Even the enemy's militia were deserting to his colors.

In a proclamation Hull looked forward to a bloodless conquest, informing the Canadians that they were to be emancipated from tyranny and oppression and restored to the dignified station of freemen.

"I have a force which will break down all opposition," said he, "and that force is but the vanguard of a much greater." He soundly reasoned that unless a movement could be launched against Niagara, at the other end of Lake Erie, the whole strength of the British might be thrown against him and that he was likely to be trapped in Detroit.

There was a general plan of campaign, submitted by Major General Henry Dearborn before the war began, which provided for a threefold invasion--from Sackett's Harbor on Lake Ontario, from Niagara, and from Detroit--in support of a grand attack along the route leading past Lake Champlain to Montreal.

Theoretically, it was good enough strategy, but no attempt had been made to prepare the execution, and there was no leader competent to direct it.
In response to Hull's urgent appeal, Dearborn, who was puttering about between Boston and Albany, confessed that he knew nothing about what was going on at Niagara.