in september, sir george prevost took twelve thousand veteran troops who had served under wellington, and started for plattsburg. the ships of the british at the same time opened fire on the nine-dollar american navy, and were almost annihilated. the troops under prevost started in to fight, but, learning of the destruction of the british fleet on lake champlain, prevost fled like a frightened fawn, leaving his sick and wounded and large stores of lime-juice, porridge, and plum-pudding. the americans, who had been living on chopped horse-feed and ginseng-root, took a week off and gave themselves up to the false joys of lime-juice and general good feeling.