[cruikshank] FROM ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 29 



miles higher up the river, should be strengthened with abatis and 

 another post established at Point Iroquois. 



He considered Prescott a very good military position which 

 required immediate attention by closing the gorge of the existing 

 battery and the construction of a large blockhouse. Ogdensburg 

 directly opposite, was occupied by Major Forsyth's command of United 

 States Rifles, and a company of volunteer artillery, with some local 

 militia, estimated to number in all about 230 men. This force could 

 be easily dislodged, but an attack at that season of the year was not 

 considered advisable as the enemy's armed schooners and gunboats 

 were fast in the ice and could not be brought off as prizes and success 

 would probably provoke retaliation by the enemy who could easily 

 assemble a large force of militia for a short period of service. Lieut. 

 Colonel Pearson quite concurred in this opinion. Several deserters 

 from Ogdensburg had recently arrived at Prescott and agreed in stating 

 that Forsyth had made himself extremely unpopular by his tyrannical 

 conduct and his men were very discontented. 



Brockville, the most populous village between Montreal and 

 Kingston, was occupied by a rifle company and a battalion company 

 of the Leeds militia. They were undisciplined and inefficient, a large 

 number of the men being absent without leave at their homes. At 

 Gananoque, another company of the same regiment was building a 

 blockhouse under the supervision of Colonel Joel Stone. 1 



Positive information of a movement of troops in sleighs from 

 the borders of Lake Champlain in the direction of Ogdensburg in- 

 duced Prévost to strengthen the garrisons on the line of communica- 

 tion by some weak detachments from Montreal, and to replace these, 

 Sir John Sherbrooke was directed to despatch six companies of the 

 104th Regiment and a small party of Royal Artillery from New Bruns- 

 wick to Quebec by the little travelled, overland post-route. De 

 Rottenburg was at the same time authorized to recruit eighty drivers 

 for the Royal Artillery. The Canadian Voltigeurs had been easily 

 completed to their full establishment with volunteers of an excellent 

 character and four companies of that corps were detailed for service 

 in Upper Canada. 2 



Early in February, Colonel Neil McLean received a disquieting 

 report from an officer sent in charge of a flag of truce to pay claims 

 for losses sustained by inhabitants of the French Mills on the Salmon 

 River, that a body of regular troops had arrived there and he 

 had been told that a large body of volunteers was being organized 



1 Bruyères to Prévost, January 14 and 19, 1813. 



2 Mil. Secty. to de Rottenburg, Jany. 2; C. M. de Salaberry to L. de Salaberry 

 Jany. 29; Prévost to Torrens, March 18. 



