357

Repulsed, but Brock killed 357

Abortive American attack on the Upper Niagara 358

Inactivity of Dearborn on the northern New York frontier 359

Military inefficiency throughout the United States 360

Improvement only in the naval situation on the lakes 361

Captain Chauncey appointed to command on Lakes Erie and Ontario 361

His activity and efficiency 362

Disadvantages of his naval base, Sackett's Harbor 363

Chauncey's early operations, November, 1812 364

Fleet lays up for the winter 366

Effect of his first operations 366

General Harrison succeeds to Hull's command 367

Colonel Procter commands the British forces opposed 367

His instructions from Prevost and Brock 367

Harrison's plan of operations 368

The American disaster at Frenchtown 370

Effect upon Harrison's plans 371

The army remains on the defensive, awaiting naval control of
Lake Erie 371

Chauncey visits Lake Erie 374

Disadvantages of Black Rock as a naval station 374

Chauncey selects Presqu'Isle (Erie) instead 375

Orders vessels built there 375

Advantages and drawbacks of Erie as a naval base 375

Commander Perry ordered to the lakes 376

Assigned by Chauncey to command on Lake Erie 376

Naval conditions on Lakes Erie and Ontario, at close of 1812 377

Contemporary European conditions 378

Napoleon's expedition against Russia 379

Commercial embarrassments of Great Britain 379

Necessity of American supplies to the British armies in Spain 381

Preoccupation of the British Navy with conditions in Europe and
the East 382

Consequent embarrassment from the Ame