æz ɐ luːtˈɛnənt ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, hiː wʌz plˈeɪst ɪn tʃˈɑːɹdʒ ʌv ɐsˈɛmblɪŋ ʃˈɪps tə bˈæɾəl ðɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən ɹˌɛvəlˈuːʃənˌɛɹiz ˌɔn lˈeɪk tʃˈæmpleɪn.
As a lieutenant in 1776, he was placed in charge of assembling ships to battle the American Revolutionaries on Lake Champlain.