| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| susquesus |
Posted - November 16 2003 : 3:28:15 PM
A while back I read a Cooper book called, "Satanstoe".-Anyone read it? In this book he describes the unsuccessful siege on the Fort at Ticonderoga in which the Brits crossed Lake George using a flotilla of some 1,000 boats. July 8th, 1758? Is this accurate? Were large numbers of boats used regularly? In Coopers "Pathfinder" we see masted sailing ships sailing on Lake Ontario, factual stuff? Any info on sailing ships, naval actions taken on lakes during the F&I war would be great. |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Al Amos |
Posted - November 17 2003 : 8:10:55 PM
Try these sites....
http://nautarch.tamu.edu/class/anth318/Class%2017%20-%20Shipwrecks%20of%20the%20Anglo-French%20Wars.htm
http://www3.sympatico.ca/donald.macleod2/nautical.html
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| CT•Ranger |
Posted - November 17 2003 : 4:16:08 PM
In 1759 the British fleet on Lake Champlain included H.M. Sloop Boscawen and H.M. Brig Duke of Cumberland. The sloop Boscawen was 115 tons, 80 feet, and 16 guns. It was built at the King's Shipyard at Fort Ticonderoga for Amherst's campaign on Lake Champlain. It is believed the Boscawen sank at her moorings after the war, it was discovered in six feet of water in 1983.
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| SgtMunro |
Posted - November 16 2003 : 8:10:14 PM
A very good topic, Susquesus, since it was control of the inland waterways (lakes, rivers & streams/creeks) which dictated who would eventually control the fur trade. Not to mention that it was the inland waterways role as 'military highways', whose mastery would grant supremacy of arms in the conflict.
Your Most Humble Servant,
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| Kurt |
Posted - November 16 2003 : 7:10:44 PM
A timeline of shipwrecks in North America can be found at http://nautarch.tamu.edu/class/anth318/318%20-%20Timeline.htm
and information on the French ship Machault a ocean-going frigate scuttled at the end of the French and Indian war can be found at http://collections.ic.gc.ca/restigouche/machault.htm |
| CT•Ranger |
Posted - November 16 2003 : 5:52:56 PM
In "The Pathfinder," Cooper focused much of the action around a British sloop? (It's been awhile since I've read it) and the naval activities on Lake Ontario I believe. It is factual stuff, there were several ships, French and British, sailing the great lakes. Although of the War of 1812 period, the US Brig Niagra gives you some idea of what kind of ships were sailing the lakes in the French and Indian War, the Niagra has been reconstructed and sails the lakes today. http://www.brigniagara.org/
Yes, the British Flotilla on Lake George in '58 was indeed massive. I believe there were also one or two sloops, besides the bateaux, whaleboats, and radeau. After the failure to take Ticonderoga much of the flotilla was sailed back to the southern end of Lake George and promptly sunk in shallow water, to prevent the French from capturing them, and to be raised and used again for the next campaigning season. There are still several bateaux on the bottom of the lake, just off shore, in a kind of underwater historical park, where scuba divers can visit them. I'll have to check my library for more info.
Check out Starbuck's book "The Great Warpath," a lot of good historical archaeological info on the sites in this area. Including the underwater sites. |
| Scott Bubar |
Posted - November 16 2003 : 4:51:52 PM
" ... 900 Bateaux and 135 whaleboats ... ":
http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/historic/articles/bateau2.htm |
| Kurt |
Posted - November 16 2003 : 4:19:42 PM
I found a Lake Champlain Maritime Museum http://www.lcmm.org but the only action listed is a raid in 1777 which is later than you were hoping for.
General Abercromby's unsuccessfull attack on Fort Carillon started out on July 5, 1758 from Ft William Henry on Lake George and was a large flotilla but that was whaleboats and batteaus that were rowed.
The Journals of Major Robert Rogers talks about trying to attack a French schooner on Lake Champlain in June of 1756 but there is no mention of the size of the schooner. Later reports by General Amherst speak of Major Roberts trying for two sloops and a schooner so I expect the schooner was bigger vessel. Of course, a dingy can be rigged schooner if you wanted to. The two sloops that were used to transport Rogers, 300 Rangers and Light Infantry, and their whaleboats to Isle au Noix in May of 1760 must have had some size to them.
The "Land Tortoise" was found on the botom of Lake George near Fort William Henry. http://www.lakegeorgehistorical.org/land_tortoise.htm
This was a radeau built in 1758 that was 51 feet long, beam of 18 feet, with oars and sail used for covering fire for batteaus. |
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