The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1Roger, Charles
History
The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1
Roger, Charles
Canada -- History
Sir James Yeo being still very anxious about the naval stores which the
enemy were so industriously collecting at Sackett's Harbour, determined
to try if possession of at least a part of them could not be obtained.
Accordingly, he blockaded Sackett's Harbour, and on the morning of the
29th of May, a boat belonging to the enemy, laden with a cable large
enough for a ship of war, and with two twenty-four pounders, forming
one of a flotilla of sixteen boats from Oswego, containing naval and
military stores, was intercepted and captured. Captains Popham and
Spilsbury, having with them two gun-boats and five barges, were
immediately sent in search of the other boats. They soon learned where
the missing boats were. Fearing capture, the Americans had taken
shelter in Sandy Creek. It was resolved to root them out, if possible,
and accordingly the British gun-boats and barges entered the Creek.
Captains Popham and Spilsbury immediately looked about them, and found
the enterprise to be rather hazardous. The creek was narrow and
winding. An attack was, nevertheless, determined upon. For about half a
mile the assailants proceeded cautiously up the creek, when, as they
turned its elbow, the enemy's boats were in full view. The troops
immediately landed on both banks and were advancing when the
sixty-eight pounder carronade in the foremost boat was disabled, and it
was necessary to bring the twenty-four pounder in the stern of the boat
to bear upon the enemy. But no sooner had an effort been made to get
the boat round than the enemy took it into their heads that the
attacking party designed to make off, and advancing hastily in
considerable numbers, rifles, militia, cavalry, regular infantry, and
Indians, the British, unable to retreat, were overpowered, the captured
being with difficulty rescued by their humane American enemies, from
the tomahawks and scalping knives of the Indians.
On Lake Champlain an attempt was made on the 14th of May, to capture or
destroy two new American vessels building at Vergennes, by Captain
Pring, of the Royal Navy, but finding the enemy prepared to receive him
more warmly than courteously, Captain Pring desisted and returned to
Isle-aux-Noix.
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