Plattsburgh Bay, also known as Cumberland Bay, is an inlet on the western shore of

Lake Champlain Lake Champlain ( ; , ) is a natural freshwater lake in North America. It mostly lies between the U.S. states of New York (state), New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canadian province of Quebec. The cities of Burlington, Ve ...

Clinton County, New York Clinton County is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 79,843. Its county seat is the city of Plattsburgh. The county lies just south of the border with the Cana ...

. The bay is the location of the

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

and city of Plattsburgh, and was the site of the

Battle of Plattsburgh The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final British invasion of the northern states of the United States during the War of 1812. Two British forces, an army under Lieutenant General Sir George Prévos ...

, a naval and land engagement fought on September 11, 1814, late in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

. The bay and two land sites related to the battle were designated as a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

in 1960. and

Description and history

Plattsburgh Bay is located in the northern third of Lake Champlain, on its western shore opposite Grand Isle. It is bounded on the north and east by

Cumberland Head Cumberland Head is a census-designated place and region of the town of Plattsburgh in Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 1,627 at the 2010 census. Cumberland Head is a peninsula projecting into Lake Champlain, and inc ...

, a peninsula extending east and then south, and on the west by the mainland city of Plattsburgh. The southern tip of Cumberland Head is about east of the city's shoreline. Southeast of the city, several miles south of the bay, lies Crab Island, which also played a significant role in the 1814 Battle of Plattsburgh, and is included in the landmarked area of the bay. In September 1814, Plattsburgh came under attack by British forces from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

seeking to gain territory for advantage in peace talks which were then ongoing. The city was occupied by British land forces on September 6, and preparations were made for a decisive sea battle for control of the lake. American ships were arrayed across the mouth of the bay between Cumberland Head and Crab Island, and won a decisive victory over the British fleet. At the same time, the British land forces were repulsed by Americans in repeated attempts to cross the

Saranac River The Saranac River is an river in the U.S. state of New York. Geography In its upper reaches is a region of mostly flat water and lakes. The river has more than three dozen source lakes and ponds north of Upper Saranac Lake; the highest is Mount ...

. One of the principal American land defenses was

Fort Brown Fort Brown (originally Fort Texas) was a military post of the United States Army in Cameron County, Texas, during the latter half of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. Established in 1846, it was the first US Army military ...

, which is included in landmark as a separate area. The third segment of the landmark is the Macdonough Memorial, placed in front of Plattsburgh City Hall and dedicated in 1926. A limestone obelisk in height, it honors Captain

Thomas Macdonough Thomas Macdonough, Jr. (December 31, 1783 – November 10, 1825) was a United States Navy officer noted for his roles in the First Barbary War and the War of 1812. He was the son of a revolutionary officer, Thomas Macdonough, Sr. who lived near ...

, leader of the American naval forces in the battle.

References

External links

NPS history of site
{{National Register of Historic Places in New York Bays of New York (state) National Historic Landmarks in New York (state) Bodies of water of Clinton County, New York National Register of Historic Places in Clinton County, New York New York (state) in the War of 1812 Landmarks of the War of 1812 Lake Champlain

Description and history

See also

References

External links