[CRUIKSHANK] COMMAND OF LAKE ONTARIO, 1812-1813 181 
at once by the difficult overland route, having to march on snow- 
shoes a great part of the way. Barclay arrived alone on the 20th 
of April having left his companions behind at Madawaska. On the 
23rd he set off for Kingston to take over the command on Lake Ontario. 
He received instructions to make such changes among the officers and 
crews of the vessels as he deemed expedient and to require from 
other branches of the service all the assistance practicable to gain 
complete naval ascendency. The Governor General had then received 
information that the number ofseamen under orders to come out from 
England had been increased from two to three hundred and that they 
would probably sail about the end of March.1 
Barclay took up his duties with much energy. He found the 
Royal George, armed with twenty thirty-two pounder carronades and 
two long nine pounders, the Moira, carrying ten eighteen pounder car- 
ronades and four long six pounders, and the Prince Regent of ten twelve 
pounder carronades and two long sixes fully equipped and ready for 
sea, waiting for their crews to be completed. The Wolfe lay alongside 
the wharf taking in her masts and would be ready for her guns and 
crew in three weeks. These ships, he said, were as fine vessels of 
their class as he had ever seen. He decided to take command of the 
Wolfe himself and appointed Pring to the Royal George and Finnis 
to the Moira. Gray had already collected timber for a ship to replace 
the one destroyed at York a few days before and had made a recom- 
mendation for that purpose. “There is every reason to suppose 
that a vessel of this description may be built in four or five weeks,” 
he said, ‘‘in short something must be done to recover the loss we have 
sustained at York, and this seems to be the only means of recovering 
our naval ascendency. 
“T am far from thinking the cause lost, as we have still entire the 
principal part of our naval force and with the addition of the Sir 
George Prevost, (Wolfe), and the brig on the stocks, I have every reason 
to believe we shall be able to cope with the enemy. It is, however, 
advisable to put this matter past a doubt by persevering in our exer- 
tions in the dockyard.’” 
On the 12th of March the number of officers and seamen under 
orders for service on the Canadian lakes was further increased to 448. 
Sir James Lucas Yeo, a young officer greatly distinguished for enter- 
prise and daring, was selected to command. He had been promoted 
to be a lieutenant for merit at the age of fifteen. His capture of the 
frigate Confiance and the conquest of Cayenne were justly ranked 
among the most remarkable exploits of British seamen in recent years. 


1 The Military Secretary to Sheaffe, April 22. 
2 Gray to Sheaffe, May 4; Barclay to Sheaffe, May 5. 
