n8 Naval War of 1812 



large, of about 70 tons each ; three mounted a long 

 24- and a 32-pound carronade each ; one mounted a 

 long 18 and a 32-pound carronade; one a long 18 

 and a short 18. Seven were smaller, of about 40 

 tons each; three of these carried each a long 18, 

 and four carried each a 32-pound carronade. There 

 is greater difficulty in finding out the number of men 

 in the British fleet. American historians are unani 

 mous in stating it at from 1,000 to 1,100; British 

 historians never do anything but copy James blindly. 

 Midshipman Lea of the Confiance, in a letter (al 

 ready quoted) published in the "London Naval 

 Chronicle," vol. xxxii, p. 292, gives her crew as 

 300; but more than this amount of dead and pris 

 oners were taken out of her. The number given her 

 by Commander Ward in his "Naval Tactics" is 

 probably nearest right 325. 18 The Linnet had 

 about 125 men, and the Chubb and Finch about 50 

 men each. According to Admiral Paulding (given 

 by Lossing, in his "Field Book of the War of 1812," 

 p. 868) their gunboats averaged 50 men each. This 

 is probably true, as they were manned largely by 

 soldiers, any number of whom could be spared from 

 Sir George Prevost's great army ; but it may be best 

 to consider the large ones as having 41, and the small 



ity; he appears to have been entirely ignorant of all things 

 connected with this action. 



18 James gives her but 270 men, without stating his 

 authority. 



