46 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



after dark. When navigation opened it was reported that rafts of 

 timber and spars were being taken to Isle aux Noix. 1 



On the 1st of May all the American armed vessels were moved 

 to Plattsburg, where the gunboats were laid up and their crews trans- 

 ferred to the sloops with the intention of putting a stop to further 

 smuggling by water. A month later, Lieut. Sidney Smith was placed 

 in command of these vessels, whose crews were increased to an ag- 

 gregate of 112 of all ranks by thirty-three volunteers from the regular 

 infantry and he was instructed to blockade the entrance of the Riche- 

 lieu with the double purpose of preventing boats and rafts from reach- 

 ing Isle aux Noix and the British gunboats at that post from entering 

 the lake. At dark on the evening of June 2, the two sloops anchored 

 near Rouse's Point. Shortly after daybreak, next morning, Lieut. 

 Smith signalled the officer in command of the Eagle to get under way 

 and follow his vessel into the river. The pilot of the Eagle protested 

 warmly against this movement saying that if he once entered the 

 river with the wind blowing as freshly from the south as it was then, 

 he would be certainly unable to return into the lake. His remonstrance 

 was disregarded and both sloops moved down the river without op- 

 position until they were able to see the outline of the buildings on 

 Isle aux Noix. 



The garrison of the post on the island consisted of a subaltern's 

 detachment of Royal Artillery and six companies of the 100th Regi- 

 ment under Major George Taylor of the latter corps, Lieut. Colonel 

 Christopher Hamilton, the actual commandant, being temporarily 

 absent. Major Taylor had already received an intimation from a 

 secret agent that a combined attack by the enemy's military and naval 

 forces assembled at Burlington was probable before long. At 4.30 

 a.m. the topmasts and sails of a vessel rising above the dense fog which 

 hung over the surface of the river, were dimly descried by a sentry 

 who gave the alarm The Eagle was then rounding a bend in the stream 

 less than a mile distant. Three row galleys brought up from Quebec, 

 during the previous summer, were soon manned by soldiers of the 100th 

 who had been frequently exercised in their management. The only 

 officer of the provincial marine stationed at the island was Lieut. 

 William Lowe but four junior officers of the 100th, Ensigns Dawson, 

 Gibbons, and Humphreys and Quarter-master Pilkington, had been 

 detailed to assist him. Each of the galleys was armed with a long 

 six pounder in charge of three gunners of the Royal Artillery, and 

 carried a crew of about twenty-five men. They were propelled by 

 sails as well as oars and drew very little water. The galleys put off 



1 D. Murray to Mil. Secty., Mch. 24; Macdonough to the Secretary of the Navy, 

 June 4. 



