[cruikshank] FROM ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 69 



galleys and a small steamboat, the first vessel of the kind ever launched 

 on Lake Champlain. Convinced of his great inferiority both in guns 

 and men, Pring soon retired into the river and Macdonough took up 

 a favourable position for covering the passage of Hampton's division, 

 in a bay on the western shore. 1 Within ten days from the time of 

 starting the transfer of the whole force across the lake with its stores 

 and artillery was accomplished without molestation and a camp 

 established on Cumberland Head. Burlington was immediately 

 occupied by a brigade of Vermont militia under General Fassett and 

 General Hopkin's brigade of New York militia began to assemble 

 very slowly at Plattsburg. Hampton's regular force was composed 

 of one squadron of cavalry, a strong detachment of artillery with ten 

 guns, and eight regiments of United States infantry numbering rather 

 more than five thousand of all ranks and arms. Two more regiments 

 of infantry, the 10th and 32nd, were on the march to join him. It 

 was deemed necessary to enforce discipline by an extreme punishment 

 and a deserter from the artillery was shot in the presence of the whole 

 force on Sept. 16. 2 



On the afternoon of that day, a patrol arrested a civilian on 

 his way to the frontier with a detailed and fairly accurate statement 

 of each corps in the division, where they were encamped, and a 

 sketch, showing the position of the batteries and armed vessel. 3 



As it seemed certain that serious invasion of the province by 

 the left bank of the Richelieu was in contemplation, Sheaffe gave 

 orders on Sept. 19 for the obstruction of all roads on either flank of 

 Odelltown and that arrangements should be made for blocking up the 

 main road to L'Acadie and destroying the bridge over the La Colle 

 River whenever it appeared absolutely necessary. These instructions 

 were admirably executed by bodies of the Sedentary Militia of the 

 neighbourhood under the personal supervision of Lieut. Colonel 

 Charles Fremont, a deputy-quartermaster-general of militia, lately 

 in command of the St. Valier division, whose local influence and knowl- 

 edge of the country proved of the utmost value. 



$ Shortly before dark, Hampton began his advance, the cavalry 

 and artillery marching by road and the infantry being embarked 

 in open boats under the escort of Macdonough's armed vessels moving 

 on the outer flank. Chazy was reached at midnight when the infantry 

 landed and two strong detachments of picked men under Majors 

 Hamilton and Snelling were sent forward to surprise the British out- 

 posts at Odelltown and Rouse's Point. Both these parties lost their 



1 Macdonough to Secretary of the Navy, Sept. 9. 



2 Sheaffe to Prévost, Sept. 11; National Advocate, Sept. 25. 



3 Letter in National Advocate, Sept. 25. 



