The Newport Gazette

Whitehall, Nov. 23, 1776. The following Letter from Sir Guy Carleton was this Day received by Lord George Germain.

On board the Maria, off Crown-Point, October 14.

"My Lord,

"The Rebel Fleet upon Lake Champlain has been defeated in two Actions; the first on the 11th instant between the Island of Valcour and the Main : and the Second on the 13th, within a few Leagues of Crown Point.

We have taken the second in Command. Mr. Waterbury, one of their Brig. Genls. with two of their Vessels, and ten others have been burnt and destroyed ; only 3 of 15 Sail, a List of which I transmit, having escaped.

For further Particulars, I refer your Lordship to Lieutenant Dacres, who will be the Bearer of this Letter, and had a Share in both Actions, particularly the first, where his gallant Behaviour in the Carleton Schooner, which he commanded, distinguished him so much as to merit great Commendation: and I beg to recommend him to your Lordship's Notice and Favour. At the same Time, I cannot omit taking Notice to your Lordship of the good Services done in the first Action by the spirited Conduct of a Number of Guns and Men of the Corps of Artillery, who served three Guns on Board the Washington, which, together with the Carleton, fired for many Hours, the whole Force of the King's Fleet, the Rest of the Vessels not being able to work up near enough to join effectually in the Engagement.

The Rebels, upon the News reaching them of the Defeat of their naval Force, set Fire to all the Buildings and Houses in and near Crown-Point, and retired to Ticonderoga.

The Season is so far advanced, that I cannot pretend to inform your Lordship whether anything further can be done this Year.

LIST of the REBEL VESSELS on LAKE CHAMPLAIN, before their DEFEAT.

Schooners. Royal Savage, 6 Six Pounders, 4 Four Pounders. Went on Shore, was set on Fire to, and blown up. Revenge. 4 Six Pounders and 4 Four Pounders, escaped.

A Sloop, 10 Four Pounders, destroyed.

Row-Galley. Congress, two 18 Pounders in the Bow, two 12 and two 24 Pounders: in the Stern. and 6 Six Pounders in the: Side, blown up. Washington same Force.. taken. Trumbull, ditto escaped.

The Lee a Cutter . one 9 Pounder in the Bow. one 9 Pounder in the Stern, and four 6 Pounders in her Sides, run into a Bay. and not known- whether destroyed.

Gondolas. Boston, one 18 Pounder in the Bow, one 12 Pounder in the Sides, taken. Jersey. ditto, taken: One, Name unknown, same Force, run on Shore. Five ditto ditto, blown up.

Other Vessels not in the Action,
A Schooner, eight Pounders, sent from their Fleet for Provisions.

A Galley, Said to be of greater Force than those mentioned above, Acting Out at Ticonderoga.

Admiralty-Office, Nov. 23. 1776. Lieutenant Dacres, of the Royal Navy, arrived here early this Morning from Quebec, and brings the Letters and Accounts of which the following are Copies.

Copy of a Letter from Capt. Douglas of the Isis, to Mr. Stephens dated at Quebec, Oct. 21, 1776.

"Having for the Space of six Weeks attended the naval Equipment for the most important Expedition on Lake Champlain. I on the 4th Instant, saw with inexpressible Joy, the reconstructed Ship now called the Inflexible, and commanded by Lieutenant Schank, her Rebuilder, sail from St. John's 28 Days after her Keel was laid towards the Place of Rendezvous, taking in her 18 Twelve-Pounders beyond the Shoal which is on this Side the Ile. aux Noix, in her Way up.

The Prodigies of Labour which have been effected since the Rebels were driven out at Canada, in creating, recreating, and equipping, a Fleet of above 30 fighting Vessels, of different Sorts and Sizes. and all carrying Cannon, since the Beginning of July. together with the transportation over Land. and afterwards dragging up the two Rapids of St. Terefe and St. John's, to Lachine Boats, the flat-bottomed Radeau, a Gondola, weighing about 30 Tons, and above 400 Barrels, almost the whole Fleet. His Excellency the Commander in Chief of the Army, and all the other Generals, are of the Opinion, that the Sailors of his Majesty's Ship and Transports have (far beyond the usual Limits of their Duty) exerted themselves to the utmost on this great and important Occasion: For not a Man of that Profession uttered a single Word expressive of Discontent, amidst all the Hardships they have undergone, so truly patriotic are the Motives by which they are actuated. To crown the Whole, above 200 prime Seamen of the Transports, impelled by a due Sense of their Country's Wrongs, did most generously engage themselves to serve in our armed Vessels during the Expedition, and embarked accordingly.

