midday
The campaign opened in Lower Canada . General Wilkinson , who had removed his headquarters from Salmon River to Plattsburg , advanced with five thousand men from the latter place , crossed the Canadian frontier at Odelltown , and pushed on to Lacolle , about ten miles from the border . Here a large two-storey stone mill , with eighteen-inch walls , barricaded and loop-holed for musketry , was held by the British who numbered , in regulars and militia , about five hundred men , under the command of Major Handcock . Shortly after midday , on the 13th of March , General Wilkinson , with his entire force , surrounded the mill , being partially covered by neighbouring woods , with the design of taking it by assault . As they advanced with a cheer to the attack , they were met by such a hot and steady fire that they were obliged to fall back to the shelter of the woods . The guns were now brought up -LRB- an eighteen , a twelve , and a six-pounder -RRB- , for the purpose of battering , at short range , a breach in the walls of the mill . Their fire , however , was singularly ineffective .