river at
Queenston in less than ten minutes. Our spies have reported that forty
batteaux, to carry forty men each, are in readiness at Tonawanda. Evans
and Macdonell, when they called on Van Rensselaer, saw at least a dozen
boats moored at Lewiston, some of which could carry eighty men. During
the deplorable armistice, as General Sheaffe is aware"--looking at that
officer--"Van Rensselaer brought up 400 boats and batteaux from
Ogdensburg and other points, all of his previously blockaded fleet, so
the enemy has no lack of transport. The most effective disposition of
our limited force is, I admit, somewhat of a problem. There is no use in
evading the fact that in point of numbers and ordnance we are too weak,
and as Sir George Prevost has written me not to expect any further aid,
Colonel Talbot must send us a few of his militia."

"Macdonell," he said, turning to his aide, "will you write at once,
to-night, to Colonel Talbot, at Port Talbot, stating that I am strongly
induced to believe I will soon be attacked, and tell him that I wish him
to send 200 men, the militia under his command, without delay, by water
to Fort Erie."

This was Brock's last official letter dictated in council.

"General Sheaffe," he said, addressing that officer, "you, perhaps, know
better than any of us the particulars of Van Rensselaer's appointment.
It seems that he is an amateur soldier, pitchforked into command against
his own will, a victim of New York State politics. While this is
probably so, we must not run away with the idea that his other officers
are no better, for, besides Generals Dearborn and Wadsworth--both
soldiers of national repute--his cousin, Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer,
his chief of staff, is a first-class soldier, a proved fighting man. The
latter is reported to be at the head of 750 well-trained militia, 300 of
whom are selected soldiers, and fifty are said to know every inch of the
river. Our spies report the enemy could ferry 1,500 regulars across in
seven trips.

"The safety of our redan on the Heights has given me some concern, but
Dennis, Williams and others report that the height is inaccessible from
the river side. If an attack in force is made at Queenston, we will have
to concentrate every available man there--at the risk of weakening our
flanks. Lewiston, as you have seen, is white with tents. At Fort Gray
the enemy has two twenty-four-pounders, waiting to silence our
eighteen-pounder in the redan. The Ameri