368 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [Vo.. VI. 
understood to be considerably superior in guns and men, and as the result 
of the contest there was justly felt to be of supreme importance, Yeo 
absolutely refused to part with any of the officers or seamen who had 
come with him from England. Barclay was accordingly obliged to 
proceed to his post accompanied only by-three lieutenants, a surgeon, a 
master’s mate and nineteen seamen, twelve of whom were French 
Canadians. At York they overtook a detachment of the 8th on its way 
in boats to join General Vincent at Niagara. On May 27th, when 
within twenty miles of Fort George, they learned that Vincent had been 
driven from his position, and marched overland to join him at De Cew’s 
Falls. Next day it was ascertained that the Queen Charlotte which had 
been lying under Point Abino, had gone up the lake to avoid an attack, 
and they were obliged to undertake the toilsome overland journey to 
Amherstburg, where they arrived about June roth. 
The ship on the stocks at that place was still in a very backward state 
from want of the most necessary stores, as nearly everything intended 
for her equipment had been either taken or destroyed when the Ameri- 
cans captured York. But on June 16th he succeeded in manning the 
Queen Charlotte and Lady Prevost and sailed down the south shore to 
reconnoitre the harbour of Erie. He ascertained that it was well protected 
by batteries and blockhouses garrisoned by about 2,000 men, and that 
the two brigs had their lower masts in. 
“The only thing I can hope for,” he wrote despairingly, “is that rein- 
forcements will be sent to Brigadier General Procter to enable me to 
destroy the American vessels before they are ready. . . . I expected to 
find four companies of the 41st at Long Point, and found only 
one.”* As Barclay cruised down the lake from Long Point towards 
Buffalo, Perry with his five vessels was moving slowly upwards, hugging 
the south shore. Off the mouth of Cattaraugus Creek the ships of both 
were distinctly seen, when about fourteen miles apart, by the crew of a 
small boat midway between them. The day was hazy and Barclay 
passed on without observing the American flotilla. Perry considered 
this a very fortunate escape for him, but it is doubtful whether the two 
British vessels were sufficiently manned to have risked an attack. On 
June 19th and 20th Perry took his ships across the bar into the harbour 
of Erie where they were out of danger. He had received a letter from 
the Secretary of the Navy. directing him to name one of his new brigs 
the Lawrence in honour of the dead captain of the Chesapeake, and the 
other Vzagara, to commemorate their recent success on that frontier. 
*Barclay to Prevost, June 17th, 1813, ‘‘Canadian Archives.” 
a 
ae ee er 
