addition to which, the forces under Harrison, were expected
to arrive in time to furnish important assistance. It was in pursuance
of this policy that Harrison suddenly left Fort George for Sackett's
Harbour. General Wilkinson was concentrating his forces at Grenadier's
Island, which is situated between Sackett's Harbour and Kingston, at
the foot of Lake Ontario, and the plan was to descend the St. Lawrence,
in batteaux and gun-boats, passing by the forts and forming a junction
with Hampton, to proceed to the Island of Montreal. The plan was not by
any means an injudicious one, and its failure was almost marvellous.
The expeditions were checked, and indeed annihilated by petty
skirmishes, and that lack of decision, so fatal to military commanders.
Hampton advanced on the 20th of September. At Odelltown he surprised
the British picquet, and from thence he took the road leading to
L'Acadie. He had, therefore, to pass through a swamp, covered with
wood, for upwards of five leagues, before reaching the open country.
Colonel DeSalaberry had done his best with the aid of his Voltigeurs to
make the road a bad one to travel on. In the preceding campaign he had
felled trees and laid them across it, and he had dug holes here and
there, which soon contained the desired quantity of swampish water and
kept the road as moist as could be wished. It was on the advance of
Hampton, guarded by a few of the Frontier Light Infantry and some
Indians, under the direction of Captain Mailloux. To strengthen
Mailloux, Colonel DeSalaberry with his Voltigeurs and the flank
companies of a battalion of militia, under Major Perrault, took up a
position on both sides of the road among the trees, after the manner of
the Indians. Hampton did not like the general appearance of matters and
turned off the road, moving with his whole force towards the head of
the river Chateauguay. DeSalaberry, with his Voltigeurs, also moved
upon the Chateauguay. He was ordered, by the Commander of the Forces,
to proceed to the enemy's camp at Four Corners, at the head of
Chateauguay, create an alarm, and, if possible, surprise and dislodge
him. He had only with him one hundred and fifty Voltigeurs, the light
company of the Canadian Fencibles, and a hundred Indians, in charge of
Mr. Gaucher. The Four Corners were reached unobserved. But an alarm was
instantly given to the camp by the forwardness of an Indian, who
discharged his musket without necessity, and without orders.