_Washington, June 26, 1840_.
The SECRETARY OF WAR.
SIR: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your instructions
letters have been addressed to the various officers who it was supposed
might be able to procure the information required by the resolution of
the Senate of the 12th of March, to wit: "_Resolved,_ That the President
of the United States be requested to communicate to the Senate, if in
his judgment compatible with the public interest, any information which
maybe in possession of the Government, or which can be conveniently
obtained, of the military and naval preparations of the British
authorities on the northern frontier of the United States from Lake
Superior to the Atlantic Ocean, distinguishing the permanent from the
temporary and field works, and particularly by noting those which are
within the claimed limits of the United States." In answer to the letter
addressed to him on the subject, and with regard to the Senate's
resolution as far as relates to "military preparations of the British
authorities on the northern frontier of the United States," General
Scott communicates the following facts: That he has paid but little
attention to the forts and barracks erected by the British authorities
near the borders of Maine _above_ Frederickton, in New Brunswick, or in
Upper Canada _above_ Cornwall, being of the fixed opinion that all such
structures would be of little or no military value to either of the
parties in the event of a new war between the United States and Great
Britain; that he was last summer at the foot of Lake Superior, and
neither saw nor heard of any British fort or barracks on the St. Marys
River; that between Lakes Huron and Brie the British have three sets of
barracks--one at Windsor, opposite to Detroit; one at Sandwich, a little
lower down; and the third at Malden, 18 miles below the first--all built
of sawed logs, strengthened by blockhouses, loopholes, etc.; that Malden
has long been a military post, with slight defenses; these have been
recently strengthened. The works at Sandwich and Windsor have also,
he thinks, been erected within the last six or eight months. That near
the mouth of the Niagara the British have two small forts--George and
Mississauga; both existed during the last war; the latter may be termed
a permanent work. Slight barracks have been erected within the last two
years on the same side near the Falls and at Chippewa, with breastworks
at the latter place, but nothing, he believes, above the work first
named on the Niagara which can be termed a fort.
That since the commencement of recent troubles and (consequent thereon)
within our own limits Fort William Henry, at Kingston, and Fort
Wellington, opposite to Ogdensburg (old works), have both been
strengthened within themselves, besides the addition of dependencies.
These forts may be called permanent. That on the St. Lawrence below
Prescott, and confronting our territory, he knows of no other military
post. Twelve miles above, at Brockville, there may be temporary barracks
and breastworks; that he knows that of late Brockville has been a
military station.
That in the system of defenses on the approaches to Montreal the Isle
aux Noix, a few miles below our line, and in the outlet of Lake
Champlain, stands at the head. This island contains within itself
a system of permanent works of great strength; on them the British
Government has from time to time expended much skill and labor.
That Odletown, near our line, on the western side of Lake Champlain,
has been a station for a body of Canadian militia for two years,
to guard the neighborhood from refugee incendiaries from our side.
He thinks that barracks have been erected there for the accommodation of
those troops, and also at a station, with the like object, near Alburgh,
Vt. He believes that there are no important British forts or extensive
British barracks on our borders from Vermont to Maine. In respect to
such structures on the disputed territory, that Governor Fairfield's
published letters contain fuller information than has reached him
through any other channel; that he has heard of no new military
preparations by the British authorities on the St. Croix or
Passamaquoddy Bay.
That among such preparations, perhaps he ought not to omit the fact
that Great Britain, besides numerous corps of well-organized and
well-instructed militia, has at this time within her North American
Provinces more than 20,000 of her best regular troops. The whole of
those forces might be brought to the verge of our territory in a few
days. Two-thirds of that regular force has arrived out since the spring
of 1838. General Scott states that he has had the honor to report
directly to the Secretary of War with regard to the naval force recently
maintained upon the American lakes by Great Britain. In answer to a
similar letter to that addressed to General Scott, General Brady writes
from Detroit that the only permanent work of which he has any knowledge
is the one at Fort Malden, which has in the last year been thoroughly
repaired, and good substantial barracks of wood have been erected within
the works, sufficient, he thinks, to contain six if not eight hundred
men; that the timber on the island of Bois Blanc has been partly taken
off and three small blockhouses erected on the island. These are all the
military improvements he knows of between the mouth of Detroit River and
the outlet of Lake Superior. That temporary barracks of wood capable of
containing perhaps 150 men have been erected opposite to Detroit; that
some British militia are stationed along the St. Clair River.
Colonel Bankhead writes that of the military and naval preparations of
the British on the northern frontier of the United States, he can only
state that Fort Mississauga, nearly opposite our Fort Niagara, has been
enlarged and strengthened; that permanent and extensive barracks were
commenced last summer at Toronto and are probably completed by this
time, and that a large vessel for a steamer was being constructed last
fall at Niagara City by and for the service of the Government; that
the British Government has on Lake Ontario a steamboat commanded and
officered by officers of the navy, and is commissioned, he presumes,
as a Government vessel; that the authorities of Upper Canada had last
summer in their service on Lake Erie two steamboats, which were at first
hired from citizens of Buffalo, but which they subsequently purchased,
as he was informed.
Lieutenant-Colonel Crane writes from Buffalo that the only military work
in that vicinity undergoing repairs (within his knowledge) is Fort
Mississauga, at the mouth of the Niagara River, on the Canada side,
which the English have been repairing and extending for two years past,
and it is believed to be now in a very efficient state; that there have
been rumors of armed steamers being built or building at Chippewa, but
on inquiry he could learn of none except the ordinary steamboats for the
navigation of the lakes. It has been said, however, that one is building
on Lake Ontario by the English, and intended for the revenue service,
but he does not know what truth there is in this statement.
Lieutenant-Colonel Pierce reports from Plattsburg that he has no
knowledge of any military or naval preparations of the British
authorities on the line of frontier adjacent to his command, comprising
what is generally called the Lake Champlain frontier, except the
introduction of troops at Odletown and Napierville, near the boundary
line between New York and Canada, on the west side of the lake, and also
the establishment of a line of posts from Missisquoi Bay, on the east
side of the lake, along and near to the Vermont frontier as far as the
Connecticut River, the erection of a new barrack and fieldwork at St.
John, and the repairs and armament of the Isle aux Noix, with increased
force at both of these posts; that none of the positions so occupied by
British troops are within the claimed limits of the United States; that
these military preparations (it has been heretofore understood) have
been made by the British authorities to suppress rebellion and
insurrection among the Canadian population.
Captain Johnson reports from Fort Brady that he has heard nothing on
the subject of the resolution but mere rumors, and that there is no
appearance of any works going up anywhere on the Canada side of the
St. Marys River. The files of the Adjutant-General's Office have been
examined, but no further information has been elicited.
Respectfully submitted,