The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777

In October 1776, British forces in Canada under General Guy Carleton worked intensively to assemble a fleet at St. Johns on the Richelieu River, as Carleton sought to become “master of the lakes” (492). Workers constructed gunboats, ships, and floating batteries such as the Thunderer and Inflexible, while shipyards in Montreal and Chambly also contributed. With 13,000 British, Canadian, Hessian, and Indigenous troops prepared, Carleton aimed to control Lake Champlain as “a springboard toward New York” (493). Delays in receiving boats from England and the late season prevented a larger campaign. Carleton informed Lord Germain that seizing rebel forts like Crown Point and Fort Ticonderoga would be the limit of the year’s operations. The British squadron eventually included gunboats, schooners, and disassembled vessels rebuilt at St. Johns, including the Inflexible. Moving deeper-draft ships around the Richelieu rapids involved dismantling and transporting them overland. Despite hardships such as spoiled provisions, Carleton’s “jigsaw navy” was well-supplied with arms, clothing, and funds (496). By October, several hundred craft and 700 sailors were assembled, with General Burgoyne prepared to lead an offensive once American vessels were neutralized.

At Ticonderoga, the American Northern Army, numbering around 11,000, suffered from disease, poor supplies, and low morale.