My father in seventeen years had seen a lonely wilderness changed into a fruitful country.  Most of the original log-houses had given place to good frame buildings, and the inhabitants generally seemed prosperous and content.

Immediately after the declaration of war, the militia had to do military duty and neglect their farms.  British troops passed through Port Ryerse on their way to Amherstburg and Sandwich, and every available building was used as barracks.

All merchant vessels were converted into ships of war, and they, with one or two small ships belonging to the Provincial Navy, were placed under the command of Captain Barclay, of the Royal Navy; Captain Finnes, R.N., was second in command.

His ships were all of light tonnage; there were several transports which were in constant use conveying troops and army supplies to Sandwich and Amherstburg.

The lake was clear of enemies, as the Americans were blockaded within Erie Harbour, where they had two or three large ships on the stocks.  They could not cross the bar at Erie without lightening their ships and taking out part of their guns.  This they could not do in the presence of Barclay’s fleet.

When the weather was too rough for the blockading squadron to remain outside the harbour, it was too rough for the American fleet to get over the bar; consequently we felt very safe.

This was during the summer of 1813.  During this summer General Brock called out the militia of Norfolk, and asked for volunteers to go with him to Detroit; every man volunteered.  He made his selection of the active and strong young men.

Right gallantly the militia throughout the province behaved during the three year’ war, casting no discredit upon their parentage — the brave old U. E. Loyalists.

During the summer, Captain Barclay used to have private information — not very reliable, as the result proved — of what progress the ships were making on the stocks.

He used occasionally to leave the blockade and go to Amherstburg and come to Ryerse.  The Americans took note of this, and made their plans and preparations for his doing so.

There was a pretty widow of an officer of some rank in Amherstburg, who was very anxious to go to Toronto.  Captain Barclay offered her a passage in his ship and brought her to Ryerse and then escorted her to Dr. Rolph’s, where he and some of his officers remained to dinner the following day.

When they came in sight of Erie, they saw all the American fleet riding safely at anchor outside the bar.  The Americans had everything in readiness; and as soon as the watched-for opportunity came, and the British fleet left the station, they got their own ships over the bar, their guns in, and all the things ready for defense or attack.   They far outnumbered the British fleet, and were of heavier tonnage.

Captain Barclay consulted his senior officers whether it would be best to come into Long Point Bay to winter, where they could get supplies across the country from Burlington Bay of all the munitions of war, and leave the ship on the stocks at Amherstburg (the Detroit) to her fate, as neither the guns to arm nor the men to man her had yet been forwarded, and now could not unless by land, which for heavy guns and the munitions of war was the next thing to an impossibility.

It was with great difficulty that food and clothing could be forwarded, where there was little more than an Indian path and no bridges.

The wisdom of the fleet decided upon going to Amherstburg and trusting to arming the ship with the guns from the fort, and manning them with sailors from the fleet, and with soldiers and volunteers.

They landed Captain O’Keefe, of the 41st Regiment, who was doing marine duty at or near Otter Creek, to find his way to Ryerse, and to tell the militia commandant that the whole frontier on Lake Erie was now open to American invasion, the new ship was launched, imperfectly armed and manned; and without a sufficient supply of ammunition for the fleet, and with little more than a day’s rations for the men, Commodore Barclay was necessitated to risk an action. The result is too well-known.

Nearly all the officers were killed or severely wounded. Captain Barclay, who had already lost one arm, was disabled in the other arm; but they did not strike their colours to Commodore Perry’s superior force until their ammunition in some ships was all exhausted, and in others nearly so.

No one could have fought more bravely than Captain Barclay.  At the same time, those who knew of his leaving the blockade could not help feeling that all the disasters of the upper part of the province lay at his door.

Continued... >

Copyright 1994-2014 John Cardiff and Port Ryerse Environmental and Historical Society

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