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The Study and Management of Benedict Arnold’s Gunboat the Spitfire Background: An important event during the Revolutionary War included the Battle of Lake Champlain. The British ships carried armies led by General Guy Carleton, Lieutenant General John Burgoyne, and General William Howe in an effort to capture New York and further their invasion on American soil. General Benedict Arnold led the American fleet to fight the British which became the Battle of Lake Champlain. This battle took place on October 11th and 13th,1776 and is regarded as one of the most significant events of the Revolutionary War. Many vessels were overtaken, burned, or sunk throughout the course of this battle leaving a collection of historic artifacts at the bottom of Lake Champlain. Objective: The Legacy Resource Management Program funded the research and creation of a management plan for the Revolutionary gunboat, Spitfire. In addition, the project included a survey of the Valcour Island submerged battlefield site. Expanding the understanding of the events that occurred during the Battle of Lake Champlain aided in the protection and preservation of this underwater cultural heritage. In addition, while making this military history more available for the public. photo by Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Drawing of Spitfire compiled from ROV Footage and Verification Dives Summary of Approach: The approach to the preservation of the history of the Battle of Lake Champlain involves the management of the Spitfire, survey of the Battle of Lake Champlain area, documentation of the schooner Royal Salvage, inspection of Great Bridge, and research on the effects of zebra mussel colonies on underwater structures. The main management goals of the Spitfire were to look into the feasibility of in situ preservation and the recovering of the vessel. Video documenting and possibly more sediment samples were also part of the annual inspections. The survey of Lake Champlain was an ongoing effort to fully understand what took place in the fall of 1776 which 02-162 included a systematic survey of the Valcour Island Battlefield site with minimal recover and conservation of located artifacts. Benedict Arnold’s schooner Royal Savage, was recovered in 1934 by Lorenzo Haggland and the archaeologists from the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) proposed to assess its current conditions and document the remains. The inspection and revisit of Great Bridge, which spans Lake Champlain between Mount Independence, Vermont and Fort Ticonderoga, New York, included an examination of the site that was originally built on ice by the Americans in 1777. The stability of the structure in the post-zebra mussel ecosystem was assessed. Zebra mussel colonies and their effects on the gunboat Spitfire was also a research project conducted by LCMM and the University of Vermont. This study has made significant findings regarding the identification of the chemical and physical processes occurring to shipwrecks encrusted with these invasive colonies. Benefit: This Legacy RMP funded project provided more information and understanding of the Revolutionary War Battle at Lake Champlain. Underwater archaeology provided insight to the remains of the ships that sank, the artifacts left behind, and the effects of zebra mussel colonies on the ship remains. The results of the LCMM and Vermont University study will be applicable to naval shipwrecks in other zebra mussel infested waters. Overall the LCMM managed, learned, and shared materials gained through historical research, zebra mussel, studies, archaeological investigations, exhibit design and construction, and public interpretation and outreach programs. Accomplishments: The preservation and further understanding of the Battle of Lake Champlain was documented in a final research report. This report included the many artifacts that were successfully recovered from their underwater surveys. The historical and biological findings from this report will aid in future underwater shipwreck investigations. Contact Information: Dr. Arthur B. Cohn Lake Champlain Maritime Museum 4472 Basin Harbor Road Vergennes, Vermont 05491 802-475-2022 [email protected] REVISED 5/19/2009