Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-11-03

navy ana Nelson pronounced IL me most
bold and daring act of the age Some
histories state, as does the Vermont COY /
ernor and Council that Macdonough WAS
captured on the Philadelphia, but such !
was not tho fact. From the war withl
rrpoli down 20 the fan OF 1879 when :
MacDonough took command Of the boats !
on Lake Champlain his life was that OF
4 regular naval officer and sailor. lie |
was furloughed and made several voyages |
in tho merchant service. on his arrival =
on Lake Champain MacDonough began
at once to collect men, ammunition and
supplies but during the fall OF 1sl2 and
the summer Of 1918 little was accomplish I
ed. The British controlled the north end
Of the lake and Macdonougs seat Lieut. |
Sidney Smith with two sloops, tho Eagle
and GrOwloiS to drive the enemy down
tho lake, but Smith venturod too far and
lost both Shops In 1874 the British or
gardzed 4 force in Canada to drive the
Americans from the lake and effect d
connection with New York by the way OF
the Hudson. Macdonough purchased the
Rising sun ard called her the Preblc
and also the steamboat Vermont. which
he rechristened the Tic0nderoga. lie then
, began the construction OF other vessels
at NorFonncs on the otter Creek. Here
he completed n fleet May -, 1918. and
dropped down 20 the mouth OF the creek
where he repulsed the British who at
tackled him. Learning Of more building
. on the part Of the enemy MacDonough
built still another vessel which was
launched - days after the laying OF the
, keel. including Sundays, whom tins last
vessel was completed MacDonough
crossed to plattsburg Pay whore. on
September H. 1914 he mot the British
4
n it. MacDonough's fleet consisted OF the
: Eagle Saratoga, Ticonderoga, Prcble,
n four small and six large gs.leys, nhilo
r that OF the British was made up Of the
= Confance, Linnet, Chubb. Finch, five
- small and seven large galley Mac
y, donouEhs force aggregated fourteen yes
y. sells of 24o2 tons and S. men and the
n British force sixteen vessels of 2, io2 tons
y and 9T men. Much credit has been given
q. Macdonough for the manner in which lie
= anchored his ships from Cumberland
- Head across tho bay toward Crab Isla I'd
y and secured them with springs and
Hedges so that at a critical moment in
# the battle he was able to swing She Sara
:, toga around and bring IL frcsh broldsidc
r. to bear upon the British Confancc. a
manouevor attempted by the British. but
g., because of their lack of forethougnt
y W ttlNQl SAEttS. W ilifN bitt naval tl-
N lEageIn",t was going on General Provost
e. engaged tho 200 militia OF the Ame-i-
10 cans ON shore with his 1900 British reg
,e uars. but on learning Of tho disaster 70
u the feet the British forces withdrew
leaving the Americans in uudisputel pos
y session of the northern border. Mac
r. donoUgh's victory was the beginning OF
, the end Of the war. Great as Vas the
h. battle Of lake Eric, the battle Of Lake
20 ChaUplain was greater. Nor does history
o. furnish many examples Of greater sever
m ty. Captain Downie OF the British I!cct
,e was among the killed, when the battle
II ceased hardly mast was standing IN
to either feet and an Old sailor who had
- been with Nelson at Trafalgar declared
H. that was but flea bite to this II
r., Macdonough belongs the distinction o!
Ia being the only naval commander wiz
lie has ever defeated a larger ncot with a
,s smaller one. The Legislature Of Vermont
in passed a resolution OF thanks TO Mac
~ donouSh and gave him 1909 acres of land
no on Cumberland Head. New York gave
ct him 100 acres OF land ~ the town OF
lo Sterling. Delaware gave him an elegant
% sword and service Of plate while Con
-, gress caused a gold medal to be STRUCK
- emblematiC of the battle. After sperd.
. ing the intervening time in general duty
-, Macdonouch in April, 1918 took command
49, Of the frIgate Guerrero and after a WOW
- age TO Russia joined the Mcditerra near
iieet His health failed and he died or
board the brig Edwin while on his way
10 home November 10, lS&. His funeral il
49, New York was one OF the events of tn,
- time. Hc was buried at Midletown
- Conn, beside his wife who died few
months earlier They had ninc children
t...
f., his death,
ar Until broken by soasc Mac1ououel
IN was straight. vigorous, athletic. He wa
hn an all around sailor OF the old man-of
-, wars man type when self reliance and re
- sourccfuness in the hour Of trial game,
,, the victory. He was quick to discern tn
- critical moment aud act with decision
~ Men arc sometimes deemed brilliant be
a., cause their opinions are quickly formed
80 but conjecture is not 70 he confounde,
Va with logical reasoning, nor i'm
pressions with deliberate Judgment
- The correctness OF the conclusion
~ is the test Of the mental oper
~ alton. and Macdonou6h was unerrine
~ He commanded rather by hts exampl
,H' and the force Of his character, than h,
NJ virtue OF his rank. He was loved b.
va officers and mon. popular with those VIII
-"T Independent himself he abhorrcd oppres
sion. loyal TO his country and fearless Il
90 battle he was charitable TO the van
~ pushed and p!tied the suffering. iii
w. character was dovout and religious. /
~ reporting the battle to tho navy depart
=" ment he declared that The Almighty ha
40 been pleased to grant us n signal vic
1t" tory
'"' "IIe added distinction TO his service
W" 'N glory TO his country, lustre to lis ia
'h and nobility to all mankind"
In
,os W. II. CROCKETTS PAPER
in The last paper on the programme wa
pc by Walter H. Crockett of ST. Adams o
IGN "lncidonts ana Anecdotes OF Revolution
n airy Soldiers" Mr.. Crockett said in part
vas In accordance with n resolution adopte
by Mt the last annual meeting of the NeI
zip, mont Society, Sons OF the American Rove
yer luton, which authorized an attempt to as
rir- certain as nearly rs might he possible III
He number of revolutionary soldiers buried /
emf this state n request for Information wa
lei made by the secretary through the Vel
ate mont newspapers Several hundred "
bv plies were received from nearly ever
ing section of the United States, other name
ar have been secured from Vermont historic