impracticable by fallen trees and barricades, behind which and in the
gloomy forests surrounding were every here and there to be seen
Indians and infantry crawling and flitting about, who fired upon them
from unexpected ambushes. Hampton's men were not of a kind to face
this. "The perfect rawness of the troops," writes he, "with the
exception of not a single platoon, has been a source of much
solicitude to the best-informed among us."[7] They were ignorant,
insubordinate, and forever "falling off."[8]

Urging on the scattered defenders was, no doubt, to be seen from time
to time a stout-built, vigorous officer with stripes across the breast
of his dark gray uniform, dashing about from point to point giving
fierce orders. This was De Salaberry.

Not reflecting--for he seems to have had the information--that the
wood was only fifteen miles or so in depth, the Canadians few in
number, and that a short press forward would have brought him into the
open country of L'Acadie leading towards Montreal, the American
General in two days withdrew along the border towards Châteauguay Four
Corners, alleging the great drought of that year as a reason for
wishing to descend by the River Châteauguay. At the Corners he rested
his army for many days.

Wade Hampton was a type of the large slaveholders of the South. Nearly
sixty years of age, self-important, fiery and over-indulgent in drink,
of large, imposing figure, of some reputed service in the Revolution,
and with a record as Congressman and Presidential elector, he was one
whose chief virtues were not patience and humility. In 1809 he had
been made a brigadier-general and stationed at New Orleans; but in
consequence of continual disagreements with his subordinates, was