[cruikshank] FROM ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 49 



Major General Stovin to the command of the proposed expedition 

 with instructions to attack both Plattsburg and Burlington, disperse 

 the troops occupying those towns and destroy the public buildings 

 and stores. Captain Russell, however, after making a careful examina- 

 tion of the captured sloops which had been removed to St. Jean for 

 repairs, came to the conclusion that they could not be made fit for 

 service in less than a week and being unwilling to wait so long, actually 

 returned to Quebec with his seamen before he knew that the embargo 

 had been declared. Stovin was consequently obliged to defer the 

 movement until another body of seamen could be obtained. 1 



When this misunderstanding became known to the Governor 

 General, who had removed his headquarters to Kingston, he addressed 

 a personal letter to the senior -naval officer at Quebec, asking him if 

 not entirely incompatible with his instructions from the Admiralty, 

 to proceed to St. Jean with a detachment of his crew and such sea- 

 men as could be obtained from transports and merchant shipping 

 in the harbour. He was instructed to take command of all armed 

 vessels and gunboats in the Richelieu and cruise upon Lake Champlain, 

 seizing every opportunity for capturing and destroying the enemy's 

 vessels of every description and for landing parties to destroy military 

 buildings and supplies wherever they could be found. The main 

 object of the expedition was to delay the movement of any troops 

 stationed on that frontier for the reinforcement of the American 

 army on the Niagara. The arrangements made for obtaining informa- 

 tion from sources within the hostile frontier appeared to be working 

 well. Early in June an agent reported that about three thousand 

 soldiers had assembled at Burlington and two thousand more were 

 said to be on the march from Greenbush. Champlain village was 

 occupied by five hundred regulars and volunteers with a field gun. 

 Many boats were being built for the government service in the river 

 Chazy. Another detailed report received almost a month later 

 indicated that little change had taken place. A thousand recruits 

 had arrived at Burlington from New England and nine hundred of 

 the best men had marched off to Sackett's Harbour. Four hundred 

 men were sick in hospital and apprehension of an attack had been 

 assigned as a pretext for calling out a brigade of militia. Plattsburg 

 had been entirely evacuated by the regular troops who had been 

 transferred to the other side, it was stated, to check smuggling which 

 had increased to an extraordinary degree. Considerable quantities 

 of public stores had been left behind without any protection. Cham- 

 plain village was still occupied by the same troops and Swanton was 

 garrisoned by a slightly larger force of militia. A careful estimate 

 1 De Rottenburg to Brenton, June 9. 



Sec. I and II, 1914—4 



