62 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



The reduction of Kingston, he remarked, could be accomplished 

 either by a direct attack or "by seizing and obstructing the line of 

 communication and thus drying up the resources by which the enemy 

 is nourished and maintained." Wilkinson was positively ordered to 

 make it the "primary object of his movement" but permitted to 

 decide whether he would proceed by the direct or indirect method of 

 attack. If he preferred the latter he was instructed to collect his 

 forces "at the head of the St. Lawrence, make every demonstration of 

 attacking Kingston, proceed rapidly down the river, seize the northern 

 bank at the village of Hamilton, leave a corps to fortify and hold it, 

 march upon Montreal with the main body, effect there a junction 

 with Hampton, and take a position which shall enable you to secure 

 what you gain." 1 



He was explicitly assured that all orders would be transmitted 

 to him through the office of the Adjutant General and all improper 

 communications to the Secretary of War would be declined and 

 forbidden. General Hampton, Armstrong wrote, had only been 

 authorized to concentrate and organize his division and it was intended 

 that he should operate simultaneously with Wilkinson and under his 

 orders. 



Porter's letter to the Secretary was shown in confidence to 

 Wilkinson, who wrote at once to that officer, asking him to send several 

 spies into the camp and country of the enemy to gain information. One 

 of them should be instructed to return to Fort George while the others, 

 went on to Kingston and finally reported at Sackett's Harbour. 2 



At first Armstrong intended to accompany Wilkinson, and when 

 obliged to abandon this project, promised to join him somewhere on 

 the frontier, a few weeks later. On arriving at Albany, Wilkinson 

 wrote to Hampton, asking for a return of his division and suggesting 

 that he should cross over to Plattsburg. 3 As he no doubt anticipated, 

 Hampton was greatly irritated at the bare thought of receiving orders 

 from a man he despised and made no reply. But he wrote at once to 

 Armstrong, tendering his resignation and reminding him of a conver- 

 sation in which he had assured him that the division under his orders 

 would be regarded as a distinct and separate command within the 

 district and that it would not be taken from him nor encroached upon 

 by a superior in rank before the end of the campaign. Now he learned 

 that even his local movements were to be directed by an officer who 

 might be two hundred and perhaps four hundred miles away. 4 



1 Armstrong to Wilkinson, Aug. 8. 



2 Wilkinson to Porter, Aug. 11. 



3 Wilkinson to Hampton, Aug. 16. 



4 Hampton to Armstrong, Aug. 23. 



