thern provinces, leaving thereby the latter to fink under the joint weight of both armies, or to accept of fuch terms as they could obtain, without the participation of the others. Nor could General Washington attempt to hold any poft in New York or the Jerfeys, with fuch a fuperiority of force as already oppreffed him in front, and General Carleton's army at his back. The fucceffes of their fellows on the fide of New York, increased the impatience, and excited the jealoufy of this army, every one apprehending that the war would be brought to an end, before he could have an opportunity of fharing in the honour of that happy event.

With all this ardour, and the moft unremitting induftry, it was not until the month of October, that the fleet was in a condition to feek the enemy on Lake Champlain. The force was very confifiderable with refpect to the place and fervice, extraordinary in regard to the little time fpent in its formation, and fuch as, a very few ages ago, would have been deemed formidable even upon the European feas. The hip Inflexible, which may be confidered as Admiral, had been re-conftructed at St. John's, from whence the failed in 28 days after laying her keel, and mounted 18 twelve pounders. One schooner mounted 14, and another 12, fix pounders. A flatbottomed radeau carried fix 24, and fix 12 pounders, befides howitzers; and a gondola, 7 nine pounders, Twenty fmaller veffels, under the denomination of gunboats, carried brafs field pieces from 9 to 24 pounders, or were armed with howitzers. Some

long-boats were furnished in the fame manner. About an equal number of large boats acted as tenders. Thofe we have taken notice of, were all intended for, or appertaining to battle; we omit the vaft number destined for the tranfportation of the army, with its flores, artillery, baggage and provifions.

The armament was conducted by Captain Pringle, and the fleet navigated by above 7c0 prime feamen, of whom 200 were volunteers from the tranfports, who after having rivalled thofe belonging to the fhips of war in all the toil of preparation, now boldly and freely partook with them in the danger of the expedition. The guns were ferved by detachments of men and officers belonging to the corps of artillery. In a word, no equipment of the fort was ever better appointed, or more amply furnifhed with every kind of provifion neceffary for the intended fervice.

The enemy's force was in no degree equal, either with refpect to the goodnefs of the veffels, the number of guns, furniture of war, or weight of metal. Senfible, though they were, of the neceffity of preferving the dominion of the Lakes, and aided in that defign by the original force in their hands, with a great advantage in point of time for its increase, their intentions in that refpect were counteracted by many effential, and fome irremediable deficiencies.. They wanted timber, artillery, fhip-builders, and all the materials neceffary for fuch an equipment. Carpenters, and all others concerned in the bufinefs of fhipping, were fully engaged at the fea ports [A] 2

in

in the conflruction and fitting out of privateers, whilst the remotenefs, and difficulty of communication, rendered the fupply of bulky materials extremely tedious. When we confider the difficulties on their part, we think it not just to deny the Americans the praife, of having combated, and in part overcome them, with an affiduity, perfeverance, and fpirit, which did not in the least fall fhort of what had been employed against them. For their fleet amounted to 15 veffels of different kinds, confiiting of two schooners, one floop, one cutter, three gallies, an eight gondolas. The principal fchooner mounted 12 fix and four pounders. They were commanded by Benedict Arnold, who was now to fupport upon a new element, that renown which he had acquired on land in the Canada cxpedition.

General Carleton was too full of zeal, and too anxious for the event, not to head the British arnament, and having proceeded up the Lake, difcovered oa. 11. the enemy's fleet drawn 1776. up with great judgment, being very advantageously polted, and forming a ftrong line, to defend the paffage between the ifland of Valicour and the western main. Indeed they had at the beginning placed themfelves with to much fkill behind the island, that an accident only difcovered their pofition. The King's fquadron, without this feasonable difcovery, would have left them behind; an event, which if it had happened, might have been attended with the molt ferious confequences. It is faid, that the unexpected fight of a three matted fhip of fuch force, upon the Lake, throw the

enemy into the utmost, and most visible confternation. It does not feem, however, probable, that a matter of fuch public notoriety in Canada, fhould have been so long with-held from them.

A warm action enfued, and was vigorously fupported on both fides. for fome hours; but the wind being unfavourable, fo that the fhip Inflexible, and fome other veffels of force could not be worked up to the enemy, the weight of the action fell upon the fchooner Carleton and the gun-boats, which they fuftained with the greatest firmnefs, fuch extraordinary efforts of refolution being displayed both by men and officers, as merited and received the highest applaufe from their commanders. It is to he prefumed, that when fo much praife was due and given to the conduct and valour of a fuperior force on our fide, the enemy muft not have acted their part amifs.

The detachment belonging to the corps of artillery, were highly diftinguished, and did most effential fervice in the gun-boats. But the fame impediments ftill continuing, which prevented their being feconded by the other veffels, Captain Pringle, with the approbation of the General, thought it neceffary for the prefent, to withdraw thofe that were engaged from the action. At the approach of night, he brought the whole fleet to anchor in a line, and as near as poffible to the enemy, in order to prevent their retreat.

In this engagement the best fchooner belonging to the enemy was burnt, and a gondola carrying three or four guns funk, from whence we may form fome reafonable conjecture of the execution

done upon their other veffels. Being now fully fenfible of their inferiority, they took the opportunity which the darkness of the night afforded, of endeavouring to escape from their prefent imminent danger, hoping to obtain fhelter and protection at Crown Point. Arnold concerted and executed this defign with ability, and fortune feemed at firft fo favourable to his purpose, that they were out of fight by the next morning. The chace being, how ever, continued without intermiffion both on that and the fucceeding day, the wind, and other circumstances peculiar to the navigation of the Lake, which had been at firft in favour of the Americars, became at length otherwife, fo that they were overtaken and brought to action a few leagues fhort of Crown Point, about noon on the 13th.

A very warm engagement enfued, and continued about two hours, during which trofe veffels that were most a-head, pushed on with the utmost fpeed, and pafing Crown Point, efcaped to Ticonderoga; but two, gallies and five gondolas which remained with Arnold made a defperate refiftance. During this action, the Wath ington galley, with Waterburg, a Brigadier General, and the fecond in command, on board, ftruck, and was taken. Arnold, at length, finding it was impoffible to with stand the fuperiority of force, fkill, and weight of metal, with which he was overborne, and finding himfelf but ill feconded by the Captains of fome of his veffels, determined that his people fhould not become prifoners, nor the veffels a prey to the enemy. He

executed this defign with equal refolution and dexterity, and run the Congrefs galley, in which himself was, with the five gondolas, on fhore in fuch a manner, as to land his men fafely and blow up the veffels, in fpite of every effort that was used to prevent both.

Lofs and defeat were so far from producing their ufual effect with refpect to Arnold, that his conduct in this command raised his character ftill higher than it was before with his countrymen. They faid that he not only acted the part of a brave foldier, but that he alfo amply filled that of an able naval commander. That the most experienced feaman could not have found a greater variety of resources, by the dexterity of manœuvre, evolution, and the most advantageous choice of fituation, to compenfate for the want of force, than he did; that when his veffels were torn almoft to pieces, he retreated with the fame refolution that he fought, and by the happiest and molt critical judgment, prevented his people and them from falling into the hands of the enemy. But they chiefly gloried in the dangerous attention he paid to a nice point of honour, in keeping his flag flying, and not quitting his galley til fhe was in flames, left the enemy fhould have boarded and ftruck it.

Thus was Lake Champlain recovered, and the enemy's force nearly deftroyed, a galley, and three fmall veffels being all that efcaped to Ticonderoga. The enemy, upon the rout of their fleet, having fet fire to the houles, and deftroyed every thing which they could not carry off, at Crown Point, evacuated that place, and [4] 3

retired

retired to their main body at Ticonderoga. Gen. Carleton took poffeffion of the ruins, where he was foon joined by the army. As he continued there till towards the end of the month, and, befides feveral reconnoitring parties, pushed on at one time frong de tachments on both fides of the Lake, who approached within a fmall diftance of Ticonderoga, at the fame time that veflels appear ed within cannon fhot of the works, to examine the nature of the channel, and found its depth, little doubt can be entertained that he had it in contemplation to attempt that place. The ftrength of the works, the difficulty of ap.. proach, the countenance of the enemy, and the ignorance of their number, with other cogent reafons, prevented this defign from taking place.

It was evident that this poft could not be forced in its prefent ftate, without a very confiderable lofs of blood, whilft the benefit arifing from fuccefs would be comparatively nothing. The feason was now too far advanced to think of paffing Lake George, and of expofing the army to the perils of a winter campaign, in the inhofpitable, and impracticable wilds to the fouthward. As Ticonderoga could not be kept during the winter, the most that could be expected from fuccefs, would be the reduction of works, more indebted to nature than art for their ftrength, and perhaps the taking of fome cannon; whilst the former would be reftored, and the latter replaced by the enemy, before the army could interrupt their proceedings in the enfuing fum

be obftinate, although the army were in the end fuccesful, it would probably thereby be fo much weakened, that all profpect of advantage in the future campaign would, in a great meafure, be annihilated. The difficulty, perhaps impoffibility, of keeping open the communication with Canada, and fubfifting the army during the winter was obvious. General Carleton therefore reimbarked the army without making any attempt, and returning to Canada, cantoned them for the winter in the best manner the country afforded.

The

It is fit that we fhould now turn our attention to the important tranfactions in the South. We faw towards the conclufion of the laft campaign, that Lord Cornwallis had not only overrun the Jerfeys, but that the Delaware was the only apparent obftacle, which feemed capable of retarding the progrefs of his army, in the reduction of Philadelphia and the adjoining provinces. American army was indeed no more. It is faid that the greatest number which remained embodied did not exceed 2500 or 3000 men. This was all that remained of an army, which at the opening of the campaign amounted, as it is faid, to at least twenty-five thousand. There are fome who reprefent it as having been at that time much ftronger. The term of their engagement being expired, which, along with the obligation of duty, discharged all apprehension of dif grace, there was no keeping together, at the heel of a ruinous campaign, troops broken and difpirited, equally unnacuftomed to fubordination, and to a long abfence from their countries and fa

milies.