Their forces on the two sides of the river being now separated by the enemy's shipping, the Americans retired first to Sorel, where the Richelieu enters the St.Lawrence, and thence continued to fall back by gradual stages.

It was not until June 15th that Arnold quitted Montreal; and at the end of June the united force was still on the Canadian side of the present border line.

On the 3d of July it reached Crown Point, in a pitiable state from small-pox and destitution.
Both parties began at once to prepare for a contest upon Lake Champlain.

The Americans, small as their flotilla was, still kept the superiority obtained for them by Arnold's promptitude a year before.
On the 25th of June the American General Schuyler, commanding the Northern Department, wrote: "We have happily such a naval superiority on Lake Champlain, that I have a confident hope the enemy will not appear upon it this campaign, especially as our force is increasing by the addition of gondolas, two nearly finished.

Arnold, however,"-- whose technical knowledge caused him to be intrusted with the naval preparations,--"says that 300 carpenters should be employed and a large number of gondolas, row-galleys, etc., be built, twenty or thirty at least.