William Howe Mulcaster British

Captain William Howe Mulcaster was a shrewd and daring sailor who refused Sir James Yeo's offer to command the ship Detroit on Lake Erie because it, like the rest of the fleet, was poorly outfitted and not particularly battle-worthy. The command subsequently went to Captain Robert Barclay who later fought in the battle for Lake Erie. Unlike Sir James Yeo, Mulcaster believed in taking risks. On November 3, 1813, he slipped past the American boats guarding the mouth of St. Lawrence to pursue and harass Wilkinson's flotilla, which he learned was headed for Montreal. Mulcaster returned to Kingston to report this, then set off up the river once more. By November, he was again making life difficult for Wilkinson. It was largely due to Mulcaster's pursuit that the frustrated Wilkinson eventually landed at Chrysler's farm where his army was defeated by a much smaller British force.