Major-General Brock is at present at Newark, superintending the various defences on the river.  He is stated to be an able and experienced officer, with undoubted courage.  He came from Little York soon after hearing the declaration of war, and, it was believed, with a serious intention of attacking Fort Niagara, but, contrary to what has been reported, he made no demand of a surrender.

Expecting a descent from the American army, the Canadians have, for ten days past, been removing their families and effects from the river into the interior.  At Newark, Queenston, and other villages on the river, there are no inhabitants except a few civilians and officers and soldiers.  It is even said, that an immense quantity of specie, plate, &c, from various parts of the province, have been boxed up, and destined for Quebec.

The British are understood to have about six or seven hundred regular troops stationed between the lakes, from Fort George to Fort Erie.  These men are generally those who have “seen service” in various parts of the world.  The militia of the province are ordered out en masse.

    It is stated by gentlemen of intelligence at Lewistown, that
    the government of Canada have in their employment, under pay,
    about 250 Indians, armed complete:  a part of them are mounted.

Brigadier-General William Wadsworth, from Genesee, commands the troops on our frontiers.  His aids are Major Adam Hoops and Major W. H. Spencer.  His head quarters are now at Lewistown.  It is impossible to state the precise number of troops under his command, because the militia ordered on the lines are returning, and the companies composing the regiments under his command have not all arrived; but from what we learn, there are in regular troops, volunteers, and detached militia, above 4,000 stationed at Rock, Lewistown, Youngstown, and Fort Niagara.  The troops are in excellent health, in good spirits, and well supplied.  They appear quite impatient for want of employment.  There has been some firing from the sentries on both sides of the river.

FOOTNOTES: 

[Footnote 54:  At this time, the British regular force in the Canadas consisted of the 8th, 41st, 49th, and 100th regiments, a small detachment of artillery, the 10th Royal Veteran Battalion, and the Canadian, Newfoundland, and Glengary Fencibles; amounting, in the whole, to 4,450 men.  These were distributed along the different posts from the telegraph station, about 250 miles below Quebec, to St. Joseph’s, but so unequally divided, that, in the Upper Province, whose front extends to nearly 1,300, out of the 1,700 miles, there were but 1,450 men.—­James’ Military Occurrences.]

[Footnote 55:  In answer to Major-General Brock’s suggestions on the subject, see page 127.]

CHAPTER IX.