ty, his excellency, nevertheless, does
not think it advisable, under existing circumstances, to
weaken the 49th regiment, which occupies so important and
critical a station; nor can he hold out any certain prospect
of any further reinforcement until the arrival of the troops
he has been led to expect from England, but directs me to
assure you of his cordial wish to render you every efficient
support in his power.

_Major-General Brock to Sir George Prevost_.

FORT GEORGE, July 3, 1812.

I have been anxiously expecting for some days to receive the
honor of your excellency's commands in regard to the measures
the most proper to be pursued on the present emergency.

The accounts received, first through a mercantile channel, and
soon after repeated from various quarters, of war having been
declared by the United States against Great Britain, would
have justified, in my opinion, offensive operations. But the
reflection that at Detroit and Michilimakinack the weak state
of the garrisons would prevent the commanders from
accomplishing any essential service, connected in any degree
with their future security, and that my means of annoyance on
this communication were limited to the reduction of Fort
Niagara, which could easily be battered at any future period,
I relinquished my original intention, and attended only to
defensive measures. My first object has been the calling out
of the flank companies of militia, which has produced a force
on this line of about 800 men. They turned out very
cheerfully, but already shew a spirit of impatience. The
king's stores are now at so low an ebb, that they scarcely
furnish any article of use or comfort. Blankets, hammocks and
kettles, are all to be purchased; and the troops, when
watching the banks of the river, stand in the utmost need of
tents. Mr. Couche has adopted the most efficacious means to
pay the militia in paper currency. I cannot positively state
the number of militia that will be embodied, but they cannot
exceed throughout the province 4,000 men.

The Americans are very active on the opposite side, in the
erection of redoubts; we are not idle on our part, but
unfortunately, having supplied Amherstburg with the guns which
that post required from Fort George, depending upon getting
others from Kingston to supply thei