Such then having been our mutual Toil, I am happy beyond Expression, in hereby acquainting my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the Destruction of almost the Whole of the Rebel Fleet, in two severe Battles, on the 11th and 13th Instant, is our Reward. I have received a Letter from Capt. Pringle, of the Lord Howe armed Ship, who commands the Officers and Seamen on the Lake, and who bestows the highest Encomiums on their Behaviour in both Engagements. The Rebels did by no Means believe it possible for us to get upon Lake Champlain this Year; were much surprised at the Sight of the Van of our Force; but instantly into immediate and utter Confusion. The most that we can learn is, that the Ship Inflexible, with the Schooners, being a Phenomenon they never so much as dreamt of.

Thus have his Majesty's faithful Subjects here (contrary to a crude but prevailing Idea) by straining every Nerve in their Country's Cause, outdone them in working as much as in fighting. The Ship Inflexible, with the Maria and Carleton Schooners, at Reconstructions; did the whole of the second Day's Business. The Flat-bottomed Radeau, copied the Thunderer, and the Gondolas called the Loyal Convert, with the Gun Boats, not having been able to keep up with them. The said Gondolas was taken from the Rebel the Day the Siege on Quebec was raised.--The Loss we have sustained—considering the great Superiority of the Insurgents, is very small, consisting of between 30 and 40 men killed and wounded, Seamen, Soldiers, Artillery. Marines, and all; eight whereof were killed outright, and six wounded on board of the Carleton.

As to farther Particulars, I must refer you to Lieutenant Dacres, who in justice due to his Merit for the Part he bore in destroying the Rebel Fleet. In adverting upon this Occasion to their Lordships in the Station Transport part, rely on it hereby complying with the General's Desire, who, for the same Reason, is pleased to honour him with the Conveyance of his Dispatches.

List of his Majesty's Naval Force on Lake Champlain.
Ship Inflexible, Lt. Schank 18 Twelve Pounders. Schooner Maria, Lieut. Starke, 14 Six-Pounders. Schooner Carleton, Lieut. Dacres, 12 Six Pounders. Radeau Thunderer, Lieut. Scott, 6 Twenty-four, 6 Twelve-Pounders; two Howitzers. Four Long-Boats, in each a Carriage Gun, serving as armed Tenders. Twenty-four Long Boats with Provisions.

A List of the Seamen detached from his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the River St. Lawrence, to serve on Lake Champlain. Isis, 100 Seamen, Blonde 70 Triton 60, Garisad 20, Canceaux 40, Magdalen, Brunsw k. Gaspee, 18 Seamen each, Tender and armed Brigs 30 Men each. Province armed Vessels. Fell 30. lately wrecked. Charlotte 9. Volunteers from no Ship, Ditto from the Transports, 214. Exclusive of eight Officers and 18 Petty Officers.

Copy of a Letter From Thomas Pringle, on board the Maria, off Crown Point, the 15th of October, 1776,

"It is with the greatest Pleasure that I embrace this Opportunity of congratulating their Lordships upon the Victory completed the 13th of this Month, by his Majesty's Fleet under my Command on Lake Champlain.

Upon the 11th I came up with the Rebel Fleet commanded by Benedict Arnold: They were at Anchor under the Island of Visscour, and formed a strong Line, extending from the Islands to the West Side of the Continent: The Wind was so very favourable, that for a considerable Time nothing could be brought to Action with them; but the Gun Boats, the Carleton Schooner, commanded by Mr. Dacres, (who brings their Lordships this) by much perseverance at last got to their Assistance; but as none of the other Vessels of the Fleet could then get up, I did not then think it by any Means advisable to continue so partial and unequal a Combat; consequently with the approbation of his Excellency General Carleton, who did me the honour of being on board the Maria, called on the Carleton and Gun-Boats, and brought the whole Fleet to an Anchor in a Line as near as possible to the Rebels, that their Retreat might be cut off: which Purpose was however frustrated by the extreme Obscurity of the Night; and in the Morning the Rebels had got a considerable Distance up the Lake.

Upon the 13th I again saw 15 Sail of their Fleet making off Crown Point, who after a Chase of seven Hours, I came up with the Maria, leaving the Carleton and Inflexible astern: the rest of the Fleet almost out of Sight. The Action began at Twelve o'Clock, and lasted two Hours: at which Time Arnold, in the Congress Galley, and five Gondolas run on Shore, and were directly abandoned and blown up by the Enemy, a Circumstance they were greatly favoured in, by the Wind being off Shore, and the narrowness of the Lake. The Washington Galley struck during the Action, and the rest made their Escape to Ticonderoga.

The Killed and Wounded in his Majesty's Fleet, including the Artillery in the Gun Boats, do not amount to 40; but from every Information I have yet got, the Loss of the Enemy must indeed be very considerable. Many Particulars which their Lordships may wish to know, I must at present take the Liberty of referring you to Mr. Dacres; but as I am well convinced his Modesty will not permit him to say however great a Share he had in this Victory, give me leave to assure you, that during both Actions nothing could be more pointedly good than his Conduct. I must also do the Justice to Officers and Seamen of this Fleet merit, by saying that every Person under my Command exerted themselves to act up to the Character of British Seamen."