nce he sailed almost immediately for Sackett's Harbour, where he
arrived on the 13th of August. Here he provisioned his fleet, and
instantly made sail for Niagara, where he remained at anchor until the
British fleet appeared off the harbour, early in the morning of the 7th
of September, when the American fleet again weighed and bore down upon
the British fleet, with which they manoeuvred until the 12th, when the
latter returned into Amherst Bay, near Kingston. During these five days
but few shots were exchanged between the larger ships, without any
injury to either side. The Americans, however, had much the advantage in
weight of metal and long guns.

The fleets again met on the 28th of September, off York, when an
engagement ensued for nearly two hours, in which the _Wolfe_, commanded
by Sir James Yeo, lost her main and mizen-top-masts, and would probably
have been captured had not the _Royal George_, commanded by Captain
Mulcaster, run in between the _Wolfe_ and the _Pike_, taking the latter
in a raking position, so as to afford the _Wolfe_ an opportunity of
hauling off and clearing away the wreck. This affair terminated in the
retreat of the British fleet under Burlington Heights, whither the enemy
did not think proper to pursue it.

On the 1st of October, the American fleet set sail from Fort George with
a convoy of troops for Sackett's Harbour, where an expedition was
preparing whose destination was as yet unknown. The British fleet left
their anchorage under Burlington Heights on the next day, and came in
sight of the enemy; but no attempt was made to bring on a general
engagement. The American fleet, on their way to Sackett's Harbour; fell
in with and captured five small vessels out of seven, with upwards of
250 men of De Watteville's Regiment, from York, bound for Kingston,
where an attack was apprehended. This loss, though apparently trifling
in itself, was severely felt, by reason of the few forces in the Upper
Provinces.

For the remainder of the season nothing of moment occurred on this lake;
and indeed the naval commanders appeared to have considered the question
of too great importance to their respective Governments to stake the
fate of war in Upper Canada upon a decisive naval engagement.[214]

PART XI.

OCCURRENCES ON LAKE ERIE AND IN THE WEST--LOSS OF THE BRITISH
FLEET--EVACUATION OF DETROIT AND THE TERRITORY OF MICHIGAN BY GENERAL
PROCTOR, WHO IS PURSUED IN HIS RETREAT UP THE THAMES, AND DEFEAT