Gundelow New Haven

Shotline Diving Wreck Profile

• Name: Gundelow New Haven
• Type: Armed Gundelow (Flat-bottomed Gunboat)
• Year Built: 1776
• Builder: Continental Navy, likely at Skenesborough (now Whitehall, New York)
• Dimensions: 50-60 ft (15-18 m); Beam: 15-18 ft (4.5-5.5 m); Depth of hold: Estimated
• Registered Tonnage: 40-50 tons
• Depth at Wreck Site: 3 m / 10 ft
• Location: Valcour Island, Lake Champlain
• Coordinates: Approximate coordinates: 44°36'N, 73°24'W

Wreck Location Map

Vessel Type

Armed Gundelow (Flat-bottomed Gunboat)

The New Haven was one of several shallow-draft gundelows rapidly adapted into gunboats to help defend Lake Champlain. These flat-bottomed vessels, normally used for hauling cargo, were retrofitted with cannons and swivels, giving them basic fighting capability.

They were never intended for fleet actions against fully armed warships, but their ability to hug the shoreline and fire from concealed positions made them effective in the tight confines of Valcour Island.

Description

Built in the urgent summer of 1776, New Haven joined Benedict Arnold’s fleet just weeks before the Battle of Valcour Island. Alongside her sister vessels, she served as a mobile gun platform and resupply barge, ferrying ammunition, provisions, and wounded between larger vessels and the shore.

During the October 11 battle, New Haven likely anchored inshore of the main American line, firing her two cannons at long range and using her swivels if British boats attempted to close the gap. These small vessels were vital to keeping Arnold’s larger galleys and schooners supplied during the day-long engagement.

History

After the initial battle, Arnold led a daring night escape past the British line. New Haven attempted to follow, but during the retreat on October 13, the British fleet overtook the battered Americans. It is believed New Haven was either:

• Captured by the British, or
• Scuttled and burned by Arnold’s forces to prevent capture.

Like many of the smaller American vessels lost in the Valcour campaign, her precise fate is undocumented, leaving her final resting place uncertain.

Significant Incidents

• October 11-13, 1776: Participated in the Battle of Valcour Island.
• October 13, 1776: Believed to have been captured or scuttled during the retreat.

Final Disposition

No confirmed archaeological discovery of the New Haven exists.

If any wreckage survives, it would likely consist of:

• Charred hull timbers if burned.
• Scattered iron fittings, cannonballs, and hardware if scuttled.
• Possibly commingled with debris from other nearby losses, given the close-quarter retreat action.

Current Condition & Accessibility

Depth: Estimated shallow — 3 to 8 metres (10-25 feet)

Bottom Composition: Soft mud and silt, with scattered rocks near Valcour’s shoreline

Visibility: Typically low (1-5 metres / 3-16 feet)

Condition: Presumed dispersed and heavily deteriorated.

Resources & Links

[shotline_reference_links slug=”gundelow-new-haven” title=”References & Links”]

Though physically lost, the New Haven represents the determination and creativity that defined the birth of the American Navy. In a desperate bid to delay the British advance, Arnold transformed simple workboats into warships, making vessels like New Haven symbols of early American ingenuity and resistance.

Her fate at Valcour Island is part of the larger story of how the Valcour fleet’s sacrifice bought time for Continental forces to regroup, ultimately contributing to the critical victory at Saratoga—a turning point in the American Revolution.