The Republican journal., 1911-01-05
McDonough's Victory on Lake
Champlain.

In my last l gave Perry's victory on
Lake Erie. Notwithstanding the defeat
of the British at that time and place,
when our naval forces under the intrepid
Perry sent them whirling back to Can
ada, they still had hopes of subjugating
the territory along the borders of the
Great Lakes and driving our ships from
them as a naval power. So the next
year they organized a still greater force
and advanced upon Plattsburg, New
York, by both land and sea, or land and
water, via Lake Champlain. If you will
look upon the map you will see that Lake
Champlain divides the States of New
York and Vermont. 1t is 120 miles long
and but nine miles wide in the widest
place. The lower part of the lake ex-
tends for six miles into British territory
so that both sides of the lake for a dis
lance of six miles on either shore are in
Canada and the foot of the lake is but
a short distance from the city of Mon
treal. Two rivers are outlets from Lake
Champlain and empty into the st. Law
renee. viz, the Sorrel and the Richelieu.
Whether the British fleet came into this
lake through these rivers or were built
on the lake | am unable to learn. But
this we do know, that the American
ships were built there for the reason
that there was no other place for them
to be built and some of them were built
in mighty short order. Indeed, 1t is said
that one of them was converted from
tree into ship in eighteen days.
In the summer of 1914 the American
forces under the command OF General
Alexander Macomb We're stationed at
Plattsburg, which is on the south shore
OF Lake Champlain.
Early in September the British forces
set out from Canada to capture this
place, and also our small army, having
not the least doubt of their ability 10 do
so; and not only that, but to utterly de-
stroy our feet of ships. The land forces
consisted of l6, 900 men under the COM
mand of General Sir George Provost and
fhe naval force consisted of eight ships
carving 96 guns and LOCO men under
command of Admiral Downie, British
hero of renowr. Opposed to them Cen
aral Macomb had about 5000 men, all
raw recruits, and McDonough had nine
vessels with so guns and 800 men. 1t is
but proper to state that General Provost
arrived in front of Plattsburg five days
before his naval force, and instead OF
making the attack at once he waited for
Downie's fleet to come up. Gen. Ma
comb retreated across the river and for
titled his position and the recruits began
to come in, so that by the time the Brit
ish fleet got there the woods were full of
them. They We're posted behind hedges
and trees and stumps and in bitches and
were able to give Provost very warm
reception. So confident were the enemy
of destroying McDonough's fleet that a
large number of non-combatants accom-
panied the British feet in boats to see
the fun. But they soon found their mis-
take and quickly stole away, rejoicing at
their escape from destruction as much as
they would had they been permitted to
witness the destruction Of our ships.
On the morning of September II, 1874.
McDonough's fleet lay at anchor in line
of battle. The lookout reported from
the masthead that the British fleet was
in sight, coming around Cumberland
Head. 1t was Sunday morning, and all
hands were called to muster for divine
worship on board the flagship. The spe-
cial prayer, read by Commodore MELON
ough, was as follows: "Most powerful
and glorious Lord, God, the Lord of
Hosts. who ruleth and commandeth all
things, Thou stitch on the throne Judg-
ing right and therefore we make our ad-
dress to thy Divine Majesty in this, our
necessity. that thou wouldst take our
care into thine own hands and judge be-
tween us and our enemies. Stir up thy
strength, @ Lord, and come and help US,
for thou givest not always the battle to
the strong but canst save by many or by
few. O let not our sins now cry out
against us for vengeance, but hear US,
thy poor servants, begging mercy and
imploring help and that thou wouldst be
a defence unto US against the face of the
enemy. Make it appear that thou art
our Saviour and mighty to deliver US,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.
1t is related that at the very moment
that the flagship was being cleared for
action, time when all sailors, like old
Romans, are looking for signs and super
stitions, cock flew upon one OF the gun
carriages, tapped his wings and crowed.
This was taken as signal of defiance
and of victory by the ships crew, and
they cheered Justify.
Omitting many of the details OF the
engagement as uninterestlng | will say
that on Sunday morning, September IL,
1914. the battle for the possession, or
the preservation, of that portion of our
fair land and the supremacy of arms be-
gan on both land and sea. In the line OF
hattie the Confiance. the British flag