166 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
He was accompanied from Albany to Sackett’s Harbour by the 
zealous and energetic governor of the State who displayed his anxiety 
to assist him in every way. They were much delayed by bad roads 
as the autumn rains had already set in. The Oneida was quite ready 
for service but the gunboats were not yet fully armed. Woolsey 
was sent away to Oswego to purchase several more schooners. One 
hundred seamen then on the road from Albany were ordered to that 
port to bring them on as as soon they were ready. ‘‘The mail comes 
to this place but once a week, Chauncey wrote soon after his arrival, 
“and the deputy-postmaster is an ignorant cobbler, who suffers the 
letters to be examined by any person who chooses to go into his shop, 
consequently letters to public officers may be purloined by spies or 
other ill-disposed persons without difficulty.’’! 
The movement of men, guns and stores had been greatly delayed 
by bad roads and low water in the Mohawk River and Wood Creek. 
Growing impatient at this loss of time, Chauncey went to Oswego 
but returned immediately as none of the guns or stores had yet arrived.” 
On the evening of November 2 a strange sail was reported looking 
into Henderson’s Harbour seven miles distant. As an unarmed 
transport was then expected from Oswego loaded with guns and stores 
of value Chauncey became alarmed for her safety and ran out in the 
Oneida in the hope of intercepting this hostile ship. The night was 
very dark with occasional squalls of rain. At daybreak he was within 
five miles of Kingston and when the morning mist cleared away the 
Royal George and two schooners were seen riding at anchor about the 
same distance to windward. Chauncey then stood southward until 
in sight of Oswego when he ran back to port along his own shore and 
was much relieved to find that his transports had safely arrived. 
By this time he had obtained information which satisfied him 
that his squadron would be much superior in men and guns to any force 
he was likely to meet. Accordingly on November 8, he sailed again with 
the Oneida and six schooners, mounting in all forty guns and carrying 
430 men... His first object was to intercept any vessels that might be 
returning from the head of the lake. If successful in this, he would 
then make a dash at Kingston which he hoped to take by surprise. 
Steering for the False Ducks he soon came in sight of the Royal George 
and chased her into the Bay of Quinte but lost sight of her in the dark- 
ness. During the chase a merchant schooner was seen lying at a wharf 
at Ernestown where she was burned by a schooner detached for that 
purpose. On the morning of the 9th the Royal George was again dis- 
covered in the channel heading for Kingston. As the wind blew 

- 1 Chauncey to the Secretary of the Navy, Sackett’s Harbour, Oct. 6, and Oct. 8. 
* Chauncey to the Secretary of the Navy, Oct. 21. 
