Battle of the Chateauguay Site

Battle of the Chateauguay Historic Site

Battle of the Chateauguay National Historic Site of Canada is located in Howick, 55 kilometres (34 mi) of Montreal via Highway 138.

Here, on 26 October 1813, a corps of several hundred Canadian militiamen stopped the invading American army of 5,000. The Americans were marching to Montreal when a handful of Canadian militiamen fought them, defeating their forces and thus protecting Lower Canada.

The interpretation center standing on the actual battlefield located on the banks of the Chateauguay River, presents the heros of this remarquable feat of arms of the 1812 War and recounts their many turns of fortune.

The site showcases numerous original artifacts, some of which come from the collections of Lieutenant Colonel Charles-Michel de Salaberry, who led the Canadians in the battle. The site features living conditions and daily activities of the soldiers of those times, from Lieutenant-Colonel Charles-Michel de Salaberry to militiaman Etienne Martineau and thus becom acquainted with the handful of men who managed to defeat the American forces and save Lower Canada.

Guides re-enact the battle with the aid of a scale model, giving an hour-by-hour account of the troop deployment and of the strategies used in the fighting. Numerous exhibitions and thematic presentations enable you to discover one of the most illustrious episodes of the military history of Canada.

You can stroll through many rooms of the interpretation center, including the vast entrance hall and the amphitheatre, the chess and war room and the museum. A guide-interpreter will reenact the battle with the aid of a scale model, giving an hour-by-hour account of troop deployment and of the strategies used on that Octobre 26, 1813. The museum audio tracks offer a wealth of discoveries.

A commemorative obelisk was erected here in 1895. Visitors can enjoy the enchanting countryside surrounding the site, have a picnic, or go for a ride on a bike or in a canoe.

The Circuit of Peasant is a tourist itinerary that allows guests to explore a little-known area called the Haut-St-Lawrence. Nearby, visitors can plunge into the heart of pre-Colombian Iroquois life.

In fact, the Droulers/Tsiionhiakwatha archaeological site constitutes the largest Iroquoian village in Quebec.

Nature lovers can also enjoy the Lac St-Francois National Wildlife area located at the end of Highway 138 in the community of Dundee.