ault Odelltown and Lacolle
Mills. As soon as Wilkinson was fully prepared for the assault, Macomb
joined him, and the Americans, numbering about five thousand men,
entered Odelltown. Despatches were immediately sent off by the officer
in command of the stone mills at Lacolle, to Isle-aux-Noix for aid, and
Captain Broke with a picquet of the 13th regiment, was sent to him.
Major Handcock set about making such preparations as he could for the
defence of his temporary block-house, or rather stone tower, at
Lacolle. Wilkinson did not immediately advance, but halted to
reconnoitre. He made a feint too, upon Burtonville, which he suffered a
few grenadiers and some light infantry to check. He wanted possession
of Lacolle town, and accordingly, early in the afternoon, he determined
upon taking it by assault. The Americans got into the woods with the
view of surrounding the blockhouse and of simultaneously assaulting it
on all sides. Lacolle opened fire, but the Americans only replied by a
cheer, and continued to advance. But the cheering was not of long
duration, as the effect of Major Handcock's fire was not by any means
elevating to the Americans. It was so heavy and so hot, and so well
directed that the effect was most depressing, and the enemy retreated,
in some confusion, back to the woods, from which they had emerged. Thus
repulsed the gallant Americans thought of battering a breach in the
tower of Lacolle, with the aid of a naked 12-pounder, or battering gun,
unprotected by an earthwork. The result was that the artillerymen being
within musket range, were picked off with great facility, and with such
marvellous rapidity, that it was no easy matter for the enemy to load
and fire. The cannonading was, nevertheless, kept up for two hours and
a half, but as little attention was paid to aim, under the exciting
circumstances, only four round shot struck the mill, doing no harm at
all. It would have been prudent for the gallant Handcock to have kept
the enemy for some time longer, in the snow and cold, keeping up so
harmless a fire of artillery. But it occurred to him that the gun might
be spiked, and he ordered the flank companies of the 13th regiment to
charge the enemy, in front. The trees stood still, and the Americans
retired a little, pouring a deadly fire upon the 13th, as they advanced
in line through deep snow, as well as they could, which was not by any
means very well. As the Americans still pertinaciously kept in the