220 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
advantage of a westerly wind while I am down the St. Lawrence and 
run over to the harbour and burn it, which he certainly can do if 
he knows its defenceless condition; for to the best of my knowledge 
there are no troops left there except sick and invalids, nor is there more 
than three guns mounted.’”! 
Still he declared that he was willing to give the troops every assist- 
ance in the way of transport and protection, and that he would escort 
the flotilla down the river until beyond all danger from molestation 
by the British squadron but stated explicitly that he deemed it unsafe 
to remain in the St. Lawrence after the first week in November on 
account of ice. 
His squadron entered the river on November 2 and on the follow- 
ing day anchored off the lower end of Wolfe Island in the northern 
channel. The British squadron soon made its appearance and an- 
chored in the southern channel near Sir John’s Island about five miles 
distant. The sound of its bells could be distinctly heard and the guard 
boats fired at one another several times during the night. The 
passage between was too shallow to allow them to cross without danger 
of running aground and they remained watching each other. Wilkin- 
son arrived with his rear guard at French Creek but he was too ill to 
exercise any personal command. Next day he informed Chauncey 
of his decision to begin the descent of the river on the 5th with the 
intention of running past the batteries at Prescott during the night; 
if that proved impracticable he would land and assault them. This 
operation might occupy several days and he asked protection until 
it was accomplished. Chauncey replied that he was in a position to 
watch both channels but did not consider it safe to detach any portion 
of his squadron as he was in hourly expectation of being attacked. 
“I will remain in my present station until you pass Prescott,” 
he added, ‘‘but am anxious for that event to take place at as early a 
day as possible, as the fleet cannot move out of this river except with a 
fair wind. It is to be apprehended that after a few days a spell of 
westwardly winds will set in which may detain us until the ice makes, 
which would endanger the safety of the fleet and probably lead to its 
destruction.’ 
At the same time he had some fears for the security of transports 
left without protection at Grenadier Island and thought it possible 
that troops with artillery might be landed from Kingston upon 
Carleton Island, which would render his return into the lake extremely 
difficult. He soon after changed his anchorage to the vicinity of that 
island, where he remained until the evening of the 9th. He then took 
1 Chauncey to the Secretary of the Navy, No. 101, off Stony Island, Oct. 30. 
2 Chauncey to Wilkinson, Nov. 4. 
