68 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



beneficial effect on the regiment than if the offenders had been shot 

 after trial by court martial. Ensign McQuarters was immediately 

 promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the Frontier Light Infantry 

 in recognition of his "spirit and activity." 1 



Frequent reports of unremitting activity in the American camp 

 at Burlington and information that a call had been made upon the 

 militia of the States of New York and Vermont resident near the bor- 

 der of Lake Champlain for three month's service, accompanied, it 

 was said, by a promise that if they would march wherever they were 

 wanted they would not be brought out again, caused General Sheaffe 

 to pay a hurried visit to all the military posts near the frontier from 

 Isle aux Noix to Chambly. De Meuron's corps was retained at Cham- 

 bly and the 13th divided between that post and Isle aux Noix. The 

 Canadian Voltigeurs with a troop of dragoons and two light field guns 

 were pushed forward from St. Phillippe to L'Acadie and the Canadian 

 Fencibles advanced from Laprairie to St. Phillippe. By great exer- 

 tions five hundred horses were at length obtained to mount the 19th 

 Light Dragoons, most of them being smuggled over from Vermont. 

 Three troops of that fine regiment were distributed among the posts 

 on the right bank of the St. Lawrence for orderly service. A hundred 

 men of the Sedentary Militia were employed in the improvement of 

 the roads from L'Acadie to the rear, and, the harvest being then 

 practically finished, Sheaffe recommended that a considerable body 

 should be called out for military duty. 2 



Isle aux Noix, St. Jean, L'Acadie and all posts on the line of 

 communication between Montreal and Kingston were strongly 

 occupied and Montreal itself was practically left without any garrison 

 besides the local militia. 3 



Learning that troops were being transported across the lake from 

 Burlington to Plattsburg, Pring sailed from Isle aux Noix in the hope 

 of delaying or preventing this movement. By this time Macdonough 

 had received a draft of two hundred able seamen and completed the 

 equipment of all his vessels. His flotilla was then composed of five 

 sloops, two of which were classed as transports, although armed with 

 some long heavy guns taken from the floating batteries, two row 



1 Sheaffe to Prévost, Sept. 9; Glasgow to Freer, Sept. 11; Quebec Mercury, 1813. 



2 Sheaffe to Prévost, Sept. 9. 



3 Distribution return of troops in the Montreal District, Sept. 15, 1813; Mont- 

 real, 361; Chambly, 1,404; St. John, 885; Isle aux Noix, 1,006; St. Phillippe, 236; 

 St. Hyacinthe, 38; blockhouse at St. Hyacinthe, 21; South River, 21; Laprairie, 540; 

 L'Acadia, 638; Chateauguay, 21; Three Rivers, 100; William Henry, 115; Lachine, 

 19; Coteau du Lac, 278; Cascades, 136; Cedars, 21; Prescott, 927; Total, 6,808. 

 Sick, 626. On command, 413. On leave, 17. Present fit for duty, 5,725. Freer 

 Papers. 



