284 Naval War of 1812 



burned. On the 3d of August the trocps were dis- 

 embarked at the Niagara, and 1 1 1 officers and men 

 were sent up to join Perry on Lake Erie. As this 

 left the squadron much deranged 150 militia were 

 subsequently lent it by General Boyd, but they 

 proved of no assistance (beyond swelling the num- 

 ber of men Yeo captured in the Growler and Julia 

 from 70 individuals to 80), and were again landed. 

 Commodore Yeo sailed with his squadron from 

 Kingston on Aug. 2d, and on the 7th the two fleets 

 for the first time came in sight of one another, the 

 Americans at anchor off Fort Niagara, the British 

 six miles to windward, in the W.N.W. Chauncy's 

 squadron contained one corvette, one ship sloop, one 

 brig sloop, and ten schooners, manned by about 965 

 men, and throwing at a broadside, 1,390 Ibs. of shot, 

 nearly 800 of which were from long guns. Yeo's 

 included two ship sloops, two brig sloops, and two 

 schooners, manned by 770 men, and throwing at a 

 broadside 1,374 Ibs., but 180 being from long guns. 

 But Yeo's vessels were all built with bulwarks, while 

 ten of Chauncy's had none ; and, moreover, his ves- 

 sels could all sail and manoeuvre together, while, as 

 already remarked, one half of the American fleet 

 spent a large part of its time towing the other half. 

 The Pike would at ordinary range be a match for the 

 Wolfe and Melville together; yet in actual weight 

 of metal she threw less than the former ship alone. 

 In calm weather the long guns of the American 

 schooners gave them a great advantage; in rough 

 weather they could not be used at all. Still, on the 



