pushed forward a considerable body towards Queen-town, which rendered them masters of the Niagara frontier. They met, however, with several checks in attempting a farther advance; and in June, General Dearborn concentrated his forces at fort George, where he remained in a strongly entrenched camp. On the 3d of that month. Sir James Lucas Yeo sailed from Kingston, to co-operate with the British troops, and annoy the Americans, by cutting off their supplies: his proceedings are thus detailed in an official letter to the Admiralty:
“At day-light on the 8th, the enemy’s camp was discovered close to us, at Forty Mile Creek; it being calm, the large vessels could not get in; bat the Beresford, Captain Spilsbury, the Sir Sidney Smith schooner. Lieutenant Majoribanks, and the gun-boats, under the orders of Lieutenant Anthony, first of the Wolfe, succeeded in getting close under the enemy’s batteries, and, by a sharp and well-directed fire, soon obliged him to make a precipitate retreat, leaving all his camp equipage, provisions, &c. behind, which fell into our hands; the Beresford also captured all his batteaux, laden with stores. Oar troops immediately occupied the post. I then proceeded along shore to the westward of the enemy’s camp, leaving our array in his front. On the 13th, we captured two schooners and some boats, going with supplies; by them I received information, that there was a depôt of provisions at Genessee river; I accordingly proceeded off it, landed some seamen and marines, and brought away the whole, as also a sloop laden with grain. On the 19th, I anchored off the Great Sodas, landed a party of the Royal Scots, and took off 600 barrels of flour and pork.”
At this time, the enemy’s naval force in Sackett’s harbour, under Commodore Chauncey, consisted of the General Pike, quite a new ship, and mounting 28 long 24-pounders, 2 of which, being on traversing carriages, were as effective as double the number mounted in the common way; the Madison, launched in the preceding year, pierced to carry 24 guns on a flush deck; the Oneida brig, of 16 guns; and ten fine schooners, each mounting from 2 to 4 guns, a number of them on pivot carriages. In this squadron there were no less than 39 long 32 and 24-pounders: the total number of officers and men, as admitted by the Americans themselves, was 1193.
Towards the end of July, Commodore Chauncey sailed with
