Four Years on the Great Lakes, 1813-1816. Don Bamford
Niagara [by] fifteen miles. The channel leading into the bay or lake is very intricate, for NW winds, which sometimes blow up the Lake Ontario, raise the sand, so as to form a shifting bar, and this is only partially removed by the water receding from Burlington Bay. This circumstance took me up a considerable time, in sounding and buoying off the channel, which I found so shallow that it was necessary to get out the gun, all the stores, and provisions, and likewise the masts, to make the schooner as light as possible. This was scarcely accomplished when the American fleet hove in sight, coming up the lake with a fair wind, but towards evening it fortunately fell calm and the schooner being low in the water, and close under the land, we got into the lake undiscovered, and having two boats manned with soldiers from Burlington Heights to assist us, they towed us under the guns of the batteries before daylight. As soon as it was clear day I went on shore and with a glass could discern the enemy’s ships at anchor a few miles above Niagara.10
Map 6: West End of Lake Ontario, Little Lake, and Burlington Heights. (1) Location of Burlington Heights according to Pierre Berton in Flames Across the Border; and, probable location of General Vincent’s base. (2) Location of Burlington Heights Emigrant Hospital, sometimes cited as the location of Burlington Heights. (3) Most logical location of Burlington Heights, according to an old map of the Niagara Frontier, held in the West Point Museum Collection, United States Military Academy Library, West Point, New York. It is the only location of the Heights that meets the requirements of the notes and other materials by various writers of the time.
After rigging the schooner, getting the stores etc. on board we sailed, down the lake and anchored as near the bridge as we could, for the convenience of making a proper survey of the before mentioned channel, and try if it could be made available for the purposes of navigation, but the sand being risen in numerous banks, and extending a considerable distance into Lake Ontario, rendered it useless except for boats.
I remained in the lake about a month, during which time we were visited by the boats of the American fleet, which anchored at the head of Lake Ontario, with a view to cut out, or destroy the schooner, but in the attempt they found out* we were too well prepared for them, having a party of soldiers on board, besides the crew.11
I one morning went on shore early and found the troops busied in packing up, and learned from the Military Commandant, that this post was to be evacuated except by a small guard. I was also informed that there had been an engagement between the two squadrons, in which the Americans were defeated with the loss of four of their schooners, two taken, and two were capsized by carrying too heavy a press of canvas in endeavouring to escape, and every soul on board lost. In the action Sir James Yeo had but six vessels in the whole, while the enemy had thirteen; so well had our brave Commander calculated upon weight of metal, should he be favoured with a strong breeze, and enabled to close with his opponents; and there is but little doubt, if any, but the whole would have been captured, or destroyed, had they not made a precipitate retreat under the guns of Forts St. George,12 and Niagara, situated opposite each other on the banks of the River Niagara, immediately at the entrance.
A View of Fort George, 1816, drawing by Edward Walsh.
At the same time I received an order from the Commodore to join the fleet; and sailed the same morning. I had to undergo the same routine in getting into the Lake Ontario, as on leaving it, and was ready for sailing the same evening, but detained by a calm.
When a breeze sprang up next morning I proceeded to York, expecting at that place to gain some intelligence of the fleet, but could hear nothing satisfactory, and made sail for four mile creek where some of our troops lay encamped, as the most likely place, but on going on shore was equally as fortunate as at York. Shortly after, a boat came off to inform me that Sir James was hourly expected.
Having been up nearly the whole of the two last nights, I went below to lie down, but had scarcely composed myself to sleep when I was roused by the Quarter Master, with the information that a vessel was coming up the lake, and being close in with the American shore, was certain she belonged to the enemy, I took my glass and soon discovered her to be a large sloop, called a Durham boat. We immediately weighed and made sail, with a stiff breeze, right aft, quite elated with the idea of taking a prize. It being necessary to keep close in shore to cut the boat off her intended port, we were obliged to pass within half gun shot of two of the enemy’s forts at the mouth of the River Niagara, but going at the rate of nine miles an hour I knew they could do but little damage. When we had the river in full view I observed two schooners getting under weigh but [was] hoping I should be able to destroy the vessel I was in chase of, or fall in with our ships, before they could clear the river. I did not alter the course, until they were under full sail, and either of them being far superior to us, I felt little inclination to await their coming up, and shaped my course for York; one of the enemy schooners outsailing the other came up with us hand over hand, and had she prudently reserved her fire until she got alongside,* she most probably would have made a prize, but luff-ing up occasionally to fire her broadside, she gave us an opportunity of getting ahead. After being chased for about an hour, [we saw] our ships hove in sight, and the Yankees returned to Niagara.
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