Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Second Battle of Lacolle Mills


caption=
partof=the War of 1812
date=March 30, 1814
place=Lacolle, Quebec
result=British Victory
combatant1=United Kingdom
combatant2=United States
commander1=Major Handcock
commander2=James Wilkinson
strength1=80
(420 reinforcements)
strength2=4,000
casualties1=11 killed
46 wounded
4 missing
Total: 61 [http://www.warof1812.ca/lacolle.htm Battle of Lacolle Mills, 1814 - War of 1812] ]
casualties2=13 killed
128 wounded
13 missing
Total:154

The Second Battle of Lacolle Mills was fought on March 30, 1814 during the War of 1812. The small garrison of a British outpost position, aided by reinforcements, fought off a strong but badly-executed American attack.

Background

After the St. Lawrence campaign had ended late the previous year with the British victory at the Battle of Crysler's Farm, the defeated American Army under Major General James Wilkinson went into winter quarters at French Mills, New York, only just inside the United States. From this position they could in theory threaten the British line of communication along the St. Lawrence River, but they actually made no attempt to do so. At the same time, it was almost impossible to supply the army in this advanced position, and sickness rapidly increased until there were no less than 450 sick in squalid conditions in a hospital in Malone, New York and many more in French Mills.

Finally, in late January, Secretary of War John Armstrong ordered Wilkinson to detach a division under Brigadier General Jacob Brown to Sackett's Harbor, New York and fall back with the main body (about 4,000 fit men) to retire to Plattsburgh, New York on Lake Champlain, while the sick and wounded were removed to Burlington, Vermont. [John R. Elting, "Amateurs to Arms", p.175] British troops followed up almost to Plattsburgh, recovering large quantities of supplies and paroling many sick American soldiers who fell into their hands, before withdrawing.

Wilkinson was aware that he would almost certainly be removed from command following the defeat of the St. Lawrence campaign, and planned several offensives to restore his reputation. Most of these were too ambitious with the means available, but one objective seemed feasible. A few miles north of the border between Canada and the United States, the main road running north crossed the small Lacolle River. Here, the British maintained a small outpost of 80 men of the 13th Regiment of Foot in a blockhouse and the stout stone-built mill building. The defenders also included a Congreve rocket detachment of the Royal Marine Artillery, and there were other outpost positions and blockhouses nearby.

Battle

Wilkinson marched northwards to attack this outpost on March 27, 1814. His force numbered 4,000 with 11 pieces of artillery. The march was delayed by deep snow and mud, and he was not able to occupy Odelltown until March 30, and begin the attack on Lacolle Mills until the early afternoon.

The Americans opened fire with two 12-pounder cannon and a 5-and-a-half inch mortar. They could not bring an 18-pounder gun into action because of soft ground around the area. The British garrison fired back with their Congreve rockets. The rockets were inaccurate, but the American troops had never encountered these weapons before in battle.

The flank (i.e. the Light and Grenadier) companies of the 13th had been stationed nearby, and launched a bayonet charge against the American works containing the guns. However, they were far outnumbered and repulsed. Hearing the firing some three kilometres away, a company of the Canadian Voltigeurs and the Grenadier company of the Canadian Fencibles also marched to reinforce the defenders. They waded through icy water to slip through the American lines and opened fire on American artillery, wounding the American artillery commander, his replacement and many of the artillery crews. The Americans were also under fire from British gunboats under Commander Daniel Pring of the Royal Navy, who had brought his vessels up the Richelieu River from Ile aux Noix to the mouth of the Lacolle River. [ [http://www.warof1812.ca/lacolle.htm Report of the Commanding Officer of the 13th Foot] ]

By evening, the Americans had made little impression on the British defences. Rather than launch an all-out assault, Wilkinson ordered a retreat. The Americans returned to Plattsburgh, considerably disheartened.

Aftermath

On April 11, Wilkinson received orders from Armstrong relieving him of command. This was probably not a direct result of the debacle at Lacolle Mills, but of a request made by Wilkinson himself on March 24 for a Court of Enquiry to rule on his conduct of the St. Lawrence campaign the previous year. [J. Mackay Hitsman, "The Incredible War of 1812", p.206] This eventually resulted in a court martial, but Wilkinson was acquitted of charges of negligence.

The failure nevertheless allowed Armstrong to promote a crop of comparatively junior officers to command divisions and brigades. Major General George Izard, who had been on leave when the battle was fought, eventually took command at Plattsburgh.

Notes

References

*Elting, John R. "Amateurs to Arms", Da Capo Press, New York, 1995 ISBN 0-306-80653-3
*Hitsman, J. Mackay, "The Incredible War of 1812", Robin Brass Studio, Toronto, 1965 ISBN 1-896941-13-3
*Robert Henderson. cite web | title= The Battle of Lacolle Mills| work= War of 1912 Website| url=http://www.warof1812.ca/lacolle.htm| accessmonthday=August 29 | accessyear=2006
*cite web | title= His Majesty's Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry 1803-1816| work= War of 1912 Website| url=http://www.warof1812.ca/can_fen.htm | accessmonthday=August 29 | accessyear=2006