French Commander's After Action Report Lake  George  F&I  Tactical  2004

Monday, October 11th - The French naval force arrived in the Narrows around two o'clock in the afternoon.  Three armed boats and two canoes secured the Mother Bunch Islands and setup a temporary base camp on Floating Battery.  A rendezvous with the Native allies was scheduled prior to four o'clock, but a strong wind was blowing from the north and its affect on the Lake seemed to create conditions unfavorable for canoe travel.

Just before five o'clock two canoes hailed us from the southern side of Floating Battery.  Of the two, one was a Native canoe that reported Black Mountain Point had been occupied by the British with artillery that afternoon, and that earlier a British boat was sighted leaving Boulton and heading for the southern Narrows.  With this news and an increasing wind, the majority of the French force was ordered to the Dollar Islands for the night while the HORNET was to heave to off Black Mountain Point, rendezvous with the PLAGUE RATT and meet with her commander, Capt. Med Chandler.   The PLAGUE RATT had previous orders to join the main French force at Black Mountain Point on Monday after dark, and we were obligated to make that rendezvous.

Two boats from the Roussillon, commanded by Captains Jon Soule and Grégoire Champlin, scouted Black Mountain Point and then sailed west to the Dollar Islands.  At five-thirty that afternoon the PLAGUE RATT was sighted coming into the northern Narrows.  The HORNET met up with her just after dark, and together moved to take Black Mountain Point.  The two armed boats landed at the Point at eight o'clock and setup a fortified position on the neck.   The crews moved south to the shore trail, but after an hour of waiting no enemy movement was detected.  Both vessels left Black Mountain Point at nine o'clock and made their way to windward of the Dollar Islands.  The wind had increased sporadically from the north, but as we approached the western shore the gusts died away.   On a moonless night it was difficult to see even the top of the ridgeline above us, let alone any details on the shore.  The water temperature was such that steam rose from the Lake's surface, making our attempts to see with lanterns a challenge.  At ten-thirty we landed at the northern point of West Dollar Island, camp was setup and both crews spent a quiet night ashore.

Tuesday, October 12th - The French camp on the Dollar Islands was struck and one by one the respective crews moved to rendezvous on the southern side of Red Rock.  By eleven o'clock that morning the British mainland around Red Rock was secured by the French without opposition.  The four armed boats and three canoes that formed the French flotilla were now made stronger by the addition of four Native canoes.  Reports were received that detailed a brief encounter with the enemy that morning, during which time several Natives and Roussillon shot and killed one Ranger.

With Red Rock secure, the combined forces began a slow and methodical sweep of the mainland north to Black Mountain Point.  Twice during this maneuver Rangers were spotted shadowing the French party, but when chase was ordered the Rangers refused to engage and fled up the mountainside.  While the sweep of the mainland was being conducted, a single Ranger attempted to make his way onto Red Rock.   Wayne Steinmetz and Harry Greenberger of the HORNET were stationed near the neck, and Steinmetz shot the Ranger as he tried to get across.

Around noon a Ranger canoe was spotted coming into Red Rock Bay, and one of the Rangers shot Captain Soule in his boat while moored to a dock.  Captain Chandler left in the PLAGUE RATT to intercept the Ranger canoe, and with a single shot from the forward gun destroyed both the Rangers and their craft.

The sweep was completed shortly after noon and with no opposition from the British, the flotilla set about to make way for Hazel Island.   A scouting party was sent ahead, but soon reported back that the winds from the north were such that travelling around Red Rock was nearly impossible.  Captain Chandler suggested taking advantage of the weather and head south to take the British mainland at a place called Commission Point, and with sails set the flotilla landed there a short time later.  The crew established a guarded camp and fortified it with artillery.

Shortly before sunset a canoe with a single Ranger on board was spotted heading north from Shelving Rock.  Two of the HORNET's crew set off in a canoe to intercept, but the Ranger canoe was faster and able to work more successfully to windward.  It escaped, but not without a challenging chase.

At ten-thirty that evening another canoe with two Rangers was spotted in the south bay at Commission Point.  The Roussillon were on guard, and upon spying the canoe immediately delivered a fierce fire toward it, driving it off to the north without any further incident.  No British canoe or Ranger came near the camp the rest of the night.

Wednesday, October 13th - By seven o'clock the entire French camp was awake and taking turns making a hot breakfast.  Guards continued to watch the shore trail, and being this far south it was possible that we might trap Rangers heading onto the Lake.  At ten o'clock we were proved correct.  The advance guard on the shore trail confronted two British soldiers as they approached our position from the south.  A shot from the sentry alerted the camp, and a dozen French sailors and soldiers charged to assist.  A short skirmish ensued that ended in both Brits being shot with no losses to the French.   The defeated Brits were tagged and sent north, but not before a well armed French scouting party was sent ahead of them to seek out the Ranger camp.

