The Vermonter

- THE VERMONTER. VoL. XI. OCTOBER, 1905. No. 3. VER.MONT IN TriE NAVY. BY THE EDITOR. VERMONT occupies an unique as well as battle was renewed next day. The gallant an important place in modern naval American commander set fire to his remaining history. Although an inland State she has ships and ran them aground on the Vermont contributed very materially in ships and men shore, now known as Arnold's Bay, south of to the glory of the American navy and the Ferrisburg. The stubborn and gallant fight fame of American sailors. Two fleets of war made by Arnold 's fleet against great odds, vessels have been built on Vermont territory although resulting in defeat, showed the metal and one· of the great naval battles of the world of Vermont-made ships and the heroism of the was fought on waters that washed the soil of men in this early naval battle of the Revolu the Green Mountain State. Vermont has grown tion. not only timber for war ships but has also The second American fleet on Lake Cham raised sailors to man them when built. plain was built below Vergennes, at the mouth In the early days of the Revolutionary War of the Otter Creek. The ships were con and when Vermont was known as the New structed in 1814, and consisted of 2 square Hampshire Grants, a primitive navy yard was rigged ships, a schooner, a sloop and IO gun establish~d at Addison, on Lake Champlain, boats or galleys. They carried 86 guns and for the construction of a fleet of armed Ameri were manned by 882 men, among whom were can vessels to give battle to British men-of-war many Green Mountain Boys. These ships on t Me waters of this great lake. In the second constituted the American fleet commanded by war with England another fleet of American Commodore Thomas Macdonough in the war ships was built at the mouth of the Otter famous battle of Plattsburg, Septeniber rr, Creek, below Vergennes, to oppose the invasion 1814. The opposing fleet was slightly stro~ger, of Lake Champlain by a British fleet. The consisting of 16 boats carrying 95 guns· and first American flotilla was fitted out in 1776, manned by r,ooo men. The battle result~d in and consisted of 15 boats of all kinds, mount a brilliant victory for the American fleet, ing 84 guns. This -fleet was commanded by which captured every British ship and many General Benedict Arnold, and the ships were prisoners. It proved to be the severtst naval manned by 700 men, among whom were a battle of the war and is ranked by historians number of the settlers of the New Hamp as one of the great naval battles of the world. shire Grants. Arnold's flotilla was ready for The brilliant victory won by Macdonough 's service before September r, 1776. This Ver flotilla of ships built of green Vermont timber mont-made navy was opposed by a much by-Vermont men has made forever memorable superior fleet of English war ships. The little this ·event on the historic waters of · Lake fleet · sailed boldly out from the Vermont Champlain. shore of the lake · to 'meet the . formidable Those were the days when wooden war ships British squadron. lying beyond Cumberland constituted the United States navy. Among Head. This fleet consisted of 29 boats, mount these old gunboats whose fame is a tradition, ing 9 1 g uns and manned by 700 men. On was the " Vermont, " built at Boston. Her October 12 a fierce engagement tpok place keel was laid in 1818, but she was not com between the opposing squadrons. The Ameri pleted and launched until 1848. She was a cans were defeated and several American and two-decked ship of the line, and had a dis British vessels destroyed. Arnold's fleet was placement · of 4,150 tons. The "Vermont" pursued up the lake by the enemy and the mounted 84 guns, and carried a crew of nearly \ 7'' _,,_,µ.± '.:::--% :...tf.l:{f-!P F"r,;.;jE .. i;,_; • ~~'+~~ ·,1E__. .-: ~. •.. ~ - ~ ~ THE NEW FIRST-CLASS BATTLESHIP "VERMONT.'' (Showing the Batt!esh.ip when completed.) · 8:2 VERMONT IN THE NAVY. 1,000 men. She was never a fighting ship, rear-admirals of Vermont birth includes, but remained in service during the Civil George F . Emmons, Theodore P. Greene, War as a store and h ospital ship. From 1865 Charles Edgar Clark, George Albert Converse until a few years ago the '·Vermont" was a and Albert S. Kenney. Of this number only receiving ship at the Brooklyn navy yard. two, Rear-Admiral George Albert Converse and She was subsequently sold and destroyed. Rear-Admiral Albert S. Kenney are in active service. The former is chief of the Bureau of VERMONTERS lK THE U.S. NAVY. Ordnance, and the latter is treasurer of the Pan ama Canal Commission. Rear-Admiral Charles High honors have been conferred upon E. Clark was placed on the retired list August many Vermonters serving in the United States IO, 1905. navy during tl·e past half century. The offi The active list of naval officers also includes cial list inc-ludes one Admiral, 5 Rear-Admirals. Captain George Partridge Colvocoresses, on THE BATTLESHIP ''VERl\IOKT' ' BEFORF. LAU J\CHING. 