Birthplace of the United States Navy - Whitehall, NY - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

In Whitehall, by the Skenesborough Museum, is this history sign about the how Benedict Arnold built the first fleet of warships supported by the Continental Congress.

The sign is located by the north east corner of the building and is near the edge of the canal, and south of the gazebo within Riverside Park.

The sign has a metal stand/base and a composite face. The background is a map and there are figures. The text is as follows:

"On October 11, 1776 at Valcour Island, off the western shore of Lake Champlain, a naval battle took place that may well have decided the fate of the American Revolution. Although they fought valiantly, the Americans lost the battle. However, they won valuable time for American forces to gather, arm and prepare for the British Campaign of 1775 that ended with the American victory at Saratoga, the 'Turning Point' of the war. Valcour was the first naval battle of strategic importance during the Revolution, making Whitehall, the place where America's first fleet was assembled, the Birthplace of the United States Navy.

The hero of the Battle of Valcour was Benedict Arnold, one of the colonies' most courageous and resourceful military leaders and who was much revered by his men. Anticipating that the British would use the lakes as an invasion route to split the revolted Colonies in two, Arnold scraped together a fleet capable of at least delaying a British advance along Lake Champlain from Canada. Except for ships captured the year before, all of the ships were constructed during the summer of 1776 at Skenesborough from trees cut in the forests near the settlement. Carpenters, riggers and blacksmiths were imported from as far away as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Philadelphia to build the ships, using lumber from nearby forests.

Arnold's small fleet of 12 vessels of various sizes and capabilities sailed down the Lake to Valcour Island in August 1776 to surprise the British under General Carleston as they advanced south. Carleton's armada, constructed at the north end of the Lake in St. Johns, set sail in October. A fierce battle ensued that lasted two days after the British encountered the American fleet at Valcour. The Americans were battered by the more heavily armed British vessels and were forced to retreat. Most of the American vessels were sunk and many casualties were suffered. But the battle caused the British to return north for the winter, delaying their ill-fated march south toward the Hudson and Saratoga to the following year."

The Skenesborough Museum has more on building the ships and has a copy of the bill submitted from Arnold to the Continental Congress.

Museum Web Site:
(visit link)

Lakes to Locks (Skenesborough Museum and Heritage Center):
(visit link)

Group that erected the marker: New York State Canals URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Main Street Riverside Park Whitehall, NY United States of America 12887

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