On the Lakes 275 



troops, attacking forts, or otherwise helping the 

 military. 



In 1813 the Americans gained the first point by 

 being the first to begin operations. They were 

 building a new ship, afterward the Pike, at Sackett's 

 Harbor; the British were building two new ships, 

 each about two-thirds the force of the Pike, one at 

 Toronto (then called York), one at Kingston. Be- 

 fore these were built the two fleets were just on 

 a par; the destruction of the Pike would give the 

 British the supremacy; the destruction of either of 

 the British ships, provided the Pike were saved, 

 would give the Americans the supremacy. Both 

 sides had already committed faults. The Ameri- 

 cans had left Sackett's Harbor so poorly defended 

 and garrisoned that it invited attack, while the 

 British had fortified Kingston very strongly, but 

 had done little for York, and, moreover, ought not 

 to have divided their forces by building ships in 

 different places. 



Commodore Chauncy's squadron was ready for 

 service on April igth, and on the 25th he made sail 

 with the Madison, Lieutenant-commander Elliott, 

 floating his own broad pennant, Oneida, Lieutenant 

 McPherson, Scourge, Mr. Osgood, Tompkins, Lieu- 

 tenant Brown, Conquest, Lieutenant Pettigrew, 

 Growler, Mr. Mix, Julia, Mr. Trant, Asp, Lieuten- 

 ant Smith, Pert, Lieutenant Adams, American, Lieu- 

 tenant Chauncy, Ontario, Mr. Stevens, Lady of the 

 Lake, Mr. Hinn, and Raven, transport, having on 

 board General Dearborn and 1,700 troops, to at- 



