successive arrival of frigates from the army which had been
so successfully commanded by the illustrious Wellington, and with which
he had invaded France. In August, Sir George Prevost had been
re-inforced with sixteen thousand men from the Garonne. There were,
consequently, great anticipations. Even General Sir George Prevost
dreamed of doing something worthy of immortality. And such expectations
were natural. With a mere handful of troops, General Drummond had
proved how much an intelligent and decided commander can do, and Sir
George Prevost, with some of the best troops in the world, was about to
prove, to all the nations in it, how good blood may be spilled, and
material and treasure wasted by a commander inadequate to the task
either of leading men to victory or of securing their retreat until
victory be afterwards obtained. Sir George Prevost determined upon the
invasion of the State of New York, and as if naval co-operation was
absolutely necessary to transport his troops to Plattsburgh, Sir George
Prevost urged upon Commodore Sir James Yeo to equip the Lake Champlain
fleet with the greatest expedition. The commodore replied that the
squadron was completely equipped and had more than ninety men over the
number required to man it. And under the supposition that Captain
Fischer, who had prepared the flotilla for active service, had not
acted with promptitude in giving the Commander-in-Chief such
information as he desired, Sir James sent Captain Downie to supersede
him. Sir George, who seemed to have some misgivings about this fleet,
and was still most anxious to bring it into active service, finding Sir
James Yeo, who knew His Excellency well, quite impracticable, applied
to Admiral Otway, who, with the _Ajax_ and _Warspite_, was then in the
port of Quebec, for a re-inforcement of sailors from these vessels for
the Lake Champlain flotilla. Admiral Otway did as he was requested to
do. A large re-inforcement of sailors were immediately sent off to Lake
Champlain, and Sir George having sent Major-General Sir James Kempt to
Upper Canada, to make an attack upon Sackett's Harbour, if practicable,
concentrated his own army, under the immediate command of General
DeRottenburg, between Laprairie and Chambly. He then moved forward,
towards the United States frontier, with about 11,000 men to oppose
1,500 American regulars and as many militia, under General Macomb,
whose force had been weakened by 4,000 men, sent off under Ge