196 Naval War of 1812 



but cruising continued till the middle of November. 

 The Canadian commanders, however, utterly refused 

 to fight; the Royal George even fleeing from the 

 Oneida, when the latter was entirely alone, and leav 

 ing the American commodore in undisputed com 

 mand of the lake. Four of the schooners continued 

 blockading Kingston till the middle of November; 

 shortly afterward navigation closed. 8 



LAKE ERIE 



ON Lake Erie there was no American naval force ; 

 but the army had fitted out a small brig, armed 

 with six 6-pounders. This fell into the hands of 

 the British at the capture of Detroit, and was named 

 after that city, so that by the time a force of Ameri 

 can officers and seamen arrived at the lake there 

 was not a vessel on it for them to serve in, while 

 their foes had eight. But we only have to deal with 

 two of the latter at present. The Detroit, still 

 mounting six 6-pounders, and with a crew of 56 

 men, under the command of Lieutenant of Marines 

 Rolette, of the Royal Navy, assisted by a boatswain 

 and gunner, and containing also 30 American pris 

 oners, and the Caledonia, a small brig mounting two 

 4-pounders on pivots, with a crew of 12 men, Cana 

 dian-English, under Mr. Irvine, and having aboard 

 also 10 American prisoners, and a very valuable 

 cargo of furs, worth about $200,000, moved down 



8 These preliminary events were not very important, and 

 the historians on both sides agree almost exactly, so that I 

 have not considered it necessary to quote authorities. 



