The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-06
The fight on the lake.
The fight the lake.
Nation, New York and Vermont Will
Participate i'm Centenary of Brilliant
Victory Over British

crucial contest between MacdonOugh's
fleet and the British squadron under
Capt. Downie. Upon Downie's success
hinged the possible advance of Sir
George Prevosts invading army
Downie was to safeguard his line of
communication with Canada and to pro-
'tect the rear of the English from at
tack as they advanced trumphantly
southwark
Would that we could tell in detail the
whole story of Au,cdonoughs foresight
and the manner IN which he created a
battle squadron in an unprumiSinS re-
ginu. We must remember that our
naval force upon Lake Champlain in
1913 was limited to two small sloopS.
and these were lost because the eager
ness of the Yankee crews carried them
in pursuit of three British gunhoIts
until caught in the presence of greatly
superior force. where they were fought
until fighting was no longer possible.
| with the loss of these vessels Mac
dpuuugh sought to make good the sacrt-
hce by seiz.ng a merchant sloop. which
he turned into a war vessel by fitting
her with seven long nine Founders. H.
named her th" l'rrhi". Tn LITTLE craft
though not brought into action in 1913.
undoubtedly served to deter the enemy
! advance that season. Spears, who Ia
| given us one of the very best account
of this epoch of the War of 1872. paints
an impressive p.ctur" of the situate"
confronting Macdonoush.
Then as fan came on he repaired
| the village of NcrScnncs, on the otter
| Creek. seven miles up from the lake, b.
| Vermont. Ncrgcnncs had brisk com
| muuity in thos" DAYS. There were an
| iron foundry and rolling mill and a
wire factory there. besides sawmills ana
"A lot of other industries. tn" whole de-
pendent on the water power found In th'
| falls of the creek. Mhcdun"uSh found
| there just the workmru needed, and t."
| insure the control Of this gateway to the
| American Union during the next season
he laid, early in the spring, the keel OF
| n full rugged ship. a corvette, To WhIch
| he gave the significant name of sara
| tnga. The forests furnished timber in
| abundance. the rolling mills made the
bar iron for fastenings, and the foundry
turned out no less than III tons OF shot
for the great guns.
Then a vessel that had been built as
| a merchant steamer was taken for the
| Use of the Government. and because her
| machinery got out of order at every trlp
1t was removed and she was rugged as Il
schooner under the name of Ticon-
| derOga,
"Wlth the melting of the ice came
| the news that the British intended |"
come to the Otter and destroy the nc"
| ships. \ fort that mounted seven l.
Founders on naval carriages had been
| erected to command the mouth OF outer
Creek, and MlCdOuough sent a party ui
scamrn to reinforce the militia that
manned this battery. 1t was on May ! !
1914, that the British appeared. There
were eight gunboats, each with lone
.un presumably eighteen and twenty
four puunders), and bomb sloop with
"A big mortar on her deck. The battery
ON shore opened fire as soon as the
enemy came within range, and the
enemy replied for an hour, when they
gave II up and retired
"a few days later Macdonoug'
brought his new ship, the Saratoga, the
rebuilt Ticonderosa and the slool
; Prcblc out of the creek, and with hi