 In July Dobbs took command of a detachment from the squadron composed of "Star", "Charwell", "Magnet" and the British Army tender "Vincent" that sailed to the Niagara River to provide quick transportation for the forces under General Gordon Drummond's forces moving from York, Upper Canada into the Niagara region.Following the loss of "Magnet", which had been blown up to avoid capture, Dobbs' detachment remained penned up in the Niagara River by elements of the American squadron.Dobbs led a party of his men from his vessels to Fort Erie where they operated under Drummond's command.