Lacolle Mills Blockhouse facts for kids
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| Established | ~1781 |
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| Location | Lacolle, Quebec |
The Lacolle Mills Blockhouse is a special old building. It's like a small fort and a museum today. You can find it next to the Lacolle River in Lacolle, Quebec. In French, it's called Blockhaus de la Rivière-Lacolle.
Contents
A Look Back: The Blockhouse's Story
Building a Fort: Why it was Needed
The Lacolle Mills Blockhouse was built a long time ago, around 1781. It was part of a defense system for the British Army in their colonies. This blockhouse helped protect a stone watermill and a lighthouse nearby. Soldiers used it as a military outpost. They watched over the area near Lake Champlain and the Le Haut-Richelieu Regional County Municipality.
A Special Place in History
In 1923, the Lacolle Mills Blockhouse became part of the Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814) National Historic Site of Canada. This means it's a very important place in Canadian history. Later, in 1960, it was named a cultural heritage building. It is now listed in the Quebec Cultural Heritage Directory.
What the Blockhouse Looks Like
The Lacolle Mills Blockhouse is a square building with two floors. It's made of strong timber, like a log cabin. The second floor sticks out a bit, and the roof looks like a pyramid. It sits on land that looks over the Lacolle River.
How it was Built
This blockhouse was a typical small military building. It didn't need a lot of special skills to build. The walls are made of squared logs stacked on top of each other. These walls have small openings called loopholes. These holes let soldiers shoot at enemies while staying safe inside. In the middle of the blockhouse, there was a stone fireplace. This fireplace kept the soldiers warm. The British military built over 25 forts like this one. They were built in Lower Canada between 1760 and 1840.
The War of 1812 and the Blockhouse
During the War of 1812, the Lacolle Mills Blockhouse was a very important spot. Two battles happened right here. These were the Battle of Lacolle Mills (1812) and the Battle of Lacolle Mills (1814).
The First Battle (1812)
The Battle of Lacolle Mills in 1812 was a quick fight. A small group of Canadien Militia soldiers defended the blockhouse. They had help from Kahnawake Mohawk warriors. They successfully stopped an American invasion force. This force was led by Major General Henry Dearborn.
The Second Battle (1814)
The Battle of Lacolle Mills in 1814 was a bigger fight. About 80 soldiers from the 13th Regiment of Foot defended the blockhouse. They also had a special rocket team from the Royal Marine Artillery. Later, more soldiers joined them. These were from the Canadian Voltigeurs and the Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry. They successfully defended the blockhouse and the stone watermill. They faced a huge American army of 4,000 men. This army was led by Major General James Wilkinson.
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