248 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
mission. One hundred and fifty voyageurs were enrolled as volunteers, 
and organized into a provisional battalion, of which Lewis Crawford 
was appointed to act as Lieut.-Colonel in command, with Toussaint 
Pothier as Major and Robert Livingston as Adjutant. Roberts, how- 
ever, was not in a position to equip this force, “ having but forty guns 
in the Indian store and no gunpowder but what was required for the 
great guns of the garrison, and ball cartridge for his men only; in short, 
the garrison was deficient in everything necessary for such an under- 
taking.”* In this dilemma, he applied to Pothier, who placed the 
stores of the Southwest Company at his disposal without hesitation, 
and the brig Caledonia, belonging to the Northwest Company, was for- 
tunately intercepted on her way down the lake from Sault Ste. Marie 
and pressed into service. The next step was to secure the good will, 
if not the active co-operation of the powerful band of Ottawas residing 
at L’Arbre Croche on the mainland within sight of Mackinac. It was 
still “a subject of much speculation how these people would act.” In 
dealing with them he found a highly useful ally in the person of Amable 
Chevalier, the half-breed son of Louis Chevalier, a well known and 
very influential French Canadian trader among the Ottawas. He was 
born and had grown to manhood in the village of L’Arbre Croche, but 
for some years past had resided at the Lake of Two Mountains near 
Montreal, whence he had returned to the “ Upper Country ” the autumn 
before to hunt during the winter. His influence among his mother’s , 
people, by whom he was recognized as a chief, was considerable, and 
he put forth every effort to engage them on the side of the British, to 
whom he was sincerely attached. On the 12th of July most of their 
chiefs assembled at St. Joseph’s, and reported that no reinforcements 
had arrived at Mackinac when, they passed the island the day before. 
Roberts at once held a council, at which he announced his intention 
of attacking the American post, and after a long private consultation 
among themselves, and “much prevarication,” they agreed to join him, 
and returned to their villages to assemble and arm their warriors. Even 
then Chevalier confessed that “he never could bring himself to have 
confidence in their fidelity.” 
Soon after, another express arrived from Brock with orders to 
“adopt the most prudent measures, either of offence or defence, that 
circumstances might point out,” and being informed that reinforce- 
ments were daily expected by the garrison at Mackinac, Roberts deter- 
mined to attack at once. By this time he had assembled 230 Canadians 
and 320 Indians, including only about thirty Ottawas. Chevalier was 

Pothier to Prevost, 8th September, 1812. 
