Identification & Site Information

• Name: Schooner Revenge
• Former Names: None recorded
• Vessel Type: Armed Schooner
• Date Built: 1776 (approximately)
• Builder: Likely built locally along the shores of Lake Champlain to serve the Continental Navy
• Dimensions: No exact records survive, but typical dimensions for armed schooners of the era:
• Length: 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 metres)
• Beam: 18 to 22 feet (5.5 to 6.7 metres)
• Armament: 8 guns (cannons)
• Tonnage: Estimated around 80 to 100 tons
• Date Lost: 1777
• Final Location: Lake Champlain (exact location uncertain, presumed near Fort Ticonderoga or Crown Point after British capture)
• Coordinates: No confirmed site, but associated with campaigns around 44°07’N, 73°26’W

Vessel Type

Armed Schooner

Revenge was a small but vital armed Schooner, part of the fledgling Continental Navy’s improvised fleet during the American Revolutionary War. These ships were often hastily built, lightly framed but heavily armed for their size, intended to patrol inland waterways and harass larger British vessels. Their shallow Draft made them ideal for navigating the tricky waters of Lake Champlain.

History

Commissioned in 1776 as part of Benedict Arnold’s hastily-assembled fleet, the Revenge joined Arnold’s desperate effort to block the British advance down Lake Champlain. While Royal Savage and Philadelphia fought at Valcour Island in October 1776, Revenge continued to serve the fleet into 1777, participating in harassment attacks, reconnaissance, and supply escort duties.

Following the American retreat from Fort Ticonderoga in July 1777, the Revenge was either scuttled, destroyed by retreating American forces to prevent capture, or seized and subsequently destroyed by the British. Documentation is fragmentary, but by late 1777, the vessel was out of service—either burned at anchor or dismantled after capture.

Final Disposition

• Cause of Loss: Destroyed to prevent use by enemy (most probable scenario).
• Location: Presumed lost near Fort Ticonderoga or Crown Point, both key strategic sites Abandoned by Continental forces in mid-1777.
• Condition: If any remains exist, they would be deeply buried in silt or scattered in shallow waters near historical portage sites along the lake’s southern reaches.

Site Description

Unlike her Valcour Island counterparts, Revenge’s final resting place is uncertain. No positively identified wreck matching her description has been found to date. Archaeologists and researchers believe any potential remains would be:

• Shallow water site near military dock areas or former supply depots.
• Extremely fragmented if destroyed by fire or salvaging.
• Likely overbuilt by later fortifications, docks, or shoreline development.

Experience Rating

⚠️ Non-divable — Historical Archive Listing Only

As of today, there is no known accessible wreck site for the Revenge. The ship is included in the Historical Archive due to its significance in Revolutionary War naval history, not as an active dive site.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No active NOTMARs apply, as no wreckage is known to exist.
• If any archaeological discovery is made, the site would immediately fall under New York State Historic Preservation laws and require permits for any form of interaction.

Located By & Date Found

• No confirmed discovery.
• Historical research traces the ship’s final service to July 1777, when it disappears from records after the American retreat from Fort Ticonderoga.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Smithsonian Institution – Revolutionary Naval Artifacts

Conclusion

Though the physical remains of the Revenge are lost to time, her historical significance endures. As part of Benedict Arnold’s fleet, she played a key role in America’s first naval campaign, helping to delay the British advance long enough to set the stage for the American victory at Saratoga, which ultimately turned the tide of the war.

Even without a confirmed dive site, her story belongs alongside Royal Savage and Philadelphia in the maritime heritage of the Great Lakes.

Keywords & Categories

Revenge, Armed Schooner, Lake Champlain, Fort Ticonderoga, American Revolutionary War, Continental Navy, Benedict Arnold, Valcour Island Campaign, Lost Naval Vessels, Historical Shipwrecks, Great Lakes Maritime History