Alarm guns were fired and expresses were sent to call in the neighboring militias. Most of the militia did not arrive in time to render assistance; however, by the end of the day, some 3,000 local militia had assembled but they did not engage. The British had been misinformed about the defenses of the harbor and assumed there was nothing to be feared in the way of ordnance. The force at that time in town was, besides the crew of "Oneida", a regiment under Colonel Bellinger, a volunteer company of artillery under Captain Camp, and the militia.