1898-99. | THE CONTEST FOR THE COMMAND OF LAKE ERIE IN 1812-13. 375 
On the 18th he informed the Governor-General that the De¢rozt was 
ready, “ and, if we had seamen a few hours would place this district in 
security, which, it is incumbent on me to say, is not the case under 
present circumstances. My force must be still more divided on the 
advance of the enemy, and, as I man the fleet, my loss must be great. 
I entreat your Excellency to send me the means of continuing 
the contest. I do not expect the least assistance from the Centre 
Division. The fleet drops down to the bar this evening or early to- 
morrow morning, as the best situation to meet the enemy’s vessels. 
Should a landing be attempted, it will not be possible to avoid the 
risk of an action tho’ without seamen, and the enemy’s vessels well 
manned.* 
As he had not yet received any rejly to his letter of June 24th from 
Sir J. B. Warren, Prevost had by that time determined, as a last resort, 
to lay up the troop-ship Dover at Quebec, and send most of her crew to 
the lakes. This decision was made known to Procter in a letter dated 
at St. David’s on August 22nd. 
“T have the satisfaction,’ he wrote, “to inform you, that the first 
lieutenant of that ship, with 50 or 60 seamen, are now at Kingston, from 
whence they will be forwarded, without delay, to Amherstburg. You will 
make this circumstance known to Captain Barclay. You will not fail in 
forwarding frequent and very particular details of the state of public 
affairs in the Western District, as the movement I have made to this 
from the centre of operations has arisen, in a great measure, from my 
anxiety respecting your situation, and altho’ it may be one of some diffi- 
culty, you cannot fail in honourably surmounting it, notwithstanding the 
numerical superiority of the enemy’s force, which I cannot but consider 
as overbalanced by the excellent description of your troops and seamen 
valourous and well disciplined. 
“The experience obtained by Sir James Yeo’s conduct towards a 
fleet infinitely superior to the one under his command, will satisfy Cap- 
tain Barclay that he has only to dare, and the enemy is discomfited.”+ 
Such a letter could not fail to wound the feelings of both Barclay and 
Procter, when they had begged for assistance in vain for months, and we 
accordingly find the latter replying on the 26th. 
“Your Excellency speaks of seamen valourous and well disciplined. 
Except, I believe, the 25 Captain Barclay brought with him, there are 
***Canadian Archives,” C. 679, p. 447. 
t ‘‘Canadian Archives,”’ C. 679. 