6 Captains, 2 Commodores, 3 Commanders, 6 duty at the United States Naval Academy; Lieutenant Commanders and over so Lieuten Commander Stephen Rand, pay corps; Lieuten ants and other officers of lesser rank. ant Commander Henry Thomas Mayo, Lieuten Several Vermonters served as officers in the ant Theodore Gibbs Dewey, Lieutenant Com second war with England and also in the Mexi mander, Wm. B. Fletcher, Lieutenant George can War. In the Civil War more than 50 na Robert Evans, Lieutenant George Calvin Day, tives of the State held commissions in the Lieutenant Jonas Hannible Holden, Second United States navy. Several of the sons of Lieutenant Berton W. Sibley, marine corps; Vermont won undying renown as naval officers Passed Midshipman Harold D. Childs, and in foreign wars. Midshipman Edward E. Spafford, Midshipman "Manila Bay" and " Santiago" stand for vic Harold H . Shanley, Midshipman C. M. Noyes. tory, and Dewey and Clark for heroism in Other Vermonters have performed distin that War. guished service in public life for the upbuild The present ranking officer in the United ing of our navy, conspicuous among whom are States navy is Admiral George Dewey, senior Hon. Charles H. Darling, Assistant Secretary member of the general board. The list of of the Navy and Hon. George E dmund Foss, VERMONT IN THE NAVY. 83 M. C, Chairman of the Committee on Naval quet of pink roses. The maids of honor were Affairs of the House. Miss Mary E mma Morse of Randolph and Miss Virginia Elizabeth Ptrry of Mclndoes, THE NE\V BATTLESHIP "VERMONT." two Vermont school friends of Miss Bell. On the christening platform with the spon A new "Vermont" looms up in the horizon sor and maids of honor were Gov. Charles]. Bell in the opening years of the 20th century. It and Mrs. Bell, Miss Adine Bell, Lieut.-Gov. is one of the largest and most powerful bat and Mrs. C. H. Stearns, Gov. Wm. L. Douglass, tleships laid down for the United States navy. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Charles H . Dar The new "Vermont" is one of a homogenous ling, Commander A. G. Boutakoff, Russian squadron of five great battleships of 16,000 naval attache at Washington; Hon. Fletcher D. tons each, authorized by Congress in 1903 Proctor, Congressman D. J. Foster, Mayor to be built. -'fhe four other battleships are Thompson of Quincy, W. S. Lark and W. L. na1ned the ''Kansas, '' ''Minnesota,'' ' 'Con Balsinger of the Carnegie Steel Company and necticut" and "Louisiana." The total cost President Greve of the Cramp Ship Building of these monster war ships when completed Company and Rear-Admiral Francis J. Bowles, will exceed $7,500,000 each. The contract president of the Fore River Ship Building for the "Vermont" was awarded by the Navy Company. Department to the Fore River Ship Building The christening party and invited guests Company of Quincy, Mass., of which Rear occupied a lofty stand at the rear of the ways, Admiral Francis Bowles is president. The close to the bow of the monster battleship. A hull was laid May 17, 1904. little nearer the water was a stand occupied by The launching of the new battleship "Ver the officers and members of the Vermont Vet mont" on August 31, 1905, was a memorable erans Association of Boston, the Vermont event. The hull of this war leviathan was Association of Boston and the Boston Daugh laid May 17, 1904, on the ways on which the ters of Vermont. ' ' Rhode Island '' stood. She was about two The occupants of the launching platform thirds completed at the time her maiden dip numbered nearly 200 persons, many of whom was taken from the cradle in the works of the had never witnessed a launching before. It Fore River Ship Building Company at Quincy, was a distinguished company of men and Massachusetts. The occasion was marked by women that saw the christening so gracefully the presence in this great New England ship performed by Miss Bell. A small raised plat yard of several thousand people, among whom form built against the bow of the war-ship were many distinguished National officials, held the christening party. the Governors of Vermont and Massachusetts, The sponsor and maids of horior upon reach and hundreds of prominent citizens from ing the launching platform prepared for the these two States.

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