Then the fleet sailed to Mackinaw, only to find that the guns of the ships could not reach up to the hill-top fort, and that the number of American troops was inferior to the garrison of the island. An assault was made, but the Americans were repulsed with considerable loss. Sailing thence, Captain Sinclair went to the Nautawassaga River, where he destroyed a blockhouse, and found the fur company’s schooner _Nancy_ had been burned by the British lieutenant in charge. Then Sinclair returned to Detroit, leaving the schooner _Tigress_, Captain Champlin, and the _Scorpion_, Captain Turner, to blockade the Nautawassaga, for that was the route by which supplies were carried to the British force at Mackinaw. For a time this duty was done efficiently, and food really became scarce at Mackinaw, but blockading is dull work, vigilance was relaxed, and on September 3, 1814, the British began their work of revenging the assaults of the squadron. The watchful British scouts found that the two Yankee schooners were posted fifteen miles or more apart. So a force of twenty sailors and seventy-two soldiers got into four boats and at 9 P.M.--and a very dark night at that--they made a dash at the _Tigress_. They were within fifty yards of her when first seen. The captain fired his long twenty-four at them, with no effect, and then mustered his crew at the rail to repel boarders. But he had only twenty-eight men to the enemy’s ninety-two. The Americans fought bravely, killed three seamen, and wounded a Lieutenant Bulger, who commanded the enemy, and seven of his soldiers, besides wounding several seamen who were not enumerated by Bulger. Then the _Tigress_ surrendered. The captured Americans were set on shore, and on September 5th, the captured _Tigress_, with her American colors flying, got within ten yards of the _Scorpion_ when the concealed British soldiers jumped up, poured a volley into the unsuspecting Yankees on the _Scorpion_, and then carried her by assault. The British authorities strove to magnify this victory to the utmost. They not only conceded that Champlin bravely defended his vessel--the British Adjutant-General published a general order announcing to the world that the vessels “had a crew of three hundred men each.” The vessels “were valued by the proper officers at £16,000 sterling.” So says Allen. It was a lucky affair for the ninety-two.