General Ripley's Testimony...

...regarding the preliminary activities to the Battle of Crysler's Farm, from Memoirs of my own times, Volume 3,  By [General] James Wilkinson.


"That in September and October 1813 he [Eleazar W. Ripley] was colonel of the 21st regiment of infantry, stationed at Sackett's Harbour, and left that place on the 16th of October, to accompany the expedition, down the St Lawrence. Previous to this, he thinks, there had been no embarkation of his regiment; but a battalion of the 11th regiment of infantry, attached to his command, under Lieutenant-colonel Upham, had embarked a few days before, whether for the purpose, of proceeding on the expedition, or simply to change position, he cannot tell. They landed about a mile from their former position and encamped."

Due to "a sudden squall, many of his boats were dispersed and driven ashore, and three or four days elapsed before they reached Grenadier Island. ...they arrived at French Creek about the 2d or 3d of November.  Whether there was any unnecessary delay, at Sackett's Harbour, he could not answer without knowing the state, of the several staff departments of the army. But there was no delay at Grenadier Island, for which a commanding general could be accountable, owing to the variable and tempestuous state of the weather."