report favorably of their numbers
nor of their willing co-operation. Every exertion has been used and
every expedient resorted to, to bring them forward and unite their
efforts to those of His Majesty's troops with but little effect, and
desertion beyond all conception continues to mark their indifference to
the important cause in which we are now engaged. In considering it my
duty to offer a fresh exposition of my sentiments to Your Excellency
respecting the militia of this Province, I must at the same time express
a belief that when the reinforcements reach this frontier, many of the
inhabitants who have been for some time wavering and appalled by the
specious show of the enemy's resources will instantly rally round the
standard of their King and country."

Lieut.-Colonel John Harvey, a very able and enterprising young officer,
who had lately joined General Vincent's division as Deputy Adjutant
General, earnestly advised that accurate information of the enemy's
numbers and designs should be secured at any cost, and then "by a series
of both active and offensive movements, they should be thrown on the
defensive no matter how superior their numbers might be." Had the whole
of the 8th Regiment arrived in time this might have been accomplished,
but two of its companies had been nearly annihilated at York, and the
march of the remainder very much delayed by the attack on that place.

As late however, as the 20th of May, we find Colonel Myers writing to
the Adjutant General in these terms. "It is not wise to hold an enemy
too cheap, but I cannot divest myself of the idea that the foe opposite
is despicable and that it would be no hard task to dislodge him from the
entire of his lines on the Niagara River. With some subordinate attacks
upon his flanks, I am of opinion that it would be an enterprise of
little hazard for us to get an establishment on the heights above
Lewiston, opposite Queenston. This once affected, I cannot but feel the
strongest confidence that we would in a short time effect the object so
much to be desired. It would be giving such a turn to the war that I
conceive it would strike terror to the enemy, which would produce the
happiest effects."

The return of the American fleet with a numerous body of regular troops
on board put an end to these rather fantastic schemes of conquest. At
daybreak on the 21st, no less than seventeen armed vessels, and upwards
of one hundred Durham boats and batteaux were see