On the Lakes 91 



the seaboard to Chauncy, reached. Accordingly it 

 was a place of some little importance, but was very 

 much neglected by the American authorities. It 

 was insufficiently garrisoned, and was defended only 

 by an entirely ruined fort of 6 guns, two of them 

 dismounted. Commodore Yeo sailed from Kingston 

 to attack it on the 3d of May, having on board his 

 ships a detachment of 1,080 troops. Oswego was 

 garrisoned by less than 300 men, 2 chiefly belonging 

 to a light artillery regiment, with a score or two of 

 militia; they were under the command of Colonel 

 Mitchell. The recaptured schooper Growler was in 

 port, with 7 guns destined for the Harbor; she was 

 sunk by her commander, but afterward raised and 

 carried off by the foe. 



On the 5th Yeo appeared off Oswego and sent in 

 Captain Collier and 13 gunboats to draw the fort's 

 fire; after some firing between them and the four 

 guns mounted in the fort (two long 24/5, one long 

 12, and one long 6), the gunboats retired. The 

 next day the attack was seriously made. The Prin 

 cess Charlotte, Montreal, and Niagara engaged the 

 batteries, while the Charwell and Star scoured the 

 woods with grape to clear them of the militia. 3 The 

 debarkation of the troops was superintended by Cap 

 tain O'Connor, and until it was accomplished the 



1 General order of General Jacob Brown, by R. Jones, As 

 sistant Adjutant-General, May 12, 1814. 

 3 Letter of General Gordon Drummond, May 7, 1814. 



