The army devoted to an expedition thus inauspiciously commenced, was
composed of 7,000 regular troops, of whom 3,200 were Germans; a corps of
Artillery, 2,000 Canadians, and 1,000 savages. Sir Guy Carleton knew too
well the ferocious and uncertain character of the Indians to trust them;
but the government at home entertained a very different opinion; and it
was, perhaps, the chief motive for their conduct towards him, that he
had only amused and kept them quiet, instead of calling them into active
service. Lieutenant-General Burgoyne was selected for the command,
assisted by Major-Generals Phillips and Reidesel, and Brigadiers Frazer,
Powell, Hamilton, and Specht.

Mr. Pellew was attached to the army, with the command of a party of
seamen, and during its advance, was again actively employed on the Lake.
While on this service, he narrowly escaped a calamity, which would have
clouded all his future life. His youngest brother had come out from
England to join the army; and being appointed Aide-de-Camp to General
Phillips, though only seventeen years of age, he was sent down the Lake
in charge of the General's baggage. He was told that he had nothing to
fear from the enemy, but that he would probably meet his brother; and,
with the unthinking sportiveness of youth, as he knew that he was not
expected, he determined to surprise him. Accordingly, he fell in with
him in the night, and when hailed, answered, "A friend!" "What friend?"
exclaimed his brother; "tell who you are, or I'll shoot you." "What! do
not you know me?" "No!" said the other, presenting a pistol. "Your
brother John!"

On the 21st of June, the army being encamped on the western side of the
Lake, and a little to the north of Crown Point, General Burgoyne made a
war-feast for the savages, and addressed them in a speech which enforced
every motive calculated to restrain their ferocity. But, unfortunately,