DeSalaberry could now only close up his men and push forward. In a few
minutes his brave band were in the midst of the enemy, numbering about
four hundred, whom they drove before them, like sheep. His weakness, in
numbers, for only fifty men and a few Indians had come up, was,
however, soon apparent, and the enemy came to a halt, and another
section of the foe made a movement with the view of out-flanking the
assailants. DeSalaberry wisely fell back upon the position, from which
he had emerged, upon the camp, at the skirt of the wood, and shortly
afterwards the Indians having all fallen back, he retired altogether.
The loss was very trifling, but the effect was excellent, both upon the
enemy and upon the hitherto untried Voltigeurs. The enemy perceived or
supposed that he perceived great preparations made to dispute his
advance, inch by inch, while the Voltigeurs perceived that men are
hardly aware of how much they are capable of doing until they try.
DeSalaberry returned to Chateauguay, breaking up the road in his rear,
and having ascertained the road by which Hampton was determined to
advance, he judiciously took up a position in a thick wood, on the left
bank of the river Chateauguay, two leagues above its confluence with
English river. Here, he threw up breastworks of logs, and his front and
right flanks were covered by extended abattis. His left rested on the
river. In his rear the river being fordable, he covered the ford with a
strong breastwork, defended by a guard, and kept a strong picquet of
Beauharnois militia in advance on the right bank of the river, lest, by
any chance, the enemy should mistake the road which DeSalaberry
designed him to take, and crossing the ford, under cover of the forest,
should dislodge him from his excellent position. Fortune favors the
brave, when judicious. Hampton, having detached Colonel Clarke to
devastate Missisquoi Bay, prepared to advance. He sent General Izzard,
with the light troops and a regiment of the line, to force a militia
picquet at the junction of the rivers Outaite and Chateauguay, and
there the main body of the Americans arrived on the 22nd. Two days
later the enemy repaired DeSalaberry's road and brought forward his ten
pieces of artillery to within seven miles of DeSalaberry's position. He
had discovered the ford, and the light brigade, and a strong body of
infantry of the line, under Colonel Purdy, were sent forward on the
evening of the 25th, to fall upon DeSal