59 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
true policy to these people that I used every argument against it before 
his departure, and was under the impression that he, (Lt. Col. Campbell), 
accorded with me most fully. He has explained to me that he was 
urged to do this by people favorable to our cause on that side who 
pointed out those persons as old revolutionary Tories who had been 
very active, not only in oppressing our friends in Canada, but in aiding 
all in their powers the burning and plundering Buffalo. However 
much such characters may deserve our vengeance, I do not think it 
correct that our judgments should be passed upon them from merely 
being designated by a partisan officer or citizen who may be and no 
doubt are biased by individual motives. Be ORL CAN i 
. . 2... . . . . ACapt. Marcle, one of the Canadians of Will- 
cox’s party, was over on this expedition. He has sent several of his 
friends into their military posts to gain all the information in their 
powers, which will be sent over to us on Sunday next by a person we 
shall take off from there.” ! 
The important character of the information thus obtained was 
reported by him in a subsequent letter. 
“T think it proper to inform you that Genl. Scott sent with a letter 
of introduction to me about two weeks since, a Captain Markle, who it 
appears is a Canadian of respectable standing, and one who has taken 
a decided and active part in our cause during the present war. He 
srought with him a confidential and enterprising man selected by the 
Genl. as a spy. Through this man, who I have landed several times 
in the enemy’s country, Capt. Marcle has been enabled to correspond 
with his friends who are favorable to our cause, and has gained con- 
siderable information as to the numbers, situation and movements of 
the enemy in the upper province. One of his friends visited 
York in order to ascertain what had gone westward and their news in 
that quarter. It is now certain that a large body of men, more than 
a thousand, 500 of whom were mechanicks and sailors, with a number 
of pieces of cannon have been sent westward by the way of Lake Simcoe 
during the last winter and since that time quantities of stores have gone 
the same route but so closely cased up that no citizen could say of 
what kind they were; indeed no undertaking of theirs during the war 
has been kept so profound a secret as this; so say his friends, and they 
are clearly of opinion that the object is the building a strong naval 
force. They go on to say to him ‘from frequent hints we have from 
officers in the different garrisons, there is no doubt but they are con- 
structing a force above with which they calculate to gain the superiority 
of all the upper waters, and, from what our wives have gained from 

! Sinclair to the Secretary of the Navy, May 19, 1814. Markle had kept a 
tavern in the township of Ancoster and had, no doubt, many friends. 
