Canadian Military Figure. Charles-Michel d'irumberry de Salaberry was born at the manor house of Beauport, Quebec. His family had a long tradition of military service, in both France and the New World. The French-Canadian joined the 44th Regiment of the British army at the age of fourteen. De Salaberry served in the West Indies and Europe, and in 1810 he was recalled to Canada. There, in 1812, he put forth a plan to create the Canadian Voltigeurs, a new corps of volunteers. He recruited the men and was placed in command, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. During the War of 1812, de Salaberry led the advance guard of the troops that repelled the attack at La Colle in November 1812. Members of the Voltigeurs also participated in the decisive Battle of Crysler's Farm in 1813. De Salaberry is most renowned for the Battle at Chateauguay in October 1813. He outwitted General Hampton's American force that had been advancing on Montreal. De Salaberry made the terrain more difficult by having his troops fell trees in the ravines, creating an abatis. He also had his corps disperse through the woods and blow bugles from a number of locations. He then had his soldiers fire from the woods into the ravines. The much larger American force sustained numerous casualties and withdrew. After that victory, he became inspecting Field Officer of Light Troops in Canada. Despite the fact that other men who were not present at the battle, officers who out-ranked him, tried to claim credit for Châteauguay, de Salaberry became a legend in Quebec history. England issued a gold medal in recognition of the Battle of Chateauguay in 1816. He was made a Companion of the Order of Bath in 1817. Charles-Michel de Salaberry was interred on March 3, 1829 at Saint Joseph de Chambly. Among the statues honoring him is that by Louis-Philippe Hébert at the Quebec Parliament Building in the city of Quebec. The Quebec city of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield carries his name, as does the regional county municipality of Beauharnois-Salaberry.