[cruikshank] FROI^I ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 161 



regular earthwork on the west side of the island, a tolerably strong 

 redoubt on its east side, and south of these, a third redoubt, whose 

 guns were placed to enfilade the main channel of the river as far as 

 the first bend at Mill Point. The banks in the vicinity were low and 

 swampy, and had been cleared of trees and brush within effective 

 artillery range. The garrison was composed of three hundred men, 

 half of them being regulars of the 8th Regiment, commanded by 

 Major Cotton. Two small gunboats were stationed at the island to 

 assist in the defence.* 



On either side of the road leading along the river, the country for 

 several miles was densely wooded and so nearly impenetrable that de- 

 serters, who had attempted to make their escape through it, had generally 

 failed and been captured. The inhabitants in general were strongly 

 prejudiced against the Americans whom they commonly referred to 

 as "les sacrés Bastonais," and their clergy to a man were actively 

 loyal, t 



After all preparations for the advance were practically com- 

 plete, it was decided to delay it for a few days longer until the armed 

 vessels could be made ready to co-operate in an attack on Isle aux 

 Noix. As a conseqvience the naval demonstration on Lake Ontario, 

 which had been intended to be simultaneous, actually began two weeks 

 «arlier. At noon on November 2, a strange sail was reported in Hen- 

 derson's Harbour, seven miles distant from Sackett's, and Chauncey 

 not unnaturally became apprehensive for the safety of his guns and 

 stores, which were due to arrive from Oswego by water that day. 

 At dark he ran out in the Oneida in the hope of being able to inter- 

 cept the hostile vessel on her return to Kingston. The night turned 

 rainy and became extremely dark with occasional squalls. When 

 •day broke, the Oneida was six miles from Kingston and the Royal 

 George accompanied by two schooners was discovered lying at anchor 

 five miles to windward. Chauncey remained in sight of these vessels 

 for four hours without attracting their notice and then stood south- 

 ward in the direction of Oswego, returning along the coast on the 4th 

 to his port, where he was joined within the next two days by four 

 schooners bringing an indispensable supply of ordnance and naval 

 stores. X 



Surmising that the three British vessels seen off Kingston were 

 bound for Niagara with troops, he made all possible haste to take 

 the lake again with the Oneida and six of his largest schooners armed 



*Baynes to Brock, Sept. 10; Nicholas, Hist, of Royal Marines. 

 fGray, Letters from Canada; Letter in the Aurora of Philadelphia, dated 

 Plattsburg, Oct. IL 



JChauncey to the Secretary of the Navy, Nov. 4 and 6. 



