Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/459

. His men fell dead around him; the hull of his ship was riddled with cannon-balls, the mainmast shattered, and the rigging cut to pieces; yet still he continued to fight on;—and when the night closed in, the battle was yet undecided. One of the American vessels had been burned, another sunk, and the rest had suffered very severely. To renew the combat on the morrow, was so obviously hopeless, that Arnold and his officers, after holding consultation, determined upon falling back to Crown Point. This, however, was much easier to resolve on than to execute, for the British commander had disposed his ships in a line from the island to the shore, so as to prevent the retreat of his enemy till daylight should enable him to attack and overpower him. But the night happened to be unusually dark; it blew a strong breeze from the north, and as soon as the English sailors had retired to rest after a hard-fought day, the American ships hoisted their sails, and slipped unperceived between those of the foe, Arnold fetching up the rear in the battered and crazy Congress, and by daylight some ten miles intervened between him and the English ships. Here he came to anchor, to stop leaks, and make repairs, and about noon resumed the retreat.

The next morning, Carleton urged forward in pursuit. A contrary wind baffled them during the day, but on the following morning, they were close upon the fugitives. The foremost ships continued their flight, and succeeded in effecting their escape, but the rear, consisting of Arnold's galley, with the Washington, were attacked with redoubled fury. The Washington was soon obliged to strike, but Arnold continued to fight on till his ship was reduced to a mere wreck, and surrounded by the enemy's squadron. He then ran the Congress on shore, set fire to her, and she blew up with her colors flying. Arnold then effected a retreat, with his men, through the woods to Crown Point, narrowly escaping an Indian ambush. The Americans lost eleven vessels, principally gondolas. The British had two gondolas sunk, and one blown up. The loss in men was about ninety on each side.

Carleton appeared off .Crown Point on the 15th of October. On his approach, the American force stationed there, set fire to the houses, and retired to Ticonderoga, which Generals Schuyler and Gates had determined to defend to the last extremity. Carleton took possession of Crown Point, and purposed attacking Ticonderoga; but on examination of the works, and in consequence of the lateness of the season, he retired, and put his army into winter-quarters on the Sorel and its vicinity.

Thus, that part of the British plan which depended on Carleton's pushing forward, so as to form a junction with the force at New York, completely failed; and, as all apprehensions of danger in the north were now at an end, a small garrison was left at Ticonderoga, and most of the troops marched in November, under Gates, to join the commander-in-chief.