09/16/2026
25 years ago- can you believe it? And America 250 Activities YOU can attend
By Chris Kelly, town historian in Schaghticoke
It seems incredible to me that it has been 25 years since the horrible events of September 11, 2001. For anyone more than about thirty years old, that is one of those events that you know exactly where you were and what you were doing when you heard about the plane hitting the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. And you undoubtedly remember the rest of that day and the weeks that followed. I could say a lot- but to get your thoughts started, I will say that I was teaching at Hoosic Valley High School then, and we wondered if the first plane had gone right over the school as it turned south to head for New York City.
September 11 definitely marked a big change in the course of our country. I am sure there will be lots of media about the anniversary coming up, so I will not deal with it any more here.
Meanwhile, commemoration of the events of the American Revolution 250 years ago continue within reach of us. Coming up first is Whitehall’s Naval Heritage Weekend/Arnold’s Navy, on Friday, October 2 and Saturday, October 3. https://washingtoncounty.fun/whitehall-naval-heritage-weekend/ This is followed by the re-enactment of the Battle of Valcour Island at the Plattsburgh City Beach, 4 Beach Road, Plattsburgh, on Sunday, October 11. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (https://www.lcmm.org/) will hold a Commemoration Day on October 11 as well. Located at 4472 Basin Harbor Road, Vergennes, VT 05491, the museum is free. I have been there and strongly recommend it. One feature is a reproduction of one of the gunboats- more about them below.
What are they all about? Well, we know that the British invasion from Canada in summer 1777 was defeated at the battles of Saratoga in September and October 1777. What is less well known is that the British invaded in fall 1776 as well, and were stopped by the brand-new U.S. Navy on Lake Champlain, commanded by none other than Benedict Arnold.
The British, under Governor Guy Carleton, got a late start on invading. First, they had to build/gather a Navy to sail south on Lake Champlain. By the time it was ready, in September, the season was already too advanced to go on to New York City, so they aimed for Forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point. We have to remember that there were no roads from Canada to Albany- travel on the lakes was the way to go- and military action was difficult if not impossible in winter in New York and Canada.
Fort Ti and Crown Point were manned by the remnants of the American army, which had failed in its invasion of Canada in winter 1775-spring 1776. During the summer, the Army administration worked hard to provide proper food and equipment to the soldiers, who were in a bad way after the Canada debacle. And Congress and General Washington appointed Brigadier General Benedict Arnold to go to Skenesborough/White Hall to supervise construction of American ships to oppose the British advance.
By September 23, Arnold had rowed and sailed his fifteen-boat squadron of gundalows, galleys, and a two-masted schooner, the “Royal Savage”, which was a British ship seized the previous year, to Valcour Island, well to the north in Lake Champlain, east of modern South Plattsburgh. His ships were moored between the island and the shore, hidden from the British.
General Guy Carleton commanded the British squadron, which consisted of four men-of war -including a frigate- a radeau- a floating gun battery- and many gunboats, longboats, bateaux, and canoes. Arnold was ready to join battle with the British, but had no thought of winning. His purpose was to delay and disrupt the British, to make them have to delay their invasion until spring.
Battle was joined on October 11, 1776. It went on for hours, with the Americans clearly at a disadvantage. Finally, Arnold decided to retreat to Fort Crown Point. His badly damaged fleet- now just thirteen vessels- left Valcour Island at night, unseen by the British. They were overtaken at Buttonmould Bay, on the eastern shore of the lake, opposite modern Westport, NY. Arnold and his men beached their vessels and fled on land, reaching Fort Ticonderoga by October 14. Meanwhile, the British sailed on to Crown Point, and Ticonderoga. The garrison at Fort Ti braced for a British attack, but by October 28, General Carleton had decided that it was too late in the season to continue the invasion and Fort Ti too well-fortified to attack. The British retreated back north on Lake Champlain. The fighting season was over, the lake and New York safe from invasion for the year thanks to the efforts of Benedict Arnold and a few hundred brave sailors.
There are plenty of opportunities for you to participate in the commemoration of this event- from lots of speeches in White Hall, to museum touring in Vermont, to a formal re-enactment and ceremonies in Plattsburg. I urge you to consult the websites of the events and places and make plans. It’s a great time for leaf-peeping too! The illustration is of Arnold’s gunboat during the battle.
