Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-07-30
TIE LATE WAR.
BATTLE or LAKE CIIAMpLAIN AND PLATTs
ErRG: N\COMB AND MACDoNOt,fU

BrRG; MACOMB AND MACDONOUGU,
As Macomb, like Macdonoueh, is now
numbered with the dead, those who take a
proper interest in the American Army and
Navy may he gratilicd with brief notice
| of the brilliant services rendered to their
country BY forces under their command at
the Battle Of Plattsburg and Lake Cham
plain. In noticing the events of 1914,
Hale refers to the drafts of troops taken from
the Champaign frontiers for the purpose Of
reinforcing the troops under Brown and Scott,
engaged along the Niagara frontier. lie
then adds
The march Of the troops from plausburg
having left that post almost deicncclcss, the
enemy determined to attack it by land, at
the same time, to attempt the destruction of
the American tlotilla on Lake Champaign.
On the Sd of September, Sir George Provost
the Governor General of CANADA, with an
army of 1900 men, most of whom had scrv-
ed IN the wars OF Europe, entered the ter
rltorlcs of the |. States. AS soon as his
object was ascertaincd, Brieadicr General
Macomb, the commander Of Plattsburr, cal
led to his aid the militia of New York and
Vermont, who, with alacri,y and without
distinction of party, obcycd the call
On the 9th the enemy arrived at riaits-
burg, which is situated near Lake Champ
lain, on the northerly bank ofthc small river
Saranac. On their approach, the American
troops, who were posted on the opposite
bank, tore upithe planks of the bridges, with
which they formed slight brcastworks, and
prepared to dispute the passage of the stream.
Several attempts to cross it were made by
the enemy, but they were uniformly defeated.
From this time, until the lith, the British
army were employed in erecting batteries,
while the American forces were every hour
augmented by the arrival of volunteers and
militia
Early in the morning of that day, the Bril-
fish squadron, commanded by Commodore
Downie, appeared off the harbor of PEtts.
burg, where that of the United States, COM
mandcd by Commodore Macdonoueh, Law at
anchor prepared for battle. The former
carried nncty-tivo Guns, and was manned
with upwards of IA 1000 men, the latter car
ried eighty-six guns, and was manned with
$40 men.
AT nine o'clock the battle commenced
Seldom has the ocean witnessed a more fil-
rious encounter than now took place on the
bosom OF this transparent and peaceful lake
Al the same moment, the enemy on land
began heavy cannonade upon the American
lines, and attempted, al different places &c
cross the Saranac.
At a ford above the village the strife wa,
hot and deadly. AS often as the enemy adj.
vanced into the water, the y received DIES.
tructivc fire from the militia, and their deat
bodies iloated down the stream literally Grim
soned with blood.
Al half past eleven, the shout of victory
, heard along the American lines, announce,
the result of the battle on the lake. A So
cond British squadron had yielded to tn
proves Of the American scamen. The or,
, animated to Drawer deeds their brethren Of
land. Fainter become the efforts of the enc
, my. In the afternoon, they withdrew t
their entrcnclinents.-In the night, the
/; began precipitaie retreat, and had fle
| eight miles before their departure was know
| in the American camp.
Uponthc lake, the American loss was llO
2 the British 1914, besides prisoners. On land
: the American loss was 1l9; that of the Bri
G fish was estimated at $500. In the latte
number, however, were included more tina
five hundred British soldiers, who, prcfcrrin
: America to their native country, deserte
from the retrealing army. With these splen
t didvctores closed the comgoign on the north
5 ern frontier.