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FOR RELEASE: Saturday, Apr 04, 2015

Battle of Plattsburgh is the subject of a free talk at New York State Military Museum on April 4

SRATOGA SPRINGS, NY (03/25/2015)(readMedia)-- The Battle of Plattsburg, and its importance in American history, will be the subject of a free talk at the New York State Military History Museum on Saturday. April 4.

The lecture by historian and author Keith Herkalo takes place at 2 p.m. at the museum, located at 61 Lake Avenue.

Herkalo is the author of "The Battles at Plattsburgh" , a history of the land and lake fight which took place on Sept. 11, 1814 as the British Army and Navy launched a combined attack down Lake Champlain towards Albany.

The Battle of Plattsburgh involved a naval duel between British and American ships on Lake Champlain, and a land fight pitting American regular Army Soldiers and Vermont and New York militia units against British Regulars who had fought against Napoleon's army in Spain. The American victory prevented the British from attacking further south and eventually resulted in a peace treaty in which neither side lost territory to the other.

This important victory, Herkalo argues, has been overshadowed in American historic memory by the Defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, three days later, and the American victory over British troops at the Battle of New Orleans, which occurred on Jan.8, 1815, after the war officially ended on Christmas Eve 1814.

Herkalo is also the editor of "The Journal Of H.K. Averill, Sr: An Account Of The Battle Of Plattsburgh And Early North Country Community", and is a regular speaker on historic topics as well as serving as president of the Battle of Plattsburgh Association.

A former Plattsburgh City Clerk, he is also a War of 1812 reenactor. He also played a role in identifying and the campsite near Plattsburgh where an Army of 2000-3000 men under General Zebulon Pike spent the winter of 1812-1813 before moving to Sacketts Harbor.

The presentation is the latest in a series of free programs being hosted by the New York State Military Museum during January, February, March and April.

© NYS DMNA Press Release:Battle of Plattsburgh is the subject of a free talk at New York State Military Museum on April 4
URL: https://dmna.ny.gov/pressroom/?id=1427371531
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