Poison Ivy and the Battle of Plattsburgh Hospital

Crab Island State Park occupies a small, 40-acre limestone island in Lake Champlain, just offshore from Plattsburgh, New York. Set at the head of Cumberland Bay, the unimproved state park is accessible only by boat. The island's shoreline mixes rocky stretches with limited sandy areas, and visitors encounter a small dock, informal footpaths, and abundant poison ivy. Picnicking, swimming, and fishing are common activities, along with short walks to sites associated with the War of 1812.

Revolutionary War

One mile south of Crab Island, the Battle of Valcour Island unfolded in 1776, where Benedict Arnold's small American fleet engaged British forces in a pivotal early naval action on Lake Champlain.

War of 1812

During the 1814 Battle of Plattsburgh, Crab Island served as the location of an American field hospital used by both American and British forces. Wounded soldiers from the battle were treated here, and hundreds — sailors and prisoners — were buried in unmarked trenches south of the hospital site. Many deaths resulted from disease, a common fate in pre-modern warfare. As an "invalid battery", the compound had two six-pound cannons, staffed by convalescent soldiers, emplaced overlooking Cumberland Bay. - AsNotedIn