A Tale of Three Gunboats: Lake Champlain's Revolutionary War Heritage

xiii, 236 pp. Oblong. Color and black-and-white photographs, illustrations, and reproductions of historical documents throughout. "In the spring of 1776, the Lake Champlain valley became a pivotal location in the American War for Independence. The British invasion from Canada and subsequent battle for naval supremacy of this strategic waterway was critical to the Americans' eventual success in later years. With General Benedict Arnold leading the American effort, the combatants met on October 11, 1776 at the Battle of Valcour Island. This and other wartime encounters on Lake Champlain left behind a legacy of shipwrecks and an underwater archaeological collection. These historical events, and the challenges of the past, present and future management of this nautical heritage is presented in this colorful and engaging book."