178 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
The wounded were embarked on two of the schooners which 
were ordered to return without delay to Sackett’s Harbour, but were 
driven back to port by a heavy gale. The remainder of the squadron pre- 
pared to sail to Niagara on the morning of May 1. The wind, which 
until then had blown moderately from the east, increased to a violent 
gale accompanied by heavy rain. This continued for six days during 
which Chauncey remained weather-bound in the bay, his flagship 
riding with two anchors ahead and lower yards and topgallant masts 
struck. The health of the troops was soon affected, particularly on 
the smaller vessels where they were crowded together so closely that 
less than half of them could find shelter between decks and many 
were not only exposed to the rain but to the waves which dashed over 
them. On the 8th the wind dropped and he was able to cross to the 
Four Mile Creek, east of Fort Niagara. The soldiers were reduced to 
a thousand effective men and more than a hundred seamen were 
unfit for duty. Two schooners were at once despatched to the mouth 
of the Forty Mile Creek and Burlington Bay to destroy depots of 
stores and provisions reported there. The remainder of the squadron 
sailed for Sackett’s Harbour after landing the troops. Arriving 
there on May 11, Chauncey detached four schooners to Oswego to 
take on board stores which had arrived from New York. During 
his absence one hundred and fifty fine seamen had come in from the 
seaboard. These men more than replaced his losses. 
His next step was to send a flag of truce to Kingston, ostensibly 
to liberate a wounded officer on parole but actually to obtain as much 
information as possible about the state of the British squadron. 
The officer employed on this mission reported on his return that the 
four largest vessels were ready for service and the new ship had her 
lower masts in and rigging and tops overhead. He had seen an officer 
of the Royal Navy who asked him many questions about the new 
ship at Sackett’s Harbour. Chauncey also obtained a Montreal 
newspaper published on May 1, which stated that eight officers of 
the Royal Navy had passed through that city on their way to Kingston 
a few days beofre. Under these circumstances he considered that it 
would be imprudent to leave Sackett’s Harbour entirely without naval 
protection. Two schooners, the Pert and Fair American, were ac- 
cordingly directed to proceed at once to Niagara with troops and then 
return and cruise off the port until they could be joined by the re- 
mainder of his squadron. On May 17, all the other vessels except the 
Madison and Lady of the Lake sailed for Niagara with 1,100 soldiers 
on board. They were favoured with a fair wind and reached their des- 
tination in thirty-six hours. Four days later, the garrison having 
strongly reinforced, Chauncey embarked 350 artillerymen and fol- 
