 Carleton 's fleet , commanded by Captain Thomas Pringle and including 50 unarmed support vessels , sailed onto Lake Champlain on October 9 . They cautiously advanced southward , searching for signs of Arnold 's fleet . On the night of October 10 , the fleet anchored about 15 miles ( 24 km ) to the north of Arnold 's position , still unaware of his location . The next day , they continued to sail south , assisted by favorable winds . After they passed the northern tip of Valcour Island , Arnold sent out Congress and Royal Savage to draw the attention of the British . Following an inconsequential exchange of fire with the British , the two ships tried to return to Arnold 's crescent @-@ shaped firing line . However , Royal Savage was unable to fight the headwinds , and ran aground on the southern tip of Valcour Island . Some of the British gunboats swarmed toward her , as Captain Hawley and his men hastily abandoned ship . Men from the HMS Loyal Convert boarded her , capturing 20 men in the process , but were then forced to abandon her under heavy fire from the Americans . Many of Arnold 's papers were lost with the destruction of Royal Savage , which was burned by the British . 
