Editing Battle of Valcour Island (section)

==Battle==
[[File:ValcourIslandMap1776Detail.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.35|alt=The American ships are shown lined up between the western shore and Valcour Island. Near the southern tip of the island lies ''Royal Savage'', which has run aground. ''Carleton'' is nearby, and twenty British gunboats are lined up from there to the shore, facing the American line. Further south are the British ships ''Inflexible'', ''Maria'', and ''Thunderer''. Lines indicate the path taken by the Americans when they escape the night after the battle, hugging the western shore, while the British ships are lined up across the opening of the bay.|Detail from the map shown below highlighting the scene of the action]]

Carleton's fleet, commanded by Captain [[Thomas Pringle (Royal Navy officer)|Thomas Pringle]] and including 50&nbsp;unarmed support vessels, sailed onto Lake Champlain on October 9.<ref name="Stanley137">[[#Stanley|Stanley (1973)]], p. 137</ref> They cautiously advanced southward, searching for signs of Arnold's fleet. On the night of October 10, the fleet anchored about {{convert|15|mi|km}} to the north of Arnold's position, still unaware of his location.<ref name="Stanley141"/> The next day, they continued to sail south, assisted by favorable winds. After they passed the northern tip of Valcour Island, Arnold sent out ''Congress'' and ''Royal Savage'' to draw the attention of the British. Following an inconsequential exchange of fire with the British, the two ships tried to return to Arnold's crescent-shaped firing line. However, ''Royal Savage'' was unable to fight the headwinds, and ran aground on the southern tip of Valcour Island.<ref name="Miller173">[[#Miller|Miller (1974)]], p. 173</ref>  Some of the British gunboats swarmed toward her, as Captain Hawley and his men hastily abandoned ship. Men from ''Loyal Convert'' boarded her, capturing 20&nbsp;men in the process, but were then forced to abandon her under heavy fire from the Americans.<ref name="Bratten60_1">[[#Bratten|Bratten (2002)]], pp. 60–61</ref> Many of Arnold's papers were lost with the destruction of ''Royal Savage'', which was burned by the British.<ref name="Miller173"/><ref name="Stanley142">[[#Stanley|Stanley (1973)]], p. 142</ref>

[[File:Battle of Valcour Island, 1776 RCIN 734022.jpg|thumb|The action shortly after ''Royal Savage'' ran aground]]

The British gunboats and ''Carleton'' then maneuvered within range of the American line. ''Thunderer'' and ''Maria'' were unable to make headway against the winds, and did not participate in the battle, while ''Inflexible'' eventually came far enough up the strait to participate in the action. Around 12:30&nbsp;pm, the battle began in earnest, with both sides firing broadsides and cannonades at each other, and continued all afternoon. ''Revenge'' was heavily hit; ''Philadelphia'' was also heavily damaged and eventually sank around 6:30&nbsp;pm. ''Carleton'', whose guns wrought havoc against the smaller American [[gundalow]]s, became a focus of attention. A lucky shot eventually snapped the line holding her broadside in position, and she was seriously damaged before she could be towed out of range of the American line. Her casualties were significant; eight men were killed and another eight wounded.<ref name="Miller174">[[#Miller|Miller (1974)]], p. 174</ref> The young [[Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth|Edward Pellew]], serving as a [[midshipman]] aboard ''Carleton'', distinguished himself by ably commanding the vessel to safety when its senior officers, including its captain, Lieutenant [[James Richard Dacres (1749–1810)|James Dacres]], were injured.<ref name="Hamilton157">[[#Hamilton|Hamilton (1964)]], p. 157</ref> Another lucky American shot hit a British gunboat's magazine and the vessel exploded.<ref name="Miller175">[[#Miller|Miller (1974)]], p. 175</ref>

[[File:ValcourIslandMap1776Overview.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.35|1776 map of Northern [[Lake Champlain]]; detail shown above is outlined in red.|alt=See previous maps for geography.]]

Toward sunset, ''Inflexible'' finally reached the action. Her big guns quickly silenced most of Arnold's fleet. The British also began landing [[Indigenous peoples in Canada|Native allies]] on both Valcour Island and the lakeshore, in order to deny the Americans the possibility of retreating to land. As darkness fell, the American fleet retreated, and the British called off the attack, in part because some boats had run out of ammunition.<ref name="Miller175"/> Lieutenant James Hadden, commanding one of the British gunboats, noted that "little more than one third of the British Fleet" saw much action that day.<ref name="Stanley142"/>