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Lieutenant Colonel Charles de Salaberry In November of 1812, Charles-Michel D'Irumberry De Salaberry commanded the advance guard of the force that turned away Dearborn's northern attack at La Colle Mill. In the summer of 1813, he and his Voltigeurs covered Murray's retreat from Plattsburg and Burlington. De Salaberry organized his Régiment de Voltigeurs Canadiens himself. It was really a militia unit, though he drilled its members exactly as he would have regulars. He even paid for some of their equipment out of his own pocket. In the fall of 1812, when American troops under Wade Hampton began massing near the border, de Salaberry was aware of their movements and numbers. When Hampton advanced along the Chateauguay River, he resolved to stop him at the confluence of the Chateauguay and English Rivers. His Voltigeurs would fight behind breastworks. The odds were not in de Salaberry's favor. With a force of barely 1500, he intended to stop an army of over 4000, yet he was so confident that he didn't even bother to notify his superiors that Hampton's forces were advancing along the Chateauguay. This was an oversight that could have easily landed him before a court martial if he had failed. But he didn't fail. When Hampton attacked, de Salaberry moved his units to make Hampton believe the Canadians outnumbered his army. Hampton next attempted a flanking movement that also failed. After less than a day, Hampton had had enough and withdrew back over the border.
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