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46

PREVOST TO BARCLAY[?] PROCTOR[?]

Head Quarters Kingston
23rd September 1813

Sir

I received last night your Letter of the 13th Inst which conveys to me your strong apprehensions that the whole of His Majestys Vessels on Lake Eric were taken or destroyed in a general action with the Enemys Squadron among the Islands on the 10th., by which misfortune you have been deprived of the whole of your heavy Ordnance and of one third of your effective force, our Fleet having had on board a very large portion of Soldiers in consequence of the inadequacy of the number of Seamen afforded to it by Co:-iodore Sir James Yeo --

Altho you do not express it in the dispatch before me still I con- clude from your previous communications that you were induced to on- courage the departure of our Squadron from Amherstburg in consequence of the extreme distress you laboured under for Provisions for your Troops and the Indian Warriors, the resources of the Country about you being exhausted, otherwise, it would have been much more prudent to have waited the arrival of the remainder of the Dovers Seamen before an attempt was made to force your entercourse with the Depots established for the Right Division of the Army at Long Point.

(signed) George Prevost
Commr. of the Forces

YEO TO WARREN

Copy His Majestys Ship Wolfe at Kingston on Lake Ontario 10th. of October 1813 -

Sir

It is my painful duty to inform you that the whole of His Majestys Naval Force on lake Erie has been totally defeated and fallen into the hands of the Enemy on the 10th. ultimo.

I have no official advice from Captain Barclay the senior Officer on the Lake, and from the severity of his wounds I am rather apprehensive that I shall not receive any account of this disastrous event for some time.

The Orders I had given Captain Barclay were to co-operate with Major General Proctor against the Enemy according to his judgement the wishes of the General, and his means which I know were very inadequate to meet the far superior and well appointed squadron of the Enemy.

I am perfectly uninformed as to Captain Barclays reasons for risking an Action- before his reinforcement of Seamen arrived which were well on their way at the time of the action, reports says he was ordered out con- trary to his judgement by Major General Proctor who represented to Captain