[CRUIKSHANK] GENERAL HULL’S INVASION OF CANADA IN 1812 271 
volunteers assembled at Oxford, whither Chambers advanced and was 
joined by Merritt’s dragoons." 
On the afternoon of August 5th, Brock embarked with his personal 
staff in a small schooner for Burlington.2 Two days later he passed 
through the Indian Reserve on the Grand River, and held a brief con- 
ference with some of the leading chiefs, with the result that Norton 
promised to join him at Dover in three days’ time with sixty warriors. 
Next day he arrived at that place, where he found nearly five hundred 
militia already assembled, including the detachments from the Lincoln 
and York regiments. Most of them were the sons of men who had 
fought for the unity of the Empire in the American Revolution, and all 
appeared zealous and resolute. His first step was to direct the arrest 
of Beamer and other disaffected persons, who were sent away under 
guard. He reviewed the militia and addressed them in his usual curt 
and incisive manner, extolling their patriotism, and stating his intention 
of proceeding at once to Amherstburg whence he should not return until 
the invaders were driven out of the country. He concluded by declar- 
ing that he had unlimited confidence in their loyalty and courage, and 
asked all those who were willing to follow him to volunteer their services 
at once. This speech excited great enthusiasm and officers and men 
volunteered in a body. Few of the boats collected there were service- 
able for a long voyage, and the work of refitting them caused a delay 
of twenty-four hours. One hundred men, including a small detach- 
ment of Captain Swayze’s Lincoln Artillery, in charge of a six pounder 
gun, were embarked in a small schooner which set sail at once, and the 
remainder, about two hundred and fifty in number, followed next day 
in open row boats, accompanied by twenty Indians, under Mr. Cadotte, 
in a large canoe. Means of transportation were still wanting for one 
hundred men, who were directed to march overland, preceded by Mer- 
ritt’s party of dragoons.ÿ 
About four o’clock on the afternoon of the 8th Brock got under way 
with his flotilla of ten boats, many of which were in such a leaky state 
that they had to be constantly bailed out, entailing both delay and 
fatigue. At the last moment Chambers suddenly fell ill and had to 
remain behind, but overtook the expedition two days later in company 
with Robinson’s rifle company, which had also been detained until a 
boat could be secured to convey them. On the evening of the 9th 
heavy rain began to fall, which continued with little intermission for 
1Smith, View; Merritt, Journal. 
2 Letter from to , York, 5th August, 1812. 
8 Lt.-Col. Macdonell to Duncan Cameron, 10th August, 1812; Read’s Life 
of Brock, pp. 150-1; Myers to Prevost, 171th August, 1812. 


