234 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
degree with their future security.”1 The next three days were there- 
fore actively employed in strengthening the fortifications and organizing 
the militia. The bastions were fraised, the curtains finished, the 
escarp deepened, gun platforms repaired, and a splinter proof building 
completed inside the fort at Amherstburg. ‘Twenty guns were 
mounted, and nearly 850 militia, being practically the whole of three 
regiments of the Western District, were mustered into service.2 Great 
exertions were likewise made to conciliate and retain the good-will of 
the Indians already assembled there, among whom were representatives 
of nearly every nation of any consequence residing in the northwestern 
territories of the United States east of the Mississippi. Tecumseh, 
with a small band of devoted followers and thirty Menomonees of tried 
courage and fidelity, despatched by Robert Dickson from his trading 
post on the Wisconsin portage, were among the most recent arrivals, 
and fortunately for the success of his subsequent operations, Brock’s 
letter of June 29th had arrived too late to prevent St. George from 
despatching messengers to the distant nations requiring their speedy 
assistance.* 
In consequence of the approach of General Hull, whose destination 
was known to be Detroit from the intercepted correspondence, Colonel 
James Baby was directed to occupy Sandwich with four hundred militia 
on the 4th, but on the following afternoon this force was driven out 
of the village by a smart cannonade from the American batteries, which 
likewise caused many of the terrified inhabitants to seek shelter over 
night in the neighbouring woods. Baby rather hastily determined to 
abandon his position, and retreated as far as the bridge over the Canard 
River within four miles of Amherstburg, where he met Captain Muir 
with fifty men of the 41st Regiment in waggons and two small field 
guns moving to his support, and was induced to return. Two heavy 
guns were sent thither afterwards, and Baby was instructed to maintain 
his ground as long as practicable without endangering the safety of 
his force. The schooner Nancy, belonging to the Northwest Fur Com- 
pany, was brought down from the wharf at Moy and anchored in the 
channel near Amherstburg to take the place of the Hunter, which was 
despatched to Fort Erie for reinforcements. Some small brass guns, 
mounted on the Nancy, were utilized to arm the row boats patrolling 
the river. A grand council of the Indians at Amherstburg on the 
7th was attended by nearly two hundred chiefs and warriors, and 



1 Brock to Prevost, July 3rd, 1812, Can. Arch., C 676, p. 115. 
2 Captain M: C. Dixon to Lieut.-Col. Bruyeres, RE, 18th July, 1812; 
St. George to Brock, 8th July, 1812. 
8 Wells to Harrison, July 12th, 1812. 
