News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-09-20
THE BATTLE OF PLATTsBUReH.
Anniversary of One of the Most Heroic
Naval Contest in American History.

On Monday, September IL, occurred
the anniversary of one of the most
heroic naval battles in American his
tory-the battle of Plattsburgh-and
it is interesting to recall the circum-
stances of it for purposes of compar
ison.
In August, 1914, the English army,
about $4,000 strong, commanded by
Sir George Provost, advanced along
the western shore of the lake to
Plattsburg, which was held by Gener-
al Macomb, with about 1900 men.
The American naval force, under Cap
tain McDunOugh, was anchored in
Plattsburgh bay. 1t consisted of
fourteen vessels of all classes, carry
ing eighty-siX guns and about $50
men. The largest vessel was the
Saratoga, twenty-six guns and PIP
men. She was built of green limb
at Vergennes, and was launched only
forty days after the first tree used in
her frame was taken from the forest.
The British squadron, under captain
Downie, consisted of 16 vessels, car
ryiDg ninety-6ve guns and about
1000 men. The largest vessel was
the Confiance, thirty-seven guns and
800 men.
At sunrise on September II the
British squadron came in sight, and
by 6 o'clock approached the Ameri-
can fleet. Fire was opened by the
Americans, which was not returned
by the enemy until the Contiance had
anchored at about 800 yards from
the American line. The first broad
side from the Confance killed or
wounded forty men on board the
Saratoga. In an hour the whole
starboard battery of the Saratoga
was disabled. She was then turned
about by means of hedges, which had
been laid from her bows, and by this
means her fresh broadside was
brought to bear on the Confiance.
The British ship, being unable to per-
form the same evolution, after an en-
gagement lasting two and one-half
hours struck her flag. Other British
vessels in succession struck their
|
twelve British gunboats hauled down
their flags, but the entire force of
American sailors being required to
keep the prizes afoat, the British
gunboats presently made off and es-
capped. The American loss in killed
and wounded was 112; that of the
British was estimated at about 200,
exclusive of prisoners. OF the ninety
five guns which they brought into
action, they lost all but twenty.
The battle of Plattsburgh was won
against superior odds, by the super
ior generalship of the American CON-
mander. In that respect it is typical
OF American seamanship, the equal
of which has appeared among the
sailors OF no other nation. But the
Plattsburgh fight ought to teach the
unwisdom of relying, in time of war,
upon suddenly Impoverished naval
armament. 1t is unpleasant to think
that eighty-four years after this me-
morablesea fight, when the struggling
republic of 1914 had grown into the
richest and potentially most power
full nation in the world, another war
was entered upon without adequate
preparation, and agents had to be
sent scurrying Throughout the ship
yards of the earth in the frantic en-
deavor to buy ships of war at any
price, although ample time had inter,
vened to build an abundance of these
in American shipyards at the nations
leisure, We may always have in our
navy commanders like McDonOugh
but it is flying in the face of Provi
dence, we'll as showing poor apprecia
ton OF naval skill, to force these
brave sailors to do their fighting il
inferior ships.