detachments of army recruits to
follow him. Governor Marcy was with him ready to answer his
requisitions for militia, and he had the aid of the officers
commanding on Lake Erie and the Detroit frontier and on the Niagara,
Lake Ontario, and St. Lawrence. All United States marshals and other
civil officers of the Government were ordered to support and aid him.
He passed from one place to another, going where his services could be
needed, exhorting the people to observe the neutrality proclamation of
the President; and where he found them obstinate and determined, he
notified them in terms which could not be mistaken that any attempt to
violate this proclamation would be met by resistance from the
Government, which would promptly overpower them.

Pending these troubles, a steamer called the Barcelona was taken from
the harbor of Buffalo in January, 1838, and passed down the river,
with a view to aid the insurgents on Navy Island. Scott, on learning
of this, sent an agent who made terms to employ the Barcelona for the
service of the Government. The vessel then proceeded back to Buffalo,
where it was intended to use her on Lake Erie; but the Canadian
authorities had determined to destroy her. As the vessel passed near
Grand Island, within the jurisdiction of the United States, some
armed British schooners had taken position, aided by land batteries,
to open fire on her. This was on January 16th. General Scott and
Governor Marcy stood on the river bank watching events. Batteries on
the American side were put in preparation to return the fire of the
British.

The day before the event just mentioned, Scott had written and
dispatched a note "To the Commanding Officer of the Armed British
Vessels in the Niagara":

"HEADQUARTERS, EASTERN DIVISION, U.S. ARMY,

"TWO MILES BELOW BLACK ROCK, _January 15, 1838_.

"SIR: With his Excellency, Governor Marcy, of New York, who
has troops at hand, we are here to enforce the neutrality of the
United States and to protect our own soil or waters from violation.
The proper civil officers are also present to arrest, if
practicable, the leaders of the expedition on foot against Upper
Canada. Under these circumstances, it gives me pain to perceive the
armed vessels mentioned, anchored in our waters, with the probable
intention to fire upon that expedition moving in the same waters.
Unless the expedition should first attack--in which case we s