282 Naval War of 1812 



relatively much weaker; still it ought to have been 

 successful. But Sir George could not compare as 

 a leader with Col. Scott or Gen. Pike ; and Sir James 

 did not handle the gunboats by any means as well 

 as the Americans did their schooners in similar at- 

 tacks. The admirers of Sir James lay the blame on 

 Sir George, and vice versa; but in reality neither 

 seems to have done particularly well. At any rate 

 the affair was the reverse of creditable to the British. 

 The British squadron returned to Kingston, and 

 Chauncy, having heard that they were out, came 

 down the lake and went into port about June 2d. 

 So far the Americans had had all the success, and 

 had controlled the lake; but now Yeo's force was 

 too formidable to be encountered until the Pike was 

 built, and the supremacy passed undisputed into his 

 hands, while Chauncy lay in Sackett's Harbor. Of 

 course with the Pike soon to be built, Yeo's uncon- 

 tested superiority could be of but short duration; 

 but he used his time most actively. He sailed from 

 Kingston on the 3d of June, to co-operate with the 

 British army at the head of the lake, and intercept 

 all supplies going to the Americans. On the 8th 

 he discovered a small camp of the latter near Forty 

 Mile Creek, and attacked it with the Beresford, 

 Sydney Smith, and gunboats, obliging the Ameri- 

 cans to leave their camp, while their equipages, pro- 

 visions, stores, and batteaux fell into the hands of 

 the British, whose troops occupied the post, thus as- 

 sisting in the series of engagements which ended in 

 the humiliating repulse of General Wilkinson's ex- 



