172 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
““Indeed,”’ the Secretary added, ‘‘you are to consider the absolute 
superiority on all the Lakes the only limit to your authority.’ 
A formal memorandum was presented to the Cabinet on the 8th 
of February proposing the capture of Prescott and Kingston and 
the ships of war lying there as the first object of the coming campaign, 
the capture of York and the two frigates reported to be in course of 
construction there, the second, and the reduction of Forts George 
and Erie on Niagara River as the third. This was approved eight 
days later. 
General John Armstrong, the new Secretary of War, had some 
military experience, and firmly believed that he was endowed with a 
great genius for war, which would enable him to direct these operations 
from his office-chair. He warmly urged an attack upon Kingston 
before the ice broke up. “If the enemy be really weak at Kingston 
and approachable by land and ice,” he wrote, “Pike, (who will be a 
brigadier in a day or two,) may be put in motion from Lake Champlain 
by the Chateauguay route in sleighs and with the two brigades cross 
the St. Lawrence where it may be thought best, destroy the armed 
ships, seize and hold Kingston until you can join him with the other 
corps destined for the future objects of the expedition, and if pressed 
by Prevost before such juncture can be effected, he may withdraw 
himself to Sackett’s Harbour or other place of security on our side of 
the lake. This would be the much shorter road to the object and per- 
haps the safer one as the St. Lawrence is now everywhere well bridged 
and offers no obstruction to either attack or retreat. Such a move- 
ment will no doubt be soon known to Prevost, and cannot but disquiet 
him. The dilemma it presents will be serious, either he must give 
up his western posts or to save them he must carry himself in force 
and promptly to Upper Canada. In the latter case he will be embar- 
rassed for subsistence. His convoys of provisions will be open to our 
attacks on a line of nearly one hundred miles and his position at Mont- 
real much weakened. Another decided advantage will be to let us 
into the secret of his strength. If he be able to make strong detach- 
ments to cover or recover Kingston, and to protect his supplies and 
after all maintain himself at Montreal and Lake Champlain, he is 
stronger than I imagined or any well authenticated reports make him 
to be”? 
The successful attack upon Ogdensburg and a report that Prevost 
had arrived at Kingston with a large force caused the immediate 
abandonment of this plan. Instead of attempting an attack on Kings- 
1 The Secretary of the Navy to Chauncey, January 26, 1813. 
2 The Secretary of War to General Dearborn, February 24. 
