d which it would not have been prudent
to enter in the dark. Next morning early they were joined by De
Salaberry with his Voltigeurs and the light company of Captain
Ferguson, an officer who took a front place in the affair. De
Salaberry brought all these companies about a league up the bank to
the place he had fortified, and there stopped. An American patrol
party being observed in front, General De Watteville came over
himself, visited the outposts, approved of them, and the work
proceeded.[23] That evening the main body of the Americans encamped at
Sear's, about twenty-five miles above the Chateauguay's mouth. The
engineers had cut a road for the ten cannon, and with great labor and
difficulty had dragged them thus far.[24]

Within two days more Hampton's men had opened and completed a large
and practicable road, which is still traceable, from his position at
Four Corners twenty-four miles through the woods and morasses, and
brought up his guns and stores to his new position, about seven miles
from De Salaberry's. (About Dewittville?)

[Illustration: SKETCH OF THE BATTLE OF CHATEAUGUAY--OCT 26, 1813]

From this point he despatched Colonel Purdy with about 1,500 men,
composed of a light brigade (the 1st Brigade of the American Army[25])
and a strong body of the infantry of the line, at an early hour in the
night of the 25th, across the Chateauguay and down its right bank[26]
at a bend adjoining what is now known as the Cross Farm, with orders
to gain the ford and fall on the rear of Lieut.-Colonel De Salaberry's
position, while the main body, under General Izard, were to commence
the attack in front. Purdy's brigade crossed not far above De
Salaberry, and proceeded into the woods of the opposite side. A cedar
swamp, an unexpected stream in which they floundered, and the
ignorance of their guides misled and bewildered them. This was the
fault of Hampton, and due to his headstrongness, for the guides had
protested that they did not know that side of the Chateauguay; but he
had ordered them to proceed. Purdy's command became scattered, were
forced to halt in confusion, and had to sleep in the open woods, cold,
wet, exhausted, and apprehensive.[27] General Hampton, however, in the
morning, fully expected to hear them attacking the ford, advanced, and
at ten o'clock his troops appeared in sight of the party of busy
woodchoppers, about 3,500 men, with three squadrons of cavalry,
marching in column along the high road, co