United States Ship Saratoga,
Off Plattsburgh, September 11th, 1814.
To the Honorable
William Jones,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
Sir: The Almighty has been pleased to grant us a signal victory on Lake Champlain, in the capture of one frigate, one brig, and two sloops-of-war of the enemy.
I have the honor to be, &c.
T. Macdonough.
Captain Macdonough to the Secretary of the Navy.
Ship Saratoga,
Plattsburgh Bay, September 13th, 1814.
To the Honorable
William Jones,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
Sir: I have the honour to give you the particulars of the action which took place on the 11th instant, on this lake.
For several days the enemy were on their way to Plattsburgh by land and water, and it being well understood that an attack would be made at the same time by their land and naval forces, I determined to await, at anchor, the approach of the latter.
At 8 a.m. the look-out boat announced the approach of the enemy. At 9, he anchored in a line ahead, at about 300 yards distance from my line; his ship was opposed to the Saratoga, his brig to the Eagle, Captain Robert Henley, his gallies, thirteen in number, to the schooner, the sloop, and a division of our gallies, one of his sloops assisting their ship and brig, the other assisting their gallies. Our remaining gallies, with the Saratoga and Eagle.
In this situation, the whole force on both sides became engaged, the Saratoga suffering much, from the heavy fire of the Confiance. I could perceive at the same time, however, that our fire was very destructive to her. The Ticonderoga, Lieutenant Commandant Cassin, gallantly sustained her full share of the action. At half-past 10 o'clock, the Eagle not being able to bring her guns to bear, cut her cable, and anchored in a more eligible position, between my ship and the Ticonderoga, where she very much annoyed the enemy, but unfortunately, leaving me exposed to a galling fire from the enemy's brig. Our guns on the starboard side being nearly all dismounted, or not manageable, a stern anchor was let go, the bower cut, and the ship winded with a fresh broadside on the enemy's ship, which soon after surrendered. Our broadside was then sprung to bear on the brig, which surrendered in about 15 minutes after.