e, commanded by Captain Charles Douglas.
Immediately upon its appearance the commanding British general Carleton,
attacked the besiegers, who, already prostrated by disease and
privation, abandoned their positions and fell back upon Sorel, at the
mouth of the river Richelieu, the outlet from Lake Champlain to the St.
Lawrence. Here they remained until June, when the enemy, who had
received heavy reinforcements, advanced in overpowering numbers. The
Americans again retired above the rapids of the Richelieu to St. Johns.
Thence there is a clear channel southward; and embarking there, the
retreating force without further molestation reached Crown Point, a
fortified post a hundred miles distant, at the head of the lake,
commanding the narrow stream to which it is reduced in its upper part.
Twelve miles above Crown Point is Ticonderoga, the well-known border
fortress of the Colonial and Revolutionary wars; and for fifteen or
twenty miles farther the stream is navigable for boats of some size,
thus affording an easy means of communication in those early days of
impassable forests and scanty transport.

Though greatly superior on land, the British had now for a time to stay
their pursuit; for the water highway essential to its continuance was
controlled by the flotilla under the command of Benedict Arnold,
forbidding further advance until it was subdued. The presence of these
vessels, which, though few, were as yet unopposed, gained for the
Americans, in this hour of extremity, the important respite from June to
October, 1776; and then the lateness of the season compelled the
postponement of the invasion to the following year. The toil with which
this little force had been created, a few months before, was thus amply
justified; for delay is ever to the advantage of the defence. In this
case it also gave time for a change of commanders on the part of the
enemy, from Carleton to Burgoyne, which not improbably had a decisive
effect upon the fortunes of the next campaign.

As soon as established at St. Johns, the British took steps to place a
naval force upon the lake, an undertaking involving trouble and delay,
notwithstanding their greatly superior resources in men and material.
Some thirty fighting vessels, suitable to the waters upon which they
were to act, were required, and also four hundred bateaux for the
transport of the troops. These had either to be built upon the spot,
despite the lack of all dockyard facilities, or e