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.
A Description of the Engagement on Lake Champlain.
Copy of a LETTER from General Sir GUY CARLETON to Lord GEORGE GERMAIN, Principal Secretary of State for the American Department.