At eleven-thirty the French scouting force returned to report that they found the Ranger camp on the mainland near Hazel Island.  Having secured Commission Point for a full twenty-four hours, we made preparations to quit the land and head north.  No sooner had we left the dock and pulled our way out onto the Lake when a small force of Rangers came running into our former camp.  They fired toward us and we responded with the one-pounder, but were too far away for any casualties to be claimed.

The French armed boats passed Hazel Island around two o'clock that afternoon.  It was at this time that we first learned a French scout and one member of the Roussillon were being held prisoner by the British.  Captain Soule went ashore under parlay, but not before Captain Champlin and his boat came under fire by shore artillery and small arms fire.   Three crew were killed and the boat was lost.  A report from that boat's Captain is included here:

Wednesday, October 13th, continued... We learned after the loss of the Roussillon boat that Captain Soule had entered into a parlay with the British Rangers on Hazel Island, during which time he negotiated the release of two French prisoners who along with their canoes were taken the previous day.   The French flotilla waited a cable's distance from Hazel Island until the termination of the parlay, and with our force again at full strength headed north to retake Black Mountain Point.  As we approached our destination, three Native canoes left the Lake's western shore and joined the main French force. Landed unopposed once again at Black Mountain Point, the crews set about fortifying the peninsula.  It was our intention to hold this point for twenty-four hours, during which time we would continue our assault on the mainland.

Within an hour after our arrival a single British canoe was spotted making its way to Black Mountain Point.  Artillery was dispatched from one of the boats and setup on the shoreline just south of our current position.  When the canoe came within range the one-pounder sent grapeshot splintering through the small craft.  Both Rangers were killed and the canoe destroyed.

A picket line had been setup a quarter mile south of Black Mountain Point that stretched from the lakeside trail up onto the ridge.  During that afternoon a small Ranger party worked its way up the tail toward our position.  As it crossed the French lines, a skirmish ensued which resulted in two British soldiers being shot and killed.  A short while later a second Ranger party was seen working its way across the ridge.  The Roussillon engaged them, killing another Ranger while Grégoire Champlin was credited with shooting the British Commander.

That evening lanterns were setup at four locations along the trails leading to Black Mountain Point.  We suspected that they might add some confusion to approaching enemy Rangers, but more importantly it provided us with an illuminated field of fire for the battery of four artillery pieces guarding the point.  Movement was seen on the trails later that night, but no attack came.  An enemy canoe was seen just off the Point sometime before midnight, and Native and French gunfire from the shoreline killed the Ranger and disabled the craft.

Thursday, October 14th: The camp slept in shifts, and with most of the men gathered at the fortifications throughout the night we prepared for a fight.  The British were known for their dawn attacks, and it cost us only some sleep to make sure we were ready.  Movement was seen around the trail lanterns throughout the night, and intermittent firing from the artillery dispatched anything that came within the established kill zone.  When dawn finally arrived and the details of the forest were visible, the French gunners unleashed a barrage of cannon fire, musketry and grenadoes that can only be described as shock and awe.  The incredible display of power brought to the Lake by the French Navy and Royal Roussillon was indeed a site to behold.

Patrols began a routine sweep of the area around Black  Mountain Point.  The camp breakfasted light that morning, and it wasn't until nearly noon that the first Ranger patrol was spotted to the south.  During the next three hours five Rangers were killed south of the Point, two were killed in their canoe, and two were killed by artillery fire when they ventured near the French fortifications.  It was at this time that I myself received a ball from a Ranger gun, and the wound kept me out of the action for several hours.  I later learned that one of the Roussillon was killed during the same skirmish, and that Joe Chrome of the HORNET took his third Ranger of the week..

The fighting died down after three o'clock, and a formal parlay was called at four that afternoon.  The French stood to accept the arrival of the British force, and after brief salutations both sides sat down to discuss the tactical details of the campaign.   The French kept a well documented account of the fighting, and all told claimed twenty-one Rangers shot, four canoes taken, while admitting to six French shot, one boat sunk, two canoes and two prisoners taken.  The British offered no account of their part in the week's actions.

With the mathematics of defeat apparent to all, the French once again claimed Lac du St. Sacrement as their own.  The Ranger force had dwindled to a handful of men, and safe passage was granted to those remaining on the Lake for one more day.  Foul weather was brewing, and the French force made all preparations to head north in order to reduce the distance the boats had to travel in the morning.  With a light rain falling, the flotilla left Black Mountain Point and made way to Floating Battery Island where Native and French camps were made for the night.

Friday October 15th: Morning saw storm clouds to the north.  It rained somewhat over night, and a light but steady breeze blew from the northwest.  Sadoques and his men were the first to leave, following by the Plague Ratt and both boats of the Roussillon.  The crew of the HORNET made one last sweep of the island and were the last to quit the Lake.  An hour and a half later the French flotilla had landed at Huletts and began to reload gear and disembark for home.

Respectfully submitted,
Capitaine Damian Siekonic
French Commander
Lac du St. Sacrement