2 p.m.
Rapidly flowed by the dark river ; boats crowded with men and horses were continually passing , while others were returning empty for a further supply ; people with torches were stationed on both banks of the river , to enable the soldiers , as they came down , to take their proper places in the boats , the lights from the flaming brands throwing a ruddy glare over the stream , and making the tall buildings of the mills stand out prominently from the dark forest in the background . All night long the work was going on , for it was a slow process to get across horses , artillery and ammunition , provisions and baggage . The first thing in the morning , after his men had rested but a couple of hours , the indefatigable Colonel Simcoe set off towards Portsmouth to summon the town to surrender . At 2 p.m. the army began their march , and arrived before the place the following day , when the inhabitants , finding that resistance was useless , surrendered at discretion . I endeavoured to ascertain where Colonel Carlyon and the other prisoners had been placed , but was unable to discover any clue to their place of imprisonment . As soon as the rear of the army was out of sight , all the officers commanding boats assembled on board a brig , which had been captured in the Nansimond river , previous to returning to our ships . It was with much regret that I heard it proposed to burn Mackey 's Mills , and to ravage the country round , in consequence of the attack which had been made on our boats .