Despite the fact that the United States and Great Britain had begun negotiating a peace treaty, British powers wanted to maintain bargaining power. As a result, the large British force under George Provost attacked a unit of about 3,000 American soldiers under the command of Aexander MaComb stationed at Plattsburgh, New York, on the shores of Lake Champlain. The British also wanted to maintain control of the Great Lakes waterway and planned a naval attack on the lake, as well as a ground attack on the town of Plattsburgh.

Thanks to a naval fleet organized the previous summer by Thomas MacDonough, and winds from the lake that confused British soldiers, American naval forces devastated the British fleet, including their flagship Confiance. Meanwhile, British groud forces in Plattsburgh were repeatedly repulsed. The British were forced to retreat and were denied control of the Great Lakes.

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