Louis Antoine de Bougainville

Louis Antoine de Bougainville, Comte de Bougainville (November 12 1729 – August 20 1811) was a French navigator and military commander.

Seven Years War (French and Indian War)

In 1756 he went to Canada as captain of dragoons and aide-de-camp to the Marquis de Montcalm. He took an active part in the capture of Fort Oswego in 1756 and in 1757 at the Battle of Fort William Henry. He was wounded in 1758 at the successful defence of Fort Carillon. He sailed back to France the following winter, under orders from the marquis to obtain additional military resources for the colony; during this crossing, he continued familiarising himself with the ways of the sea, skills that would later serve him well. Having distinguished himself in the war against England, he was rewarded with the cross of St Louis and returned to Canada the following year with the rank of colonel, but with little supplies to show for his trip - the metropolitan authorities having decided that "When the house is on fire, one does not worry about the stables".

Related Topics:
1756 - Aide-de-camp - Marquis de Montcalm - Capture of Fort Oswego - 1757 - Battle of Fort William Henry - 1758 - Successful defence - Fort Carillon

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During the pivotal year of 1759 (see Seven Years War and French and Indian War), he participated in the defence of the capital of New France, the fortified Quebec City. With a small elite troop under his command, among which the Grenadiers and the Volontaires à cheval, he patrolled the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, upstream from the city, all summer long stopping the British several times from landing and thus cutting communications with Montreal. He was not given sufficient time, however, to rally his troops and attack the British rear when they successfully climbed up to the Plains of Abraham and attacked Quebec on September 13.

Related Topics:
1759 - Seven Years War - French and Indian War - New France - Quebec City - St. Lawrence River - Plains of Abraham - September 13

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Following the death of the Marquis de Montcalm and the fall of Québec on September 18 - after the colonel's aborted attempt to resupply the besieged city - De Bougainville was dispatched to the western front by his new commanding officer, Chevalier de Lévis and attempted to stop the British advance from his entrenchments at Île-aux-Noix. He was among the officers that accompanied de Levis to Saint Helen's Island off Montreal for the final holdout before the general capitulation of 1761.

Related Topics:
September 18 - Chevalier de Lévis - Île-aux-Noix - Saint Helen's Island - 1761

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Shipped back to Europe along with the other French officers, all deprived of military honours by the victors, Bougainville was prohibited to take up any further active duty against the British under the terms of surrender. He spent the remainding years of the Seven Years War (1761 to 1763) as a diplomat and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris that eventually conceded most of New France to the British Empire.

Related Topics:
1761 - 1763 - Treaty of Paris - British Empire

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