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 Land Battle: The Americans The Plattsburg Bay Naval Battle: The British The Plattsburg Bay Naval Battle: The Americans The Story of the Ship Eagle

The Plattsburg Bay Naval Battle: The Americans On September 1, 1814, the very day George Downie arrives at Isle aux Noix to take charge of the British squadron, U.S. Commander Thomas Macdonough moves his ships into Plattsburg Bay. Macdonough is aware that the enemy outgun him, especially at long range. Instead of meeting the British on the open lake, he chooses to anchor his squadron inside Plattsburg Bay Macdonough resolves to wait for the enemy to come to him; once the British sail into the bay they will be forced to engage him at close quarters. The naval commander disposes his ships in a north-south line, extending from near Crab Island to within a mile of Cumberland Head. As an added precaution, Macdonough has his vessels set special anchors which will allow the ships to come about a full 180 degrees without using sail. At approximately 9 am on September 11, the British fleet attacks. The British commander George Downie has been pressured into attacking prematurely by his superior, George Prevost. Downie’s flagship, the newly-built Confiance is not yet ready for battle and is crewed with inexperienced men. The prevailing northerly winds prove advantageous for the Americans. The British are forced to tack toward the U.S. ships. Soon, all the vessels are engaged in furious battle. Shortly into the engagement Macdonough is knocked down for several minutes. He has sighted one of the Saratoga’s cannons (one of his new 26 gun ships), when a cannonball cuts the spanker boom in two, and the heavy spar falls on him. As he regains his bearings, he is again knocked to the deck by the flying head of his gun captain, who has received a direct hit by a cannonball. The captain’s severed head hits Macdonough with such force that he is knocked to the other side of his vessel. By 11 am, both flagships, as well as most of the other vessels are so battered that it is hard to tell who has the upper hand. Macdonough still has a major trump to play: by having his crew haul on some of the Saratoga’s hawsers while letting go of others, he successfully turns his ship around. His fresh port side guns fire renewed broadsides at the Confiance. The British flagship can’t duplicate the maneuver and is quickly forced to strike its colours. Macdonough then turns his guns on the rest of the British ships. The British gunboats flee and the remaining warships are forced to surrender. The American naval victory is unequivocal and complete.