Battle of Lacolle Mills

DATE: November 20, 1812
LOCATION: Lacolle Mills, Lower Canada
VICTORY: British
COMMANDERS: Maj. Gen. Henry Dearborn (American)/ Maj. Charles de Salaberry (British)
CASUALTIES:
AMERICAN................ (600 men) 5 -DEAD/ 5- WOUNDED
BRITISH/INDIANS...... (530 men) None


BATTLE DESCRIPTION:
In this relatively short and fast battle, a very small garrison of British troops and Canadian volunteers, with the assistance of Kahnawake Mohawk warriors, defended the blockhouse of Lacolle Mills near the village of Champlain.
The advance guard of Maj. Gen. Henry Dearborn's invasion of Lower Canada was formed by 600 U.S. regulars. This advance guard was under the command of Col. Zebulon Pike. They crossed the border from the nearby village of Champlain. It was still dark when they surrounded the blockhouse at Lacolle Mills in the early morning of November 20.
Unknown to the American force, the blockhouse was undefended as the Canadian garrison had pulled out the night before. A party of American militia that had taken a different route approached the blockhouse, possibly following a brief confrontation with the outnumbered British forces. In the dark, a second group of American militia, under Pike, attacked the troops at the blockhouse, resulting in a short battle between 2 groups of American forces.
In the aftermath of this confusion, the Canadian forces, under the command of Maj. Charles de Salaberry, arrived at Lacolle Mills with his Canadian Voltigeurs and 300 Caughnawaga Indians. They launched a counterattack against the shaken American forces. After a short engagement, the American advance guard retreated back to Champlain.
Dearborn waited 3 days, then withdrew his force to Plattsburgh and ordered the troops into winter quarters. The American forces withdrew from Lower Canada completely.
After this defeat, the demoralized American forces would not attempt this assualt again until 1814 in the Second Battle of Lacolle Mills.