In Peru, along Route 9, is a sign marking the approximate location of the Battle of Valcour Island (also known as the Battle of Valcour Bay).
The location is a rather tough place to park. The road is straight but the shoulder is narrow. I managed to park a little beyond the sign and walk back. At the sign is a grassy area. However, at this location, there is no view of the lake - it is blocked by a line of tall trees. The best view of the naval battle is about a half mile south of the sign (careful if you are driving). The area by the sign appears to be private, so I can't recommend parking there. I tried the Peru boat ramp about a quarter mile north of the sign, but, while I saw Valcour Island and the water in between, there is a point that limits the view to the south.
The sign, one of the standard New York Historical signs, states,
"Battle of Valcour
11 October 1776
Across this strait a small colonial fleet fought the British to a standstill causing a 3 day running conflict that delayed the British advance to divide the 13 colonies. This action allowed time for the Americans to rebuild their forces & win the Battle of Saratoga in 1777.
Erected by the Valcour Battle Chapter, Empire State Society, Son of the American Revolution, 2011."
There actually is a lot leading up to the battle that I won't cover here. I suggest doing some research, especially on Benedict Arnold, whose heroic actions early in the war are overshadowed by his treasonous actions later in the war. The following is a summary.
Though you can travel from the south end of the lake at Whitehall to the north end in Canada in two to three hours, driving on paved roads, back then, there were no roads in the forests around the lake - the lake WAS the highway. So who controlled the lake controlled the transportation routes here. Benedict Arnold, along with Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, captured Fort Ticonderoga and another effort captured Crown Point. Down in Skenesboro, today's Whitehall, Arnold had several new craft - not much more than rafts, built. The Americans also acquired two ships, named The Enterprise (a 12-gun sloop), and the Royal Savage (12-gun schooner). The British brought in the Inflexible (22 gun ship, which was disassembled in the St. Lawrence, then reassembled on the lake), the Thunderer, an 18-gun ketch), and the Maria (a 14-gun schooner), plus many other smaller boats.
The British got a late start in moving south toward New York. Arnold moved his fleet north to meet them. But, he didn't want to meet them in open water. He chose this location as sufficiently difficult to maneuver the larger ships in the British fleet, and he had his fleet form a line from the island to the mainland to the west. The British searched all over the lake for Arnold. When the fleet arrived, on October 11, Arnold sprung an ambush and gained an advantage. For the rest of the day the battle continued. The Americans scored heavily, but, over time, the shear firepower of the British was whittling down the American fleet. The broke off at night. I wouldn't call it a standstill as the sign indicated - the Americans suffered more damage, and if they resumed battle the next day, the fleet would likely have been finished off. Some boats had been lost. Many sustained heavy damage. Americans sustained 60 casualties to 40 on the British side.
Arnold took advantage of the night conditions. A heavy fog developed on the lake. With muffled oars (oars wrapped in cloth), they quietly rowed by the British ships and escaped to a nearby island. By morning, their absence was noted, and the British went to find them. The next few days were a cat-and-mouse game. Arnold had to scuttle several boats on the way. But, he finally found relative safety at Crown Point. However, he convinced the commander there to abandon the fort, there, and retreat to Ticonderoga.
The aftermath is that the new naval fleet built that year was in shambles by the end of the battle, and the British gained control of Lake Champlain. However, winter was coming, and the British couldn't hold fort positions. Thus, they had to retreat back to Canada, delaying their invasion for another year. This bought the Americans crucial time in preparing for the invasion the next year, and was a strong factor in the American victory at Saratoga in 1977.
Sources:
Wikipedia (Battle of Valcour Island):
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armyhistory.org (Buying Time...):
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