Battlefield Park Alliance to present “The Battle of Diamond Island & Signs That Explain It”

Historian Bruce Venter, CEO of America’s History, LLC and a Battlefield Park Alliance Trustee, will tell the story of the 1777 Battle of Diamond Island at the Fort William Henry Conference Center, 48 Canada Street, Lake George, on Wednesday, August 6, at 7 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance, is free and open to the public. Those wishing to attend may reserve a seat by registering at info@lakegeorgebattlefield.org.

Diamond Island was a British supply depot during British Lt. General John Burgoyne’s campaign to capture Albany. The small island, three miles north of the lake’s southern shore, was a critical stop along Burgoyne’s supply line.

On September 24, 1777, 420 Patriot soldiers, led by Colonel John Brown, aboard a flotilla of one sloop, two gunboats and 17 bateaux, attacked the island. It was the only naval battle fought on Lake George.

Outgunned by the British force, the two-hour engagement ended with the Patriots retreating to the lake’s East Side with loss of life and vessels. However, three weeks later, Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga, a turning point in the American Revolution. Burgoyne cited the Battle of Diamond Island as contributing to his decision to surrender.

Diamond Island today is a state-owned day-use area and a popular picnic spot for boaters. Venter, a summer resident on Lake George, has for several years campaigned to have historical signs placed on the island explaining its history. This spring, his efforts came to fruition as Department of Environmental Conservation staff installed two signs under the island’s pavilion. Venter wrote the text for the signs, and members of the Alliance helped gather accompanying photographs. Venter will explain the signage during his presentation.

Featured image: Diamond Island, the southernmost state-owned island on Lake George, is a popular picnic spot. The small island was the site of the only naval battle fought on the lake.