Heath was now in the fortieth year of his age. Like many of the noted officers of the Revolution, he had been brought up in rural life, on a hereditary farm near Boston; yet, according to his own account, though passionately fond of agricultural pursuits, he had, also, almost from childhood, a great relish for military affairs, and had studied every treatise on the subject in the English language, so that he considered himself "fully acquainted with the theory of war in all its branches and duties, from the private soldier to the commander-in-chief." He describes himself to be of middling stature, light complexion, very corpulent, and bald-headed, so that the French officers who served in America compared him, in person, to the Marquis of Granby.* Such was the officer intrusted with the command of the Highland passes, and encamped at Peekskill, their portal. We shall find him faithful to his trust; scrupulous in obeying the letter of his instructions; but sturdy and punctilious in resisting any undue assumption of authority. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE Affairs on Lake Champlain-Gates at Ticonderoga-Arnold's Flotilla-Military Preparations of Sir Guy Carleton at St. John'sNautical Encounters-Gallant Conduct of Arnold and Waterbury-Carleton in Possession of Crown Point-His Return to Canada and Winter Quarters DURING his brief and busy sojourn at Peekskill, Washington received important intelligence from the Northern *Heath's Memoirs. army; especially that part of it on Lake Champlain, under the command of General Gates. A slight retrospect of affairs in that quarter is proper before we proceed to narrate the eventful campaign in the Jerseys. The preparations for the defense of Ticonderoga and the nautical service on the lake had met with difficulties at every step. At length, by the middle of August, a small flotilla was completed, composed of a sloop and schooner, each of twelve guns (six- and four-pounders), two schooners mounting eight guns each, and five gondolas, each of three guns. The flotilla was subsequently augmented, and the command given by Gates to Arnold, in compliance with the advice of Washington, who had a high opinion of that officer's energy, intrepidity, and fertility in expedients. Sir Guy Carleton, in the meantime, was straining every nerve for the approaching conflict. The successes of the British forces on the seaboard had excited the zealous rivalry of the forces in Canada. The commanders, newly arrived, were fearful the war might be brought to a close before they could have an opportunity to share in the glory. Hence the ardor with which they encountered and vanquished obstacles which might otherwise have appeared insuperable. Vessels were brought from England in pieces, and put together at St. John's; boats of various kinds and sizes were transported overland, or dragged up the rapids of the Sorel. The soldiers shared with the seamen in the toil. The Canadian farmers, also, were taken from their agricultural pursuits, and compelled to aid in these, to them, unprofitable labors. Sir Guy was full of hope and ardor. Should he get the command of Lakes Champlain and George, the northern part of New York would be at his mercy; before winter set in he might gain possession of Albany. He would then be 1 able to co-operate with General Howe in severing and subduing the northern and southern provinces, and bringing the war to a speedy and triumphant close. In despite of every exertion, three months elapsed before his armament was completed. Winter was fast approaching. Before it arrived, the success of his brilliant plan required that he should fight his way across Lake Champlain; carry the strong posts of Crown Point and Ticonderoga; traverse Lake George, and pursue a long and dangerous march through a wild and rugged country, beset with forests and morasses, to Albany. That was the first post to the southward where he expected to find rest and winter quarters for his troops.* By the month of October, between twenty and thirty sail were afloat and ready for action. The flagship (the "Inflexible") mounted eighteen twelve-pounders; the rest were gunboats, a gondola, and a flat-bottomed vessel called a radeau, and named the "Thunderer"; carrying a battery of six twenty-four and twelve six-pounders, besides howitzers. The gunboats mounted brass field-pieces and howitzSeven hundred seamen navigated the fleet; two hundred of them were volunteers from the transports. The guns were worked by detachments from the corps of artillery. In a word, according to British accounts, "no equipment of the kind was ever better appointed, or more amply furnished with every kind of provision necessary for the intended service." t ers. Captain Pringle conducted the armament, but Sir Guy Carleton was too full of zeal and too anxious for the event not to head the enterprise; he accordingly took his station * Civil War in America, vol. i., p. 212. + Idem., p. 211. They made sail early in on the deck of the flagship. The British ships, sweeping past Cumberland Head with a fair wind and flowing sail on the morning of the 11th, had left the southern end of Valcour Island astern, when they discovered Arnold's flotilla anchored behind it, in a line extending across the strait, so as not to be outflanked. They immediately hauled close to the wind, and tried to beat up into the channel. The wind, however, did not permit the largest of them to enter. Arnold took advantage of the circumstance. He was on board of the galley "Congress," and leaving the line, advanced with two other galleys and the schooner "Royal Savage," to attack the smaller vessels as they entered, before the large ones could come up. About twelve o'clock the enemy's schooner "Carleton" opened a brisk fire upon the "Royal Savage" and the galleys. It was as briskly returned. Seeing the enemy's gunboats approaching, the Americans endeavored to return to the line. In so doing, the "Royal Savage" ran aground. Her crew set her on fire and abandoned her. In about an hour the British brought all their gunboats in a range across the lower channel, within musket-shot of the Americans, the schooner "Carleton" in the advance. They landed, also, a large number of Indians on the island, to keep up a galling fire 1 1 from the shore upon the Americans with their rifles. The action now became general, and was severe and sanguinary. The Americans, finding themselves thus hemmed in by a superior force, fought with desperation. Arnold pressed with his galley into the hottest of the fight. The "Congress" was hulled several times, received seven shots between wind and water, was shattered in mast and rigging, and many of the crew were killed and wounded. The ardor of Arnold increased with his danger. He cheered on his men by voice and example, often pointing the guns with his own hands. He was ably seconded by Brigadier-general Waterbury, in the "Washington" galley, which, like his own vessel, was terribly cut up. The contest lasted throughout the day. Carried on as it was within a narrow compass, and on a tranquil lake, almost every shot took effect. fire of the Indians from the shore was less deadly than had been expected; but their whoops and yells, mingling with the rattling of the musketry and the thundering of the cannon, increased the horrors of the scene. Volumes of smoke rose above the woody shores, which echoed with the unusual din of war, and for a time this lovely recess of a beautiful and peaceful lake was rendered a perfect pandemonium. The The evening drew nigh, yet the contest was undecided. Captain Pringle, after a consultation with Sir Guy Carleton, called off the smaller vessels which had been engaged, and anchored his whole squadron in a line as near as possible to the Americans, so as to prevent their escape; trusting to capture the whole of them when the wind should prove favorable, so that he could bring his large vessels into action. Arnold, however, sensible that with his inferior and crippled force all resistance would be unavailing, took ad |