessly looked to vilify the future traitor also circulated this account, using it as a supposed example of Benedict Arnold’s heartlessness and evil spirit.
However, Art Cohn, the Director Emeritus of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, uncovered evidence that exonerated Benedict Arnold from these awful claims. Squire Ferris, Peter’s son, was interviewed in the early 1800’s and shared what happened on that day. The poor individual’s name was Lieutenant Goldsmith. Arnold had ordered that he be taken ashore, along with the rest of the wounded. The gunner who ignited the powder realized his mistake too late, and actually begged to be thrown overboard. Squire shares that Arnold was very upset and emotional over this event, and had a few choice words for the gunner who’s malfeasance caused this awful scene.
Ferris’ Bay is now known as Arnold’s Bay, in present-day Panton, Vermont. It is the only place in the United States named after Benedict Arnold.
Once Arnold and his almost 200 men were satisfied the vessels were destroyed, they fled desperately to Crown Point, being guided by Peter Ferris. Many of the men stumbled around from pure exhaustion and sea legs. Arnold also recorded he was greatly fatigued, not having slept in three days. They reached Crown Point and set fire to the works. They then retreated back to Fort Ticonderoga.
Arnold and his fleet fought valiantly. They went up against the greatest naval power in the world, and held their own. But now Carleton had a clear path to Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence.
Carleton Hesitates
A British vessel approached the fort under a flag of truce. Aboard were the prisoners taken from the vessel Washington, including her captain, David Waterbury. Guy Carleton had treated the prisoners with the utmost respect, and immediately paroled them in exchange for a pledge they would not take up arms against the king again. Carleton had hoped that the lenient treatment of these prisoners would cause many more to desert the American lines.
The American leadership then made a rather amusing decision. They ordered the prisoners south, not holding them at Ticonderoga. They did not want word to spread among the American troops of the kind treatment they received from the British. Gates feared that would have killed the morale of the force knowing the British as a merciful enemy.
At Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, there were a combined 12,000 men. This made Orwell, Vermont, where Mount Independence was built, the fourth largest population center in America during the summer of 1776, behind only Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. That’s right, Orwell, Vermont, in combination with Ticonderoga, NY, was the fourth largest city in America!
The combined 12,000 strong force between Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence was an imposing site. They manned the battle stations and were at the ready for the upcoming siege. Hours passed as they waited for the first move. Those hours turned into days, and those days turned into weeks. Carleton was still waiting to make his move. Gates was absolutely puzzled. What was going on? Was this a clever ruse?
At the British camp, Carleton was in no rush to attack. With winter bearing down, he did not want to get into a prolonged siege of Fort Ticonderoga and Mount Independence. Burgoyne, who was at Crown Point, was furious at Careton’s decision not to attack.
On October 27th, two weeks after the Battle of Valcour Island, one lone vessel approached the works. A man was aboard with a spyglass exploring the works. They presumed it was General Guy Carleton himself. As the calendar turned to November, a blanket of snow covered the valley. Still no move from Carelton. Finally, on November 3rd, the news was shared that Carleton was in retreat back to Canada. The men rejoiced! Lake Champlain was still American territory. Within a month, the lake was frozen shut.
Valcour: The Naval Battle that Saved the Revolution
Benedict Arnold and his navy had saved the day. With Washington’s army fledgling in and around New York, Arnold prevented what would have been a disaster for the cause of liberty. Had Carleton been allowed to proceed south to Albany and even further, perhaps New York City, the Revolution may have been over before the year of 1777.
Best yet, The forces at Crown Point and Ticonderoga were now available to join George Washington’s camp in New Jersey just before they proceeded to Pennsylvania. With this influx of forces from Ticonderoga, along with other reinforcements, Washington launched a daring offensive, right before enlistments were to expire January 1st. Washington crossed the Delaware River with the forces from Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, and was victorious at a time he needed it the most. The Battle of Trenton was a significant moral victory that the patriot cause needed more than anything.
The Battle of Valcour Island has been criminally overlooked in our national history. The main reason being that the hero was none other than the notorious traitor, Benedict Arnold. In many of our Revolutionary War history books, the Battle of Valcour Island is lucky to get a paragraph. Even in David McCullough’s excellent book titled “1776”, the Battle of Valcour Island is not mentioned even once. But the Lake Champlain Navy saved the American cause from a potentially rebellion-ending meeting of Howe’s and Carleton’s forces at Albany. Arnold’s actions without question saved the revolution. At this time, Arnold was a household name and an American hero. That would all change in a few short years with Arnold’s fall from grace.
Some historians have brought light to the Battle of Valcour Island and its importance. Jack Kelly’s work “Valcour: the 1776 Campaign that Saved the Cause of Liberty” is a must-read. It is narrative history at its finest. Another noted naval historian, Alfred Thayer Mahan, summed it up brilliantly. “The little American Navy on Champlain was wiped out: but never had any force, big or small, lived to a better purpose or died more gloriously, for it had saved the lake for the year… That the Americans were strong enough to impose the capitulation of Saratoga, was due to the year of delay secured to them by their little navy on Lake Champlain”
Thanks to the bravery of the forces in the Northern Theater, the Revolution continued on past the “times that try men’s souls”, the long winter of 1776 into 1777. In the summer, the Northern Theater would see another invasion from Canada. That 1777 campaign would end in Saratoga, where the battle that changed the world forever took place.
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