Battle of Lacolle Mills (1812)

Coordinates: 45°04′53″N 73°22′21″W / 45.0813°N 73.3726°W / 45.0813; -73.3726
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For homonymy, see Lacolle.

First Battle of Lacolle River
Part of the War of 1812

Lacolle Mills Blockhouse
DateNovember 20, 1812
Location
Lacolle, Quebec
Result British-Mohawk victory
Belligerents
 Lower Canada
Mohawk warriors		  United States
Commanders and leaders
Charles de Salaberry Henry Dearborn
Units involved
Corps of Canadian Voyageurs – commanded by Lieutenant Colonel The Honourable William McGillivray[1]
Strength
c. 40 initially, increasing to c. 370 (including 200 Mohawk warriors) [2] c. 5,000+ (c. 650 in the advance party) [3][4]
Casualties and losses
None 5 killed
5 wounded[5]

The Battle of Lacolle River was fought on November 20, 1812, during the

Mohawk warriors, defended the Lacolle Mills Blockhouse on the Montreal road bridge over the Lacolle River at the village of Lacolle, Quebec
against a disorganized American attack.

Canadian regulars and militia were under the command of Charles de Salaberry who had positioned his severely outnumbered forces together with his native allies as best he could to attempt to block any advance toward Montreal.

The American invasion force totalling about 2,000 regulars and 3,000 militia was assembled and led by Major General

1st Battalion Select Embodied Militia, and 15 Aboriginal warriors. Clearly outnumbered, the Crown forces withdrew, allowing the Americans to advance on the guardhouse and several buildings. In the dark, Pike's forces became engaged with a second group of New York militia, both sides mistaking each other for the enemy. The result was a fierce firefight between two groups of American forces at the guardhouse. In the aftermath of this confusion, and amidst war cries from reinforcing Crown-allied Mohawk warriors, the shaken American forces retreated to Champlain and then from Lower Canada completely.[6][7]

The American effort directed at Montreal in 1812 suffered from poor preparation and coordination. However, the logistical challenges involved in advancing a large force toward Montreal at the start of the winter were significant. After the attack, de Salaberry evacuated the Lacolle area and destroyed farms and houses which the Americans had evidently planned to use, since they lacked tents for shelter against the winter elements.[8] Faced with a significant logistical challenge and in the face of setbacks, Dearborn abandoned his perfunctory plans and the demoralized American forces would not attempt this assault again until 1814 in the Second Battle of Lacolle Mills.

See also

References

  1. ^ Irving, p. 114
  2. ^ "Battle of Lacolle Mill | the Canadian Encyclopedia".
  3. ^ "Battle of Lacolle Mill | the Canadian Encyclopedia".
  4. ^ "Battle of Lacolle Mills".
  5. ^ Battle of Lacolle Mills
  6. ^ "Battle of Lacolle Mill | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  7. ^ "The First American Invasion of Quebec in the War of 1812 by Robert Henderson". www.warof1812.ca. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  8. ^ "Backgrounder | The Battles Along the Lacolle River, Québec". Archived from the original on July 26, 2020.

External links

45°04′53″N 73°22′21″W / 45.0813°N 73.3726°W / 45.0813; -73.3726

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