Identification & Site Information

• Name: Gundelow Jersey
• Other Names: None recorded
• Vessel Type: Gundelow (Flat-bottomed Cargo & Gunboat Hybrid)
• Date Built: 1776 (part of Benedict Arnold’s improvised Lake Champlain Fleet)
• Builder: Continental Navy, likely constructed at Skenesborough (now Whitehall, New York)
• Dimensions: Estimated based on typical gundelow designs:
• Length: 50-60 feet (15-18 metres)
• Beam: 15-18 feet (4.5-5.5 metres)
• Armament:
• 2 small guns (likely 4-pounders)
• Swivel guns mounted along gunwales
• Tonnage: Estimated 40-50 tons
• Date Lost: October 11-13, 1776
• Final Location: Valcour Island, Lake Champlain
• Coordinates: Exact location unknown; presumed in or near the battle area at approximately 44°36’N, 73°24’W

Vessel Type

Gundelow (Armed Flatboat)

Gundelows were shallow-Draft flatboats, designed to carry both cargo and light artillery in coastal or inland waters. Jersey was one of several vessels hastily adapted into makeshift gunboats by Benedict Arnold’s naval forces in 1776, part of the urgent effort to build a defensive fleet to block the British advance down Lake Champlain.

Their shallow Draft made gundelows ideal for operating close to shore and in narrow passages — perfect for ambush tactics in places like Valcour Island. However, their limited speed, firepower, and seaworthiness meant they were tactically outmatched when facing larger Royal Navy vessels.

History

The Jersey was part of Arnold’s cobbled-together fleet, built in the months before the Battle of Valcour Island. These hastily armed vessels were crewed by a mix of militiamen, soldiers, and seamen, many of whom had little to no naval experience.

During the Battle of Valcour Island on October 11, 1776, Jersey and several other smaller vessels took up defensive positions close to shore, where they could use the cover of the island to partially shield themselves from the superior firepower of the British fleet. Their mission was to harass and slow the British advance while larger ships like Congress and Royal Savage engaged more directly.

What ultimately happened to the Jersey is uncertain — historical accounts suggest she was either:

• Captured by the British, or
• Deliberately scuttled and/or burned by Arnold’s retreating forces after the battle.

In either case, Jersey never returned to American service and was lost at Valcour Island.

Final Disposition

• Cause of Loss:
• Either captured by the British during or after the battle, or
• Scuttled/burned by Arnold to prevent capture after his night escape on October 11-12, 1776.
• Final Resting Place: Somewhere in the waters west of Valcour Island, possibly in the shallows where Arnold’s smaller ships took shelter.
• Condition: Unknown — no confirmed wreckage of Jersey has ever been located.

Site Description

⚠️ No confirmed archaeological discovery of Jersey exists.

If any remains survive, they would likely be:

• Fragmented timbers, potentially charred if burned.
• Small artillery components, like swivel gun mounts or shot.
• Possibly dispersed by later storms and sediment shifts, mixed with debris from other nearby losses.

Experience Rating

⚠️ Not a recreational dive site — Historical Archive Listing Only

Without a confirmed site, Jersey is preserved in the historical record rather than the diveable wreck inventory.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No official NOTMARs apply.
• Any future discovery would immediately fall under New York State Historic Preservation Office jurisdiction, requiring permits for survey or excavation.

Located By & Date Found

• Never officially located.
• Presumed lost in the southern approaches to Valcour Island.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Depth: Estimated less than 10 metres (33 feet) if near shore
• Bottom Type: Soft sediment with rocky patches
• Visibility: Poor to moderate (2-6 metres / 6-20 feet)
• Condition: Likely scattered debris field if any trace remains.

Resources & Links

• Maritime History of the Great Lakes
• Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
• David Swayze Great Lakes Shipwreck File
• Library and Archives Canada
• Historical Collections of the Great Lakes – Bowling Green

Conclusion

The Jersey may have been small and improvised, but she was part of a critical moment in naval history — the first real American naval battle, fought against impossible odds.

Her loss at Valcour Island, whether through capture or destruction, was part of the larger sacrifice Arnold’s fleet made to buy the time needed for American forces to prepare for the defense of the Hudson River Valley — leading directly to victory at Saratoga the following year.

Though lost beneath the waters of Lake Champlain, Jersey’s story is a vital part of the chain that led to the birth of a nation.

Keywords & Categories

Jersey, Gundelow, Lake Champlain, Valcour Island, Benedict Arnold, Continental Navy, American Revolutionary War, Historical Shipwrecks, Scuttled Vessels, Lost Naval Ships, Historical Archive, Great Lakes Maritime History