h on snow-shoes, through an
unbroken country, during very cold weather, to arrive in Canada in time
for the spring campaign."[206]

"The plan of the American campaign for 1813 was that a large army under
General Dearborn was to threaten Lower Canada, whilst a determined
effort was to be made to retake Michigan territory, capture the forts of
Niagara frontier, and thus reduce the whole of Upper Canada. This
accomplished, all the armies were to make a joint descent upon Montreal
and Quebec, which would be followed by the occupation of the Maritime
Provinces, and thus the British would be driven from the American
continent."[207]

PART IV.

AMERICAN FLEET ON LAKE ONTARIO SUPERIOR TO THE BRITISH FLEET, AND, WITH
THE ARMY, ATTACKS AND TAKES YORK (TORONTO), AND AFTER OCCUPYING IT LESS
THAN TWO WEEKS, RETIRE WITH MUCH HASTE.

The American fleet on Lake Ontario was superior to that of the British,
and was being daily augmented at Sackett's Harbour--their principal navy
yard on Lake Ontario. The first descent was expected to be upon
Kingston; but the American Government deemed it too hazardous a game to
risk their Lake armament upon an enterprise against this principal
military depot of the British in Upper Canada, and resolved to direct
their forces against more distant and defenceless places on the lake.

Commodore Chauncey having equipped his fleet for an expedition, and
received on board upwards of 1,700 troops under the command of Generals
Dearborn and Pike, sailed from Sackett's Harbour as early as the 25th of
April, and on the following evening arrived off York (Toronto) with
fourteen sail of armed vessels; and on the following day commenced
landing their troops about three miles west of the town--the British
being compelled to retire after making a strong resistance. The
grenadiers of the 8th Regiment, who lost their captain, M'Neal, were,
after a desperate contest, almost annihilated by the overwhelming
numbers of the enemy.

The best account we have read of this expedition against, or rather raid
upon, the town of York, is given by Thompson, and which I quote at
length, relating as it does to what was then and now is the capital--the
defenceless capital--of Upper Canada:

"In the month of April, the ice having completely broken up in the port
of Sackett's Harbour, where the American squadron under Commodore
Chauncey had wintered, General Dearborn, commanding the right division
of the Army of the Centre, cons