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nient, and become a wealthy, flourishing, little 

 town. The river Richelieu, and the road by 

 Odell Town, being two principal points of en- 

 trance into Lower Canada, made this place lately 

 the scene of military operations, and it conse- 

 quently shared some of the usual disasters that 

 inevitably attend a state of warfare, from the 

 necessity of defending these passes against the 

 intrusion of an American army. In 1813 a log 

 breast-work was thrown up on the north side 

 of La Colle, sufficiently extensive to cover the 

 road and blockade the passage ; a short distance 

 in front, and on the left of the road, a redoubt 

 was constructed to flank the approach to this 

 defence ; to the left of the breast-work, and in 

 the rear of La Colle mills, was Sydney redoubt, 

 a strong work, defending the passage of the 

 river at that point; in support of these po- 

 sitions were different small encampments of 

 troops, nearly along the whole line of front. 

 The enemy at various times made several de- 

 monstrations against this line, when trifling 

 skirmishes ensued ; but the most worthy of 

 notice was the affair at La Colle mills, which 

 took place on the 30th of March, 1813, and 

 terminated very brilliantly in favour of the 

 British arms. General Wilkinson had collected 

 at Burlington and Plattsburg what he calculated 

 was a sufficient force to ensure success to his 



