Intent on taking control of the Richelieu-Champlain-George-Hudson waterways to separate New England from the rest of the colonies, a British army headed south from Canada in the spring of 1776. But when the British commander, Sir Guy Carleton, learned that the Americans were putting together a "fleet," at the southern end of Lake Champlain, he decided to do likewise before proceeding, and the summer passed as both sides labored to build makeshift—but amazingly capable—vessels to supplement the few they already had.
As an early winter set in, the Americans took station part way up the lake with their 16 vessels—eight gondolas, four galleys, three schooners, and one sloop. The oncoming British force of 25 ships included 20 gunboats, some larger vessels, and a raft-like monstrosity that was crewed by 300 men and carried a formidable battery of guns. All told, the Americans could fire about 600 pounds of shot to the British total of 1,100 pounds.
While waiting for the British, the men slept on the open decks with snow falling on their shivering bodies as gale winds added to their misery. These came out of the north, and the Americans realized that this would give the southbound Redcoats the "weather gage," a decided advantage when maneuvering sailing vessels. So the Americans cleverly hid in the lee of Valcour Island along the western side of the lake, hoping the British would pass by, thereby ceding the upwind advantage. For camouflage, the Americans cut spruce trees and rigged them along the sides of the vessels, and they anchored stem to stern in a gradual crescent formation across the waterway between the island and the western shore. This would force the enemy to approach one or two at a time through the narrow channel and be subjected to the full force of American firepower.
As hoped, the British fleet sailed past Valcour Island without spotting the Americans. Once the bulk of the force was well south—downwind—of the island, several American vessels came out of the bay and lured the British northward. As planned, the lead enemy vessel was funneled into the narrowing waterway, and her commander barely had seen the wall of American vessels ahead when it suddenly disappeared behind a cloud of white smoke. A great rumble rolled across the water as geysers erupted from close aboard the British ship. The American trap had been sprung.
As the battle wore on, these Americans—who just a short while before had been merchants, farmers, fishermen, teachers, and all manner of things but soldiers or sailors—served their guns well, and for a time, it seemed that they might actually prevail. But despite their clever tactics, they were no match for the superior British force. By the end of the next day, the American "fleet" had been defeated.
But what may have seemed a decisive British victory was not. Facing a cold winter, the British decided to retreat back to Canada until spring. That bought the Americans valuable time that ultimately led to the American victory in the Battle of Saratoga the following summer, which prevented the British from severing the colonies as planned, dealt a terrible blow to their morale, and brought the French into the war as an American ally.