13 October 1776

In the fall of 1776, the American Revolution appeared doomed to the ignominious fate of a suppressed insurrection. The invasion of Canada had collapsed with the assault on Quebec, where General Richard Montgomery was slain, and the ocher colonial commander, Benedict Arnold, severely wounded, was forced to flee southward with his men. Determined to thrust southward up Lake Champlain, capture Albany , and split rebellious New England from the remaining colonies, Sir Guy Carleton, Governor General of Canada and the British commander, spurred the construction of a large fleet at St. Johns on the Richelieu River.
Upon hearing rumors that the British fleet had been completed and was in motion up the lake, Arnold ordered his fleet at Crown Point to set sail. Late on 11 October 1776, the two fleets met off Valcour Island. Hour after hour throughout the long afternoon the fight continued until the superior British fleet drew out of range, concl uding that the following day would see the destruction of its adversary. Resolved that there would be no surrender, Arnold guided the fleet silently by the slumbering British and made his escape up the lake. On 13 October, two days after the batrle, (he two fleets met again. As the British closed in, Arnold ordered the five remaining galleys beached. Soon after the boats were grounded, the Marines were directed to jump over board, ascend a bank on shore, and form a line in order to provide covering fire against the British while Arnold put the torch to the five vessels.

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