La Colle Mill, battle of.
In the winter of 1813-14 an American force under
General Wilkinson was encamped at
French Mills (afterwards
Fort Covington) in
Franklin county, N. Y. Early in 1814 a large portion of this force was withdrawn.
A part were marched to
Plattsburg.
Soon afterwards, Feb. 28, a party of British soldiers advanced and destroyed some stores which the
Americans had left behind.
This invasion alarmed the whole frontier.
Late in March
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General Wilkinson attempted another invasion of
Canada.
He advanced up the western shore of
Lake Champlain to the
Canada frontier (March 30, 1814) with about 4,000 picked men. They soon encountered British pickets, and drove them back.
In the afternoon the
Americans came in sight of La Colle Mill, a heavy stone structure, its windows barricaded with timbers, through which were loopholes for musketry.
The British garrison at the mill consisted of only about 200 regulars, under
Major Hancock.
The advance of
Wilkinson's troops was commanded by
Col. Isaac Clark and
Major Forsyth.
The artillery was under
Captain McPherson, and the reserves were commanded by
Gen. Alexander Macomb.
Following
Clark and
Forsyth was
Colonel Miller's regiment of 600 men. Aware that reinforcements for the
British were near,
Wilkinson ordered an immediate attack.
The fire upon the stone citadel was harmless, while the whole American line was exposed to a galling fire.
For a while the fight was desperate, when
Major Hancock made a sortie from the mill, and after a furious contest they were driven back.
Reinforcements came to the garrison, and after a conflict of two hours
Wilkinson was compelled to withdraw and abandon the invasion of
Canada.
