Carleton's Raid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carleton's Raid (1778)
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Date October 24 – November 14, 1778 Location New York and Vermont shores of Lake Champlain Result Successful British raid
Belligerents
United States	Great Britain
Commanders and leaders
Seth Warner	Christopher Carleton
Strength
Unknown number of local militia	454 soldiers plus sailors on the ships
Casualties and losses
79 captured, unknown killed and wounded	1 killed, 17 missing, 1 wounded

Carleton's Raid was a military attack by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was led by Major Christopher Carleton in the fall of 1778. The raid started from the Province of Quebec and targeted areas in upstate New York. The main goal was to destroy American supplies and resources.

Getting Ready for the Raid

On October 24, 1778, a group of ships left Ile aux Noix. This was before Lake Champlain froze over for winter. The ships included the HMS Carleton and HMS Maria. These two ships had also fought in the Battle of Valcour Island in 1776.

Two gunboats and many smaller boats called bateaux helped the main ships. The entire force had 454 men. These soldiers included British regulars from the 29th, 31st, and 53rd Regiments of Foot. There were also soldiers from the Royal Artillery.

Other groups joined the raid too. These were Loyalists from the King's Royal Regiment of New York. Hessian soldiers called Jägers also took part. About 100 Native American allies were part of the force as well. Major Christopher Carleton from the 29th Regiment of Foot led this large group.

The Attacks Begin

The ships sailed up Lake Champlain and reached Crown Point by November 6, 1778. From there, smaller groups of raiders left the ships. They went to attack Reymond's Mill on Beaver Creek. They also targeted the towns of Middlebury and New Haven on Otter Creek.

The fleet then moved to Buttonmold Bay on November 7. More raiding parties were sent out from here. Their mission was to destroy military supplies and black powder. They also attacked the town of Monkton, Vermont. Another target was Moore's Mill near Shoreham, Vermont. This mill was a meeting place for the Green Mountain Boys.

At Moore's Mill, the raiders met a group of local militia. A short fight, called a skirmish, lasted about 20 minutes. The local militia eventually had to retreat. One British soldier was hurt during this fight. The number of American casualties is not known.

What Happened After the Raid?

The British force returned to Ile aux Noix on November 14. Major Carleton reported that the raid was a success. He said they had destroyed enough supplies for 12,000 men to fight for four months.

Here is a list of what was destroyed:

• 1 saw mill
• 1 grist mill
• 47 houses
• 48 barns
• 28 stacks of wheat
• 75 stacks of hay

The raiders also captured over 80 cattle. These animals were taken back to Quebec. They also captured 79 prisoners. Thirty-nine prisoners were taken to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Forty others were taken to Quebec City by Native Americans, traveling through northern Vermont.

The American forces in the area were not ready for such a late-season raid. Most of their soldiers had already gone into winter quarters. This made it hard for them to stop the British attack. The only Continental Army units nearby were Whitcomb's Rangers at Rutland, Vermont. Also, Seth Warner's Green Mountain Boys were at Fort Edward.

The British had very few losses during the raid. One man was killed by a falling tree. One boat (bateaux) was lost on the lake during the trip back to Ile aux Noix, and 17 men on it went missing. One soldier was wounded during the fight at Moore's Mill.

This raid was followed by other attacks in 1780. These were known as the Burning of the Valleys. Major Carleton led another force down Lake Champlain. At the same time, Sir John Johnson led a force in the Mohawk and Schoharie Valley. Lieutenant Houghton also led a raid towards the Connecticut River in the Royalton Raid.