150 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



the new schooner, Prince Regent, appeared off the harbour. The crew 

 of a captured boat was sent ashore with a message demandmg the 

 surrender of all the shipping lying there, which was refused. A few 

 shots were exchanged at long range with the batteries, apparently 

 without damage on either side, and Earle stood away for the head of the 

 lake, having barely sufficient men to navigate his vessels. He had 

 probably accomplished all he expected by creating a general alarm. 

 Three thousand militia were called out and were so much delighted 

 with the result of the cannonade that the most extravagant reports 

 were put into circulation.* 



Still the British ships were able to transport supplies without fear 

 of molestation from Kingston to York and Niagara and this alone was 

 an immense advantage. During the operations which ended in the 

 suri-ender of Detroit, two of them were stationed at Niagara to assist 

 that flank of the line while the other three went down the lake to protect 

 the movement of troops and stores from Montreal. The Earl of Moira 

 and Duke of Gloucester descended the river as far as Prescott to enable 

 convoys of bateaux to pass the batteries opposite. Their appearance 

 provoked another panic and the crews of vessels lying at Ogdensburg 

 made preparations for scuttling them. General Van Rensselaer, who 

 had just arrived there on his way to take command at Niagara, called 

 for 120 volunteers from the militia to make a night attack on Prescott 

 but only succeeded in getting half that number, and the project was 

 abandoned, t 



A week later the two gunboats fitted out by Woolsey at Sackett's 

 Harbour, sailed down the river and met the British vessels ascending it 

 near Morristown. As the wind was blowing down stream the latter were 

 obliged to hug the Canadian bank and could not beat to windward. 

 Shots were exchanged at long range until dark. The gunboats slipped 

 by in the night and reached Ogdensburg where they took shelter 

 under the batteries. The British vessels were no doubt weakly man- 

 ned but had they been commanded by competent and energetic 

 officers something of importance might have been accomplished at 

 this time. X 



All the lake craft blockaded at Ogdensburg were set at libert)'' by the 

 armistice and promptly removed to Sackett's Harbour to be armed and 

 equipped for war. Ten or twelve slip-keel boats were also fitted out to 

 carry light guns for service in shallow waters. 



*John Lovett to Joseph Alexander, Ogdensburg, July 29. "Have seen letters 

 from Sackett's giving a dreadful account of attack there — all froth — barely a few 

 long shots." 



tVan Rensselaer to Tompkins, July 23. 



|Brown to Tompkins, August 4 ; Prévost to Lothbridge, August 11. 



