[CRUIKSHANK] COMMAND OF LAKE ONTARIO, 1812-1813 173 
ton Pike’s troops were hastily transported to Sackett’s Harbour in 
sleighs for its defence. This movement was made during extremely 
cold weather and many men were disabled by frost. Chauncey had 
then been absent at New York for more than a month. “I am satis- 
fied that 1f he had arrived as soon as I had expected him we might have 
made a stroke at Kingston on the ice,” Dearborn remarked, “but his 
presence was necessary for having the aid of the seamen and marines.” 
Prevost’s hurried visit to Kingston and the movement of some 
small reinforcements to that post from Montreal had in fact been 
caused by his anxiety for the safety of the dockyard and shipping.! 
Active efforts to recruit seamen at Quebec for service on the lakes 
had not been very successful and the few men who were engaged were 
not of a satisfactory class. One party of thirty-five arrived at Kings- 
ton about the end of December and another of eighteen came on a 
month later. So great was the scarcity of the necessary artificers that 
sailmakers and riggers were borrowed from the transports wintering 
in the river. 
When Prevost’s arrival at Kingston was reported to Dearborn 
at Albany he ordered the whole of troops quartered at Greenbush 
and most of those at Plattsburg to be moved as rapidly as possible 
in sleighs to Sackett’s Harbour and started in post haste for that 
place himself, arriving in fifty-two hours from the time of departure. 
The whole of the militia of the neighbourhood was called in, 
augmenting the garrison to three thousand of all ranks and arms, 
exclusive of seamen and marines. Confidential but incorrect reports 
received from Kingston represented that between six and eight 
thousand men had been assembled and that an attack might be expected 
within forty-eight hours. Ten days later twelve hundred regular 
infantry arrived and a feeling of security was restored. Chauncey 
returned on March 7 and-a council of war held on the 10th, at which 
he was present, decided that no attack ought to be made on Kingston 
until the naval force could co-operate. He proposed that preparations 
should be made and information given out to induce a concentration 
of troops for its defence, when he would embark a sufficient force to 
take possession of York and afterwards attack Fort George. This 
plan was immediately approved by General Dearborn and Colonel 
Macomb. Chauncey was very confident of success as he had obtained 
. reliable information that York was practically without means of de- 
fence. The sanction of the Secretary of the Navy was easily secured.. 
“The general arrangement you have made for the attainment of 
the important objects of your command promise complete success on 
Lake Ontario,” he wrote, ‘‘and I trust those you have made at Erie, 
1 Prevost to Bathurst, February 6. 
