NY Army Guard honors Revolutionary War Soldiers killed in 1776 Lake Champlain naval fight

SCHUYLERVILLE, New York— American Soldiers killed in a naval battle on Lake Champlain 250 years ago were honored by the New York Army National Guard on… SCHUYLERVILLE, New York— American Soldiers killed in a naval battle on Lake Champlain 250 years ago were honored by the New York Army National Guard on Tuesday, Oct. 13. A New York Army National Guard Honor Guard provided military funeral honors for the remains of crewmen from the gunboat Philadelphia during a ceremony held at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville. The boat, manned by 44 Soldiers who were mostly members of the New Hampshire militia, was sunk by a British ship during the October 11,1776, Battle of Valcour Island.

The battle—during which 11 American vessels were sunk—was a tactical defeat for the Continental Army. But the British delayed their attack on Fort Ticonderoga until 1777 because of the fight. Eleven New York Army National Guard Soldiers, comprising a three Soldier firing party, a bugler, an officer in charge, and a pallbearer detail, provided full honors for the remains of crewmen found within the hold of the Philadelphia. A team of Revolutionary War reenactors saluted the unknowns with musket fire, this was followed by the Army Guard firing party, which fired seven rounds each. Staff Sgt. Alexandra Johnson then played taps. Major