Battle of Lake Champlain (Plattsburgh)

Background. In 1814, most of Britain's army was engaged in the Peninsular War. However, approximately 10,000 British troops under Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost assembled near Montreal in late August. Prevost's army crossed the border on September 3, marching into northern New York State to advance on Plattsburgh. The British had previously gained naval superiority on Lake Champlain in June 1813, but American forces launched new vessels in April 1814 to contest control.

Commanders. Captain George Downie, a Scottish Royal Navy officer, commanded the British naval squadron. He took command of the flagship Confiance on 3 September 1814, leading inexperienced crews from provincial units. The American naval forces were commanded by Thomas Macdonough, who had been assigned to Lake Champlain in October 1812. A parallel has been drawn between Macdonough's anchorage on Lake Champlain and the French position at the Battle of the Nile in 1798; because circumstances that favored Nelson proved disadvantageous to Downie, British sources sometimes call the battle the 'False Nile'.

Engagement. Downie's squadron attacked shortly after dawn on 11 September 1814. The British naval force was defeated after a hard fight in which Captain Downie was killed. The battle ended the final British invasion of the northern states of the United States during the War of 1812. The outcome was influenced by prevailing winds on Lake Champlain that constrained Downie's axis of approach, contrary to the conditions that favored Nelson at the Battle of the Nile.