[CRUIKSHANK] COMMAND OF LAKE ONTARIO, 1812-1813 217 
truce came back the same day from Sackett’s Harbour with informa- 
tion that that port was thronged with bateaux and other small craft 
and the American seamen said that Kingston would certainly be their 
next point of attack. The officer in charge reported that a new brig 
had been added to the American squadron which he had seen with her 
topmasts up and apparently ready for sea. This intelligence induced 
Yeo to station his ships for the defence of Kingston while he detached 
all the smailer vessels under Mulcaster to join the gunboats off Wolfe 
Island. 
Chauncey got under way on October 16, with instructions to 
bring down another body of troops from the mouth of the Genesee. 
Before he cleared the harbour these orders were cancelled and he was 
required to protect the movement of troops from Sackett’s Harbour 
to Grenadier Island for which purpose he took up a station off the 
Ducks. There he remained for ten days occasionally cruising to and 
from Grenadier Island, keeping a close watch upon both channels 
leading into Kingston and running in so close at times as to obtain a 
view of the port and alarm the garrison. The weather during this 
time was very stormy and his ships were several times driven from 
their anchorage. Many of boats transporting troops and stores were 
driven ashore or wrecked. Heavy rain fell daily frequently turning 
to snow. “This weather is of itself almost sufficient to defeat the 
enemy,” Captain O’Conor wrote from Kingston on October 27. 
Chauncey’s movements were wholly successful in mystifying 
the British commanders. On October 17, Yeo wrote from Kingston 
to the Governor-General: 
“IT perceive your anxiety that every effort should be made by 
the squadron to stop and defeat the enemy’s flotilla in going down the 
St. Lawrence. I have, therefore, (as the only alternative left to ac- 
complish that object), ordered such parts of the squadron as can act 
in the river down to the east end of Long or Wolfe Island until all the 
gunboats can be collected from Prescott as that narrow channel prop- 
erly blockaded will in my opinion leave the navigation as safe as 
the gunboats with the convoy, that is for a few days until we can be 
assured of the enemy’s real intentions, for if they go down the river it 
will be necessary to have all the gunboats collected and ready to follow 
them. I have consulted every pilot as to the practicability of the 
two ships being of any use in the narrow waters and they all agree 
that they can go down the river to Prescott with a fair wind but that 
there is not room to manoeuvre or work them in the narrow channel. 
I therefore do not like to risk them unless the enemy’s squadron go 
down, in which case they are all ready to follow or to do their utmost 
