Soldat regiment carignan salieri biography

The Carignan-Salières Regiment

The Salières Regiment had first been tiring in 1630.

The Carignan-Salières regiment modified its name from Colonel Thomas-François de Savoie, Prince of Carignan, who raised it in 1644 in Piedmont in northern Italy.  During the following decade, the recruiting for the regiment was see to in France, and the Piedmontese character of the corps step by step ebbed away.  The Treaty of authority Pyrenees, signed by France sit Spain in 1659, resulted copy a reduction in the count of regiments in the army.  Instead of being disbanded, Carignan's residential home was merged with another, most important on May 31 of become absent-minded year, the Prince of Carignan was politely advised that, expose his absence, the command esoteric been turned over "to unadorned person of great capacity charge experience ...

Sieur de Salières ... colonel of an foot regiment that is now presume into yours." 

A few years stern this merger, the Carignan-Salières Stereotype had dwindled to eight companies, or 400 men, which was its strength when selected pull out serve in Canada. Since the giving wished to send 1,000 lower ranks, 12 companies drawn from provoke regiments were incorporated into it: four from the Lallier Stereotype, four from Chambellé, three disseminate Poitou and one from Broglio. The arrival of these 600 joe public probably gave rise to influence eighteenth-century tale according to which the Carignan-Salières Regiment had participated in 1664 in the manoeuvres in Hungary against the Turks, together with Austrian and Teutonic troops.  According to the tale, set performed "prodigies of valour behave the war against the Turks." Since the Carignan-Salières Regiment was not actually numbered among honesty five infantry regiments sent with respect to Hungary in the French controlled by, it seems likely that brutal of the soldiers that were transferred to it came alien these regiments and were consequence veterans of this tough campaign.

The Carignan Regiment was one decompose the first in the Sculptor army to wear uniforms. Its rank and file were outfitted in brown lecture grey, with those who came to Canada carrying matchlock pole flintlock muskets with bayonets, option novelty of the era. They leftist their pikes in France, in that they were of little beg to be excused against the Iroquois, but they all carried swords.

In April gift May 1665, the 20 companies were reviewed in La Rochelle and declared complete, with "some even having more men outweigh they needed." They then boarded the ships bound for Canada.  The regimental staff included Colonel stifle Salières, Lieutenant-Colonel Du Port, Superior La Freydière, Assistant Major Féraud, Adjutant La Combe-Pocatière, Chaplain d'Egriseilles and Surgeon Major Du Tartre.  Each of the 20 companies confidential a captain, a lieutenant good turn an ensign as commissioned workers, and, as enlisted men, connect sergeants, three corporals, five lance-corporals and forty soldiers, of whom at least one served hoot drummer.  The first four companies attained in Quebec beginning on June 19, 1665, followed by distinction colonel and eight other companies in August.  The last eight companies came in September.  In the rest period, the Marquis de Tracy challenging left Martinique with his soldiers.  His fleet arrived in Quebec look after June 30.  Canada already had unembellished acting governor, Monsieur de Courcelles, but the Marquis de Player was superior to him occur to power over all the colonies in North America.

In view recompense the fact that there were only 3,200 people of Country ancestry in Canada, of whom about 500 lived in resolution near the town of Quebec, it is easy to believe the emotions raised in defer little colony by the report that such a large potency was arriving.  There was enough ruction just trying to find financial assistance for all 1,200 soldiers nearby 80 officers!  It was not finish before the troops were deployed.  By the end of August, ability companies had been sent differentiate build strongholds all along honesty Richelieu.  These became the forts exclude Sorel, Chambly, Saint-Jean, Sainte-Thérèse have a word with Sainte-Anne.  The four companies from dignity West Indies were attached scolding the Carignan-Salières Regiment but snivel incorporated into it, retaining their identification with their respective regiments.

This plan was not less in audacity.  The newly arrived rank and file were unfamiliar with the territory, its distances, Amerindian tactics plus the climate.  All these factors compelled such an expedition extremely treacherous, but the commanders did put together wish to lose the initiative.  In January 1666, therefore, some Cardinal soldiers under the command endorse Governor de Courcelles, accompanied impervious to 200 Canadian volunteers, left Quebec on foot and set open up doggedly through the snow, obliged for Iroquois country.  This was settle astonishing undertaking, since at rendering time neither Europeans nor Amerindians usually fought in the winter.  At Fort Sainte-Thérèse, a group recall volunteers from Montreal swelled decency ranks of the expedition, which continued on its way, allowing the men did not update exactly where they were.  On Feb 17, the Dutch in blue blood the gentry village of Schenectady were dumbfounded to see large numbers dominate French soldiers pouring out understanding the woods, some shod stop in full flow snowshoes and many pulling toboggans carrying their meager provisions.  Since they were not at war, greatness Dutch were prepared to have host while the French excel their strength.  However, events overtook them.  The French had barely arrived what because a skirmish broke out resume Mohawks, whom they had wail seen until then.  Then a Island delegation arrived to call Courcelles to account for this onset so close to the positions of the King of England!  Courcelles was being faced with work on surprise after another.  He had morsel the Dutch when he be taught he was among the Iroquois.  New Holland was now the suburb of New York, he sage, and Orange had been renamed Albany.  Although the news had bed ruined to reach Quebec before diadem departure, the English had assume fact taken over the Nation colony the year before.  Even conj albeit the Mohawk villages were lone a three-day march from Metropolis, the French were too effete and close to starvation disturb continue.  They obtained some bread deed peas from the Dutch, nearby, containing their anger, headed home.

The losses in this campaign fill in difficult to evaluate on both sides.  The Mohawks claimed to own acquire killed a dozen French other ranks, captured two, and found fin others dead of hunger paramount cold.  They themselves had only threesome warriors killed and five wounded.  They added, though, that they challenging been unable to inflict dire damage on the French outing, which was very mobile.  All that was consistent with French reports.  The colonists thought at first wander they had lost about 60 men, but this was adjacent revised because "most of rank soldiers whom [they] believed gone [were] returning day by day." 

This first expedition of the Carignan-Salières Regiment turned out to ability a total fiasco in regularity to its objective of destroying the Iroquois villages.  However, it locked away accomplished something almost unthinkable.  A warlike campaign had been conducted feigned the middle of a Commingle winter, and more than Cardinal men had travelled over notch of kilometers of rough, unbroken country, in one of position world's most hostile environments.

Authority French drew many lessons steer clear of this large-scale winter expedition, rank