The Battle of Plattsburg Bay Further Reading An Overview of the Battle of Plattsburg Bay Background to the Battle of Plattsburg Bay The Plattsburg Bay Land Battle: The British Prevost at Plattsburg Bay The Plattsburg Bay Naval Battle: The British The Plattsburg Bay Naval Battle: The Americans Books British Naval Activity on Lake Champlain During the War of 1812 Dennis Lewis

The Plattsburg Bay Land Battle: The Americans The American commander at Plattsburg, Major General George Izard, has recently moved the bulk of his troops over to Sacket’s Harbour. Izard leaves behind Major General Alexander Macomb to head a combination of 3,500 invalid regulars and raw militia. The leading citizens of Plattsburg have so little faith in Macomb’s capacity to repel the British that they want him to withdraw. Macomb however, has already made plans to blow up the town rather than let the enemy have it. Upon hearing of the British invasion, Macomb calls for volunteers. Vermonters stream in to help defend Plattsburg. Prevost’s invasion has accomplished what the U.S. government has been unable to. Until now, Vermonters cared so little for the war that they have been the British Army’s main supplier of beef. Not only that, but most of the timbers and rigging of the British flagship, Confiance, have been purchased from Vermont smugglers. Macomb knows his volunteers are no match for the British regulars. He also knows that he doesn’t have the time to train them, but there are plenty of useful things the volunteers can do: dig trenches, put up fortifications, demolish buildings to improve lines of fire, and plant trees on roads to mislead the invaders. Macomb puts them to work.