e on the ford, which was his weak
point in the rear.

Part of De Salaberry's line at the abattis, was a small blockhouse on
the river-bank (which, however, is not that which has since been
reputed to be the one concerned), and the works there blocked the
commencement of the wood and looked out on a broadening plain or level
of clearings, across which the enemy would have to pass.

The Glengarry men now came down, under McDonell of Ogdensburgh, famous
for his adventurous capture of that place, and whose exploit the
Salaberry was about to match. Lieut.-Colonel McDonell--"Red
George"--was at Prescott drilling a new force of Canadian Fencibles,
made up, some say, chiefly of Scotch and loyalists,[20] others chiefly
of French boatmen, when Sir George Prevost asked him how soon he could
have his men ready to go down to Chateauguay. "As soon as they have
done their dinner!" he responded. Within a few hours he had provided
them with _batteaux_, and they were off down the rapids. When Sir
George himself, who was on the way, got there, he, to his great
surprise found McDonell before him. "Where are your men?" said he.
"There," said the Highland Colonel, pointing to his force resting on
the ground--"not a man absent."[21]

For nearly three weeks the parties of Canadian workers worked
continually upon the plan of De Salaberry, while Hampton was
considering, preparing, reviewing his troops, and arranging for a
communication with Wilkinson so soon as the latter should have passed
Ogdensburg on his way down the St. Lawrence.

On the 21st of October the advance down the Chateauguay commenced. The
first move was a rapid march by General Izard with the light-equipped
troops and a regiment of the line, who surprised a party of about
ten[22] Indians sitting late in the afternoon at their evening meal at
the junction of the Outarde and Chateauguay Rivers, and killed one of
them. There Izard encamped and proceeded to establish a road of
communication with Hampton. Word was soon brought to Major Henry, of
the Beauharnois' Militia, commanding on the English River. Henry sent
word to General De Watteville at La Fourche, and had Captains Levesque
and Debartzch advance immediately with the flank companies of the 5th
Battalion of embodied militia and about 200 men of the Beauharnois'
division. This was the preliminary move towards the battle.

They advanced about six miles that night up the Chateauguay from La
Fourche, when they came to a woo