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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

Spitfire

Gondola:
  • Built by Gen. Benedict Arnold's American troops on Lake Champlain at Skenesborough, N.Y. in the summer of 1776, command by CAPT. Ulmer
  • Spitfire got under way from Crown Point 24 August with the flotilla up the lake
  • She stopped at Willsborough 1 September to repair damage suffered during a severe storm and was at Isle la Motte on the 18th
  • On the 23rd the American ships retired into a defensive position between Valcour Island and the New York shore to await the British fleet
  • A week later on the morning of the 11th, the two forces met in the Battle of Valcour Island which resulted in a tactical American defeat but was a great strategic victory for the patriots' cause
  • Battered during the action off Valcour Island, Arnold's ships slipped through the hands of the British fleet and retired south up the Lake toward Crown Point
  • About noon on the 13th, the British fleet pulled within range of the Americans and opened fire
  • Final Disposition, Spitfire was burned with the rest of Arnold's flotilla. After fighting defiantly for over two hours the shattered ships were run ashore in a little creek about 10 miles from Crown Point and burn them
    Specifications:
    Displacement unknown
    Length 48
    Beam 16
    Depth of Hold unknown
    Draft unknown
    Speed unknown
    Complement 45
    Armament
    one 12-pdr
    two 9-pdrs
    Propulsion sail
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Royal Savage
    098655804    		 101k A Sketch of the New England Armed Vessels, in Valcure Bay on Lake Champlain as seen in the morning of 11 October 1776. Contemporary artwork by C. Randle, depicting the Continental squadron, under Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, just before the Battle of Valcour Island. The vessels shown include schooner Royal Savage (center) and (from left to right around Royal Savage):
    schooner Revenge (I),
    galley Washington (II),
    gondola Philadelphia (I),
    galley Congress (I),
    gondola Jersey,
    galley Lee (II),
    gondola Boston (I) (in the middle, largely hidden behind Royal Savage's sails),
    galley Spitfire,
    gondola New Haven (I),
    gondola Providence (I),
    gondola Connecticut (I),
    gondola New York (I) ,
    sloop Enterprise (I) and
    galley Trumbull (I).
    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo # NH 92864     		Robert Hurst
    Spitfire
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 6 May 2022

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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