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1776 Gunboat Philadelphia
"Short in life, 'Long' in history!"
A Build Log
"Short in life, 'Long' in history!"
A Build Log
Painting: "The sinking of the Gunboat Philadelphia"... by Ernest Haas
In 1776, the British planned to split the American colonies by advancing south from Canada, via Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. Colonel Benedict Arnold was tasked with delaying that imminent British invasion and recognized the strategic importance of Lake Champlain. Arnold took command of a small flotilla of curious vessels in order to effectively impede that British advancement. Arnold's fleet consisted of 15 vessels, including 8 gunboats. Seeing how this is a 'gunboat' build, I'll exclude mention of the 'other' vessels. The eight gunboats built were named Spitfire, Philadelphia, Congress, Washington, New York, Jersey, Connecticut and Lee. These gunboats were all hastily constructed late during the summer of 1776 in Skenesborough, New York... now known as Whitehall, in a location at the southern end of Lake Champlain.
Due to extreme urgency, these gunboats were likely built from green wood. There's also a good chance that no true shipwrights were actively involved in the actual construction of these vessels, evidence being via the unusual manner in which these boats were built. The construction of these gunboats was probably performed by local 'carpenters' who had very little experience as shipwrights, but actually knew quite a lot about building disposable, cheap and effective 'flat bottomed river batteaux's' that were used extensively in the fur trade as well as general cargo transport along the rivers located in that region. This is just logical speculation, of course. Very few records exist. It's difficult to really know for sure.
On October 11, 1776, Arnold positioned his fleet in a narrow part of Lake Champlain, near Valcour Island. This positioning was strategic, forcing the British to sail into a confined space where their larger fleet's numerical superiority would be rendered much less effective. The battle began when the British fleet, under General Guy Carleton and commanded by Captain Thomas Pringle encountered Arnold’s fleet. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, Arnold's forces fought tenaciously. After a day of intense fighting, Arnold's fleet suffered very heavy damage. Recognizing the dire situation, Arnold ordered a nighttime retreat. The Americans effectively managed to slip past the British fleet during the night, but the British weren't fooled, and their pursuit continued. Several of Arnold's vessels were overtaken and destroyed or captured during this battle. The game was over, and the Philadelphia was one of the vessels that was sent to the bottom of Lake Champlain. Arnold soon ran his remaining vessels aground and burned them to prevent them from being captured by the British.
This battle delayed the British advance, buying critical time thus allowing the American forces to better prepare their defenses further south. Though the battle of Valcour Island was actually a tactical defeat, Arnold's leadership and the bravery of his men were instrumental in preventing an immediate British invasion of which contributed to the eventual American victory in the Saratoga campaign that took place the following year. Arnold's actions, in 1776, particularly his bold and tenacious defense at the Battle of Valcour Island showcased his initial dedication to the American cause... before his later infamous defection to the British.
Today, the Gunboat Philadelphia is noted for its historical significance and is preserved and displayed at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. Its recovery in 1935, along with its conservation efforts have since provided valuable insights into naval warfare and shipbuilding practices, as they were in that region, during the Revolutionary War period.
That's the brief history, now... "Let's make some sawdust!"
