184 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
he strongly advocated an immediate attack upon their dockyard and 
naval base before their return. Prevost consented readily enough 
and before dark some eight hundred men from the garrison of Kingston, 
composed of detachments from seven different corps were embarked 
in gunboats and bateaux which rowed out to join the ships lying 
off the port. Their intention was to sail at once with the object 
of reaching their destination before daybreak but the wind failed 
and delayed their departure until morning. While still ten miles 
distant from Sackett’s Harbour their approach was discovered by 
the two American armed schooners on the lookout which immediately 
made all sail firing alarm guns. The wind continued light and baffling. 
At two o’clock in the afternoon the British squadron had scarcely 
come any nearer. A considerable body of troops was seen near the 
town and a large flotilla of boats approaching the harbour from the 
direction of Oswego filled with men. All hope of surprising the place 
must be abandoned. A gunboat accompanied by a party of forty 
Indians in three canoes who had accompanied the expedition started 
off to attack these boats some of which soon ran ashore on an island. 
As the wind still continued to be contrary the troops who had been 
embarked in bateaux in readiness to land, were again brought om board 
the ships, and it was decided to return to Kingston. No sooner was 
their course altered than-the wind shifted and it became as difficult 
to beat away from the harbour as it had been to approach it before. 
Then a rowboat from the island was seen approaching with a flag 
of truce. An American officer came on board with a proposal to 
surrender the party which had landed on the island and been attacked 
by the Indians. An escort was sent back with him and eight bateaux 
with one hundred and fifteen prisoners brought off. The remainder 
of this detachment consisting of two hundred United States dragoons 
evaded pursuit and reached Sackett’s Harbour in safety. This 
unexpected and easy success was taken as a sign that no very resolute 
resistance was likely to be offered by the garrison and brought about 
another change of plan. The squadron came to anchor in the bay 
several miles from the port. All the boats were ordered to assemble 
near the Wolfe at midnight and land the troops before daybreak 
on Horse Island covered by the guns of the Beresford, Sidney Smith 
and gunboats. This landing was successfully carried out and the 
troops opposing them were expelled from the island and two field 
guns and several prisoners taken with small loss. The passage of 
the ford leading to the mainland was next forced and another field 
gun captured. The American schooners had run up the river out of 
reach and their crews joined the troops assembled for the defence of 
the town. This wasa rather motley body of more than fifteen hundred 
