"Upon the whole, Sir," wrote Douglas in his final letter from Quebec before sailing for England, "I scruple not to say, that had not General Carleton authorized me to take the extraordinary measure of sending up the _Inflexible_ from Quebec, things could not this year have been brought to so glorious a conclusion on Lake Champlain." Douglas further showed the importance attached to this success by men of that day, by sending a special message to the British ambassador at Madrid, "presuming that the early knowledge of this great event in the southern parts of Europe may be of advantage to His Majesty's service." That the opinion of the government was similar may be inferred from the numerous rewards bestowed.

Carleton was made a Knight of the Bath, and Douglas a baronet.
The gallantry shown by both sides upon Lake Champlain in 1776 is evident from the foregoing narrative.

With regard to the direction of movements,--the skill of the two leaders,--the same equal credit cannot be assigned.

It was a very serious blunder, on October 11th, to run to leeward, passing a concealed enemy, undetected, upon waters so perfectly well known as those of Champlain were; it having been the scene of frequent British operations in previous wars.

Owing to this, "the _Maria_, because of her distant situation (from which the _Inflexible_ and _Carleton_ had chased by signal) when the rebels were first discovered, and baffling winds, could not get into close action."[13] For the same reason the _Inflexible_ could not support the _Carleton_.