40 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 



panying return from Lieut. -Col. Nichol, Q. M. G. of Militia, who 

 have been actively and usefully employed here for this day or two. 

 The panic of the American army, you will perceive, has been most 

 complete, and had the whole of this division been at hand to take 

 advantage of it, doubtless very many prisoners might have been 

 taken, and probably some more guns ; but I am not aware that any 

 further results could have rationally been hoped for. It was cjuite 

 impossible, however, for us to know to what a degree the panic pre- 

 vailed, and even if we had, to have moved sufficiently rapidly with all 

 the troops to take advantage of it. What we could do was, however, 

 done, and I think you will be of that opinion when you know that 

 the enemy only retired from his post at 1 2 o'clock on the morning of 

 the 8th, and our advanced troops (amounting to 400 men) were in 

 possession of it, and advanced from it after the enemy by seven of 

 the same evening. The distance is 20 miles from our position at the 

 head of the Lake. 



The principal objects Gen. Vincent has had in view in making 

 a forward movement with the greatest part of the troops to this place 

 are to communicate with and give every support and assistance in his 

 power to Sir James Yeo and the fleet, to be at hand to take advan- 

 tage of the success we sanguinely anticipate from his approaching 

 recontre with De Chauncey, to give encouragement to the militia and 

 yeomanry of the country, who are everywhere rising against the fugi- 

 tive Americans, making them prisoners and withholding all supplies 

 from them, and lastly, and perhaps chiefly, for the purpose of sparing 

 the resources of the country in our rear, and draAving the supplies of 

 the army, as long as possible, from the country immediately in the 

 enemy's vicinity. Our position here secures all these important 

 objects, and so long as our fleet is triumphant, it is a secure one. 

 Should any disaster (which God forbid) befall that, we have no longer 

 any business here or in this part of Canada. 



Enclosed is the report sent by Major Evans, dated loth June, 

 of which the following is a copy : 



Forty-mile Creek, ioth~June, 181 3. 

 Sir : Conformable to the wish of Brigadier General Vincent, 

 commanding, I herewith transmit a concise and connected narrative 

 of the late operations of the detachment with which he honored me 



