Canadian Voltigeurs The Canadian Voltigeurs were a light infantry unit , raised in Lower Canada ( the present - day Province of Quebec ) in 1812 , that fought in the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States . Formation . As war with the United States threatened , on 15 April 1812 Sir George Prevost , the Governor General of Canada , authorised the enlistment of a " Provincial Corps of Light Infantry " under Lieutenant Colonel Charles de Salaberry , to serve during war or the " apprehension of war " . The unit was officially part of the militia , and its enlisted personnel were subject to the Militia laws and ordinances , but for all practical purposes , it was administered on the same basis as the " Fencible " units , also raised in Canada as regular soldiers but liable for service in North America only . De Salaberry selected members of the leading families of Lower Canada as officers , but their commissions were not confirmed until they had recruited their quota of volunteers ( for example , 36 men for Captains , 14 for Lieutenants ) . Several other officers transferred from units of the British Army stationed in Canada , in the hope that they would gain rank or seniority by the transfer . Most of these officers remained with the Voltigeurs even when these ambitions were not fulfilled . Recruiting was brisk ; in addition to a bounty of £4 , the recruits were promised a grant of of land on discharge . Almost all the soldiers and most of the officers were French - speaking , which led to the unit being widely known as the Voltigeurs , a French word meaning " vaulter " or " leaper " , and given to elite light infantry units in the French Army . However , all formal orders on the parade ground or in battle were given in English . The Voltigeurs wore grey uniforms , with black facings and accoutrements . The coats were fitted with the padded " wings " worn by grenadier and light infantry units of the British Army . The headgear was a small black bearskin cap . Officers wore a hussar - type uniform , in bottle - green ( or " rifle green " , as it was becoming known ) . The weapon carried was the British India Pattern Musket . The new unit mustered at Chambly . It had eight companies of light infantry , and some Mohawk warriors were attached . Two further companies were recruited from Sedentary militia of the Eastern Townships of the Montreal district , and officially listed as the ninth and tenth companies , but they formed a separate corps , the Frontier Light Infantry , throughout the war . Service in the War of 1812 . Some of the Voltigeurs were in action at the Battle of Lacolle Mills ( 1812 ) , in which a half - hearted invasion of Canada by the American General Henry Dearborn was turned back . Early in 1813 , three companies were detached under the unit ' s second - in - command , Major Frederick Heriot , and moved up the Saint Lawrence River to form part of the garrison of Kingston , the main British base on Lake Ontario . On 29 May , two of these companies took part in the Battle of Sackett ' s Harbor . Later in the year , the detachment moved to Fort Wellington at Prescott , and subsequently played an important part in the Battle of Crysler ' s Farm . The main body of the unit formed part of a light corps stationed to the south of Montreal , which was commanded by de Salaberry in person . Learning that an American division under Major General Wade Hampton was advancing from Four Corners in New York state , de Salaberry ' s force entrenched themselves by the River Chateauguay . On 26 October , Hampton attacked . Two companies of the Voltigeurs formed part of de Salaberry ' s front line , and five companies were part of his reserve . At the resulting Battle of the Chateauguay , Hampton was repulsed . Early in 1814 , the entire unit concentrated at Montreal , and was built back up to strength . De Salaberry had been appointed Inspecting Field Officer of Militia , and Major Heriot became the Voltigeurs ' acting Commanding Officer . The Voltigeurs were brigaded with the Frontier Light Infantry , and another militia light infantry unit , the Canadian Chasseurs . The combined light infantry force formed part of a brigade under Major General Thomas Brisbane during the Battle of Plattsburgh , where the British army retreated after its supporting naval squadron was destroyed . On the end of the war , the unit was disbanded , on 24 May 1815 . Legacy . The current Les Voltigeurs de Québec today perpetuate the history and traditions of the Canadian Voltigeurs in the Canadian Army . They also share a common link by the name , the province in which they are located and family ties since the founding commanding officer , Charles - René - Léonidas d ' Irumberry de Salaberry is Charles de Salaberry ' s grandson , and name . A junior ice hockey team in the QMJHL from Drummondville , Quebec , the Drummondville Voltigeurs , takes their name from the unit .