ther was too rough for the blockading
squadron to remain outside the harbour, it was too rough for the
American fleet to get over the bar; consequently we felt very safe. This
was during the summer of 1813. During this summer General Brock called
out the militia of Norfolk, and asked for volunteers to go with him to
Detroit; every man volunteered. He made his selection of the strong and
active young men. Right gallantly the militia throughout the province
behaved during the three years' war, casting no discredit upon their
parentage--the brave old U.E. Loyalists. During the summer, Captain
Barclay used to have private information--not very reliable, as the
result proved--of what progress the ships were making on the stocks. He
used occasionally to leave the blockade and go to Amherstburg and come
to Ryerse. The Americans took note of this, and made their plans and
preparations for his doing so. There was a pretty widow of an officer of
some rank in Amherstburg, who was very anxious to go to Toronto. Captain
Barclay offered her a passage in his ship and brought her to Ryerse, and
then escorted her to Dr. Rolph's, where he and some of his officers
remained to dinner the following day. When they came in sight of Erie,
they saw all the American fleet riding safely at anchor outside the bar.
The Americans had everything in readiness; and as soon as the
watched-for opportunity came, and the British fleet left the station,
they got their own ships over the bar, their guns in, and all things
ready for defence or attack. They far outnumbered the British fleet, and
were of heavier tonnage. Captain Barclay consulted his senior officers
whether it would be best to come into Long Point Bay to winter, where
they could get supplies across the country from Burlington Bay of all
the munitions of war, and leave the ship on the stocks at Amherstburg
(the _Detroit_) to her fate, as neither the guns to arm nor the men to
man her had yet been forwarded, and now could not unless by land, which
for heavy guns and the munitions of war was the next thing to an
impossibility. It was with great difficulty that food and clothing could
be forwarded, where there was little more than an Indian path and no
bridges. The wisdom of the fleet decided upon going to Amherstburg and
trusting to arming the ships with the guns from the fort, and manning
them with sailors from the fleet, and with soldiers and volunteers. They
landed Captain O'Keefe, of the 41st Re