[CRUIKSHANK] COMMAND OF LAKE ONTARIO, 1812-1813 197 
‘As Sir James Yeo’s disposition accords so fully with his instruc- 
tions to burn, sink and destroy the enemy’s squadron, I feel confident 
that a general action of a decisive nature must take place between the 
two fleets unless Commodore Chauncey’s feelings differ widely 
from those of our Commodore,” Prevost wrote sanguinely to de Rot- 
tenburg that day. “In the event the American squadron may seek 
refuge in the Niagara River, a circumstance which will bring you 
into communication with Sir James Yeo with whom you are cordially 
to co-operate in such measures for its destruction as may appear 
practicable, I transmit for your information a few signals Sir James 
Yeo wishes to have established in order to enable him to distinguish 
your posts on the lake shore from those occupied by the enemy.” 
He then knew that the American fleet of fourteen sail had been 
seen off Niagara on the 27th and off York on the 28th and 29th. 
Announcing the departure of Yeo’s squadron, ‘‘powerfully armed 
completely manned, and ably commanded,’’in a letter to Earl Bathurst, 
Prevost said: “It is scarcely possible that a decisive naval action can 
be avoided, and I therefore humbly hope that His Royal Highness, 
the Prince Regent, will approve of its being courted by us, as a neces- 
sary measure for the preservation of the advanced positions of this 
army, which I have determined to maintain until the naval ascendency 
on Lake Ontario is decided, convinced that a retrograde movement 
would eventually endanger the safety of a large proportion of the troops 
in Upper Canada and convert the heart of the Province into the seat 
of war.’” 
Yeo’s squadron was then composed of two ships, the Wolfe and 
Royal George, two brigs, the Melville and Moira, and two schooners, 
the Beresford and Sir Sidney Smith. The Wolfe was armed with one 
long twenty-four pounder on a pivot, eight long eighteen pounders, 
four sixty-eight pounder carronades and ten thirty-two pounder 
carronades. She carried a crew of one hundred and seventy-five, 
exclusive of commissioned officers. The Royal George was armed with 
two long eighteen pounders on pivots, two sixty-eight pounder car- 
ronades and sixteen thirty-two pounder carronades. She was manned 
with a crew of one hundred and fifty-five petty officers and seamen. 
The Melville mounted two long eighteen pounders and twelve thirty- 
two pounder carronades and had a crew of sixty. The Moira carried 
two long nine pounders and fourteen twenty-four pounder carronades 
and a crew of ninety-two. The Sidney Smith, formerly the merchant 
schooner Simcoe, carried two long twelve pounders and ten thirty- 
two pounder carronades and a crew of eighty. The Beresford, formerly 

1 Prevost to de Rottenburg, July 31. 
2 Prevost to Bathurst, No. 61, August 1. 
