1890-91.] LIEUT.-GOVEKNOH SIMCOE's ADMINISTRATION. 295 



mixed force of regular troops and volunteers, he built and garrisoned a 

 fort at the foot of the rapids of the Miami, a few miles above the site of 

 the present city of Toledo, and occupied the island in the mouth of that 

 river while he sent out gunboats to patrol the southern shore of Lake 

 Erie. 



A boat-load of stores ordered by Sir John Johnson from Albany 

 for the use of the Indians was waylaid by a party of armed men while 

 ascending the Mohawk River and plundered. Persons accused of giving 

 information respecting the smuggling of salt into Canada were publicly 

 whipped at Onondaga Lake. Philadelphia newspapers openly advocated 

 the conquest of Canada and every sympathy was expressed for such of 

 the inhabitants as were inclined to rebel against the Government. At 

 the same time, agents from the French Republic were known to have 

 entered the lower province with the same object. 



Upon his return to Fort Niagara, Simcoe removed the greater part of 

 the regular garrison to Fort Erie, mustered and armed about 400 Militia 

 and an equal number of Indians, collected boats and provisions, and 

 prepared artillery for a sudden and vigorous blow at the frontier posts 

 on the Alleghany and Ohio as soon as hostilities began.* These active 

 preparations for war occupied nearly the whole of the Governor's time 

 and kept the province in a ferment of excitement and apprehension 

 until late in the autumn when it became known, greatly to the relief of 

 the inhabitants, that a treaty had been signed in London for the peaceful 

 settlement of all matters in dispute. The expectation of a contest called 

 forth a most enthusiastic and genuine expression of loyalty on all sides 

 and Simcoe acknowledged frankly that he believed there was no one on 

 whom more dependence could be placed, than that persistent opponent 

 of Government measures, Mr, Cartwright. 



* His scheme of operations was bold and well-planned. " Had Wayne besieged Fort Miami, 

 I hoped to relieve it having made all preparations for that purpose. Had he been repulsed, the 

 Indians would have regained their spirits, and joined by the Canadian militia and 200 British 



troops, would have destroyed his army I should have known of these hostilities 



before the government of the United States. I should have, I had decided, surrounded Fort Le 

 Boeuf, cut off Fort Franklin — they could not have held out an hour before my cannon. 

 There would not have been an Indian of the Six Nations who would not have taken up arms. 

 By small parties of white men as the mildest form of war, I would have burnt every mill on the 

 Susquehanna to Northumberland or Sunbury, and on the Delaware to Minnesink, and in three 

 weeks the whole of the Genesee would have been abandoned. There is not an Indian in North 

 America who would not have flown to arms. The British Militia to a man on the first 

 appearance of hostilities, have avowed the most determined loyalty. They are well calculated 

 for offen^^ive warfare. There are few families among them who cannot relate some barbarous 

 murder or atrocious requisition on the part of the rulers of the United States. It is possible 

 that the people near Pittsburg may have broke out into the late violences in the hope of Great 

 Britain and the United States going to war." The recent disasters that had overwhelmed the 

 armies of Harmar and St. Clair made the success of these operations quite probable. 



