Icruikshank] FROM ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 31 



tary militia. He again reported his opinion that the capture of 

 Ogdensburg might be easily effected if he were reinforced with two 

 hundred men. 1 • 



On the following night, Captain Richard Duncan Fraser of the 

 2nd Grenville Militia, crossed with a scouting party of Indians a 

 couple of miles above Ogdensburg and carried off the sentry of an 

 outlying piquet, causing considerable alarm. This incident com- 

 bined with a movement of troops to Prescott from the posts below, 

 induced Forsyth to call in an entire regiment of militia from the sur- 

 rounding country which increased his force within a few days to more 

 than eight hundred. His successful raid upon Brockville greatly 

 enhanced his reputation as an enterprising officer and was eventually 

 rewarded by promotion. The batteries at Ogdensburg were put 

 in order and strengthened and all arms in store at the neighbouring 

 villages as far away as the French Mills were called in to arm the local 

 militia. "Should an attempt be made," an officer wrote, "I have 

 the highest confidence in our success. Indeed from the high tone of 

 the troops, it is difficult to restrain their ardour, and, should they 

 not be attacked from the other side in a few days, I should not be 

 surprised if they were to go over there." 2 Two or three nights later, 

 Lieut. Beard actually made another incursion into Canada and carried 

 off three men from an isolated farm with a valuable team of horses. 

 Major Macdonnel who was sent to Ogdensburg by Pearson to remon- 

 strate against this form of "predatory warfare," was treated with 

 such marked discourtesy that he returned in a very indignant frame 

 of mind. However, the American militia assembled there soon be- 

 came discontented and began to return to their homes without leave, 

 on which Forsyth applied to General Dearborn for a reinforcement 

 of regular troops. He was informed that none could be sent him 

 for some weeks but he might abandon the post if his present force 

 was not considered sufficient to maintain it. A council of war was 

 then assembled which decided to remain and make every possible prep- 

 aration for defence. The movement of four companies of the 8th 

 Regiment and a small party of seamen from Montreal to Kingston 

 by successive detachments, which was observed and duly reported 

 from various stations on the river below, kept Forsyth on the alert 

 for ten days, after which his vigilance seems to have relaxed. 



The legislature of Lower Canada assembled for its regular session 

 on December 29. After reviewing the events of the war in a pardon- 

 ably complacent tone, the Governor General thanked the members 



1 Colonel L. P. Sherwood to Pearson, Feby. 7; Pearson to de Rottenbu.rg, Feby. 

 7; Quebec Mercury, 1813; Hough, Hist. St. Lawrence County. 



2 Letter in the Federal Republican of Feby. 23, 1813, dated Ogdensburg, Feby. 10. 



