1813	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	244

were obliged to obey the fatal bugle, and the British retired to their vessels ; and the Americans, as soon as they could credit their senses, hastened to stop the conflagration. The General-Pike, being built of green wood, was saved ; but the Gloucester, and the barrack containing the stores, were entirely consumed.

That Sir George Prevost was as fond of writing official letters, as he was of substituting the first personal pronoun for the third, has already appeared in these pages ; * but, in the present instance, contrary to all precedent, he required his adjutant-general, Colonel Edward Baynes, to pen the despatch. That obedient gentleman did so ; and the European public scarcely knows at this hour, through whose fault it was, that Sackett's Harbour was not taken from the Americans in May, 1813. The Canadian public, besides being in the secret, were less surprised at the result of the enterprise; because they knew that Sir George, a few months before, had rejected an excellent opportunity of marching across the ice to Sackett's-Harbour, and destroying the whole American lake-navy at a blow.

On the 3d of June Sir James Yeo sailed from Kingston with his squadron, composed of the ship Wolfe, of 23 guns and 200 men, ship Royal-George, of 21 guns and 175 men, brig Melville, of 14 guns and 100 men, schooners, Moira, of 14 guns and 92 men, Sidney-Smith, of 12 guns and 80 men, and Beresford, of eight guns and 70 men, together with a few gun-boats. On the 8th, at daylight, the squadron arrived in sight of the American camp at Forty-mile creek ; but, as it was calm, the only vessels that could get close to the shore were the Beresford, Captain Francis Brockell Spilsbury, and the gun-boats, commanded by Lieutenant Charles Anthony, first of the Wolfe. A spirited attack by the schooner and gun-boats compelled the American troops to make a precipitate retreat, and all their camp equipage, provisions, and stores fell into the hands of the British. Sir James then landed the troops that were on board his squadron, and steered to the westward. On the 13th he captured two American schooners and some boats containing supplies. Receiving information from the prisoners, that there was a depot of provisions at Genessee river, Sir James proceeded thither ; and, landing some seamen and marines, brought off the whole. On the 19th he took another supply of provisions from Great Sodus, and on the 29th reanchored in Kingston.

All this while Commodore Chauncey was waiting at Sackett's Harbour for the General-Pike to be got ready for sea. At length, towards the latter end of July, that fine ship was armed, manned, and stored. The Pike alone was nearly a match for the whole of Sir James Yeo's squadron : she measured about 850 tons, and mounted 26 long 24-pounders on a flush deck, another 24-pounder on a pivot-carriage upon her forecastle, and a second,

* See vol. v., p. 207.

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