Identification & Site Information

• Name: Gundelow New York
• Other Names: None recorded
• Vessel Type: Armed Gundelow (Flat-bottomed Gunboat)
• Date Built: 1776
• Builder: Constructed by the Continental Navy, almost certainly at Skenesborough (now Whitehall, New York) as part of Benedict Arnold’s emergency fleet construction
• 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 (most likely 4-pounders)
• Swivel guns mounted for close-range defence
• Tonnage: Estimated 40-50 tons
• Date Lost: October 11-13, 1776
• Final Location: Valcour Island, Lake Champlain
• Coordinates: Exact site unknown, but presumed within the general Valcour Island battle area, near approximately 44°36’N, 73°24’W

Vessel Type

Armed Gundelow (Flat-bottomed Gunboat)

Gundelows were versatile shallow-Draft barges originally intended for cargo and supply transport in the colonies’ inland waters. The New York, like her sister gundelows, was converted into an armed gunboat to bolster Arnold’s improvised fleet. With her flat bottom and shallow Draft, she could navigate close to shore where deeper Draft British vessels couldn’t follow, making her ideal for ambush tactics around islands and narrow passages like those at Valcour.

History

In the desperate summer of 1776, New York was built at Skenesborough alongside other small vessels needed to hold off the advancing British under General Guy Carleton. Along with her sister ships, New York was hastily armed with cannons and swivels and crewed by a mix of militiamen, soldiers, and sailors, many with little naval experience.

On October 11, 1776, New York took part in the Battle of Valcour Island, holding position close to shore while larger ships like Congress and Royal Savage fought in the deeper channel. New York’s job was to fire from cover, Ferry supplies between ships, and provide close-in defense against any British boarding attempts.

After surviving the day-long battle, New York joined the fleet in Arnold’s daring nighttime escape south, sneaking past the British blockade under cover of darkness.

Final Disposition

During the American retreat on October 13, 1776, the faster British vessels caught up with Arnold’s battered fleet. New York, either too damaged to continue or deliberately sacrificed to buy time, was either captured or scuttled by her crew to avoid capture.

Whether she was burned at anchor, intentionally sunk, or seized intact, New York was lost from American service after that day.

Site Description

⚠️ No confirmed archaeological discovery of New York exists.

Any surviving remains, if present, would likely be:

• Charred timbers, iron fastenings, and limited structural elements, if burned.
• Scattered debris field, potentially overlapping with wreckage from other vessels, if scuttled.
• Likely buried under sediment near Valcour Island’s western shoreline.

Experience Rating

⚠️ Not a recreational dive site — Historical Archive Listing Only

Without an identified wreck site, New York is preserved solely in the historical archive.

NOTMARs & Advisories

• No official NOTMARs apply to New York’s wreck site.
• Any discovery would fall under the jurisdiction of the New York State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Federal Antiquities Act, requiring permits for any interaction.

Located By & Date Found

• Never officially located.
• Historical records place her loss at Valcour Island, within the context of the American retreat on October 13, 1776.

Current Condition & Accessibility

• Depth: Likely shallow (estimated 3 to 8 metres / 10-25 feet)
• Bottom Composition: Mud, silt, and rocky shoreline patches
• Visibility: Typically low (1-5 metres / 3-16 feet), depending on season and weather
• Condition: Presumed heavily degraded or fully destroyed.

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 story of the New York reflects the improvisation and grit of Benedict Arnold’s navy, who took simple cargo barges and turned them into fighting ships—fighting not to win a decisive naval victory, but to delay and frustrate the British advance.

Though physically lost, New York’s sacrifice contributed to the critical time gained at Valcour Island, allowing the Continental Army to regroup and prepare for the victory at Saratoga the following year.

Keywords & Categories

New York, Gundelow, Armed Flatboat, Lake Champlain, Valcour Island, Benedict Arnold, Continental Navy, American Revolutionary War, Historical Shipwrecks, Scuttled Ships, Revolutionary War Naval History, Great Lakes Maritime History