As good fortune had it, a detachment of seamen that included an ensign and forty-seven men and petty officers arrived at Black Rock on the evening of the day when the brigs reached Fort Erie. These men were unarmed, but Elliott was not without resource. At that time Winfield Scott, of whom every school-boy has read, was a lieutenant-colonel in command of troops at Black Rock, and to him Elliott applied for arms and men with success. It is not uninteresting to note that when application was made to the militia for arms for the expedition across the river the order to obtain them read: “all the pistols, swords, and sabres, you can borrow _at the risk of the lenders_.” Enough owners of weapons willing to lend without making a claim on the Government in case of loss were found, and the arms provided for the sailors. A company of fifty soldiers under Captain Towson volunteered to help. Two big boats were prepared in Shajackuda Creek, that empties into the Niagara below Black Rock, and at midnight one hundred and twenty-four men, all told, embarked. Let it be kept in mind that the _Detroit_ was a well-built war-brig, fully armed and manned, that the _Caledonia_ was well manned by the hardy lake seamen accustomed to dealing with the savage Indians of the far West, and that both vessels were anchored under the guns of a strong military post, full of experienced men. There were three batteries of great guns in place, besides field artillery that could be brought to bear in a few minutes. To cut out these two vessels was a task but little less hazardous than the attack which Decatur made on the frigate _Philadelphia_ in the harbor of Tripoli. One needs to see the mighty sweep of the Niagara River past Black Rock to appreciate the task of the seamen under Elliott who had to row the boats up stream from the creek and across to the Canadian shores. [Illustration: 1. Buffalo. 2. Fort Erie. 3. Black Rock. 4. British batteries. 5. Sailors’ barracks. 6. Artillery encampment. 7. Squaw Island. 8. Strawberry Island. 9. Detroit aground. 10. Caledonia ashore. 11. Navy-yard. 12. British artillery. 13. Point of embarkation. Capture of the British Brigs _Detroit_ and _Caledonia_, October 12, 1812. _From a wood-cut prepared under the supervision of Lieutenant Jesse D. Elliott himself._]