Jack Kelly
Valcour: The 1776 Campaign That Saved the Cause of Liberty
Jack Kelly, author and historian, on his new book, Valcour: The 1776 Campaign That Saved the Cause of Liberty, which covers the Revolutionary War battle on‹ Lake Champlain—led by Philip Schuyler, Horatio Gates, and the heroic Benedict Arnold—that delayed British invasion until the following year.
[Publisher’s excerpt.]
During the summer of 1776, a British incursion from Canada loomed. In response, citizen soldiers of the newly independent nation mounted a heroic defense. Patriots constructed a small fleet of gunboats on Lake Champlain in northern New York and confronted the Royal Navy in a desperate three-day battle near Valcour Island. Their effort surprised the arrogant British and forced the enemy to call off their invasion.
Jack Kelly’s Valcour is a story of people. The northern campaign of 1776 was led by the underrated general Philip Schuyler (Hamilton’s father-in-law), the ambitious former British officer Horatio Gates, and the notorious Benedict Arnold. An experienced sea captain, Arnold devised a brilliant strategy that confounded his slow-witted opponents.
America’s independence hung in the balance during 1776. Patriots endured one defeat after another. But two events turned the tide: Washington’s bold attack on Trenton and the equally audacious fight at Valcour Island. Together, they stunned the enemy and helped preserve the cause of liberty.
[Recorded September 09, 2021.]
Jack Kelly (jackkellybooks.com) is a public scholar, historian, and novelist. The author of numerous books, the Baltimore Sun described Jack’s writing as “brilliantly succinct and excruciatingly powerful.” The Wall Street Journal wrote that he “packs in a remarkable amount of information, thanks to his lean, readable prose.” A New York Foundation for the Arts fellow, Jack has appeared on NPR, PBS, and The History Channel. He has written for national publications including the Wall Street Journal and American Heritage. Born in Western New York, Jack now lives and works in the Hudson Valley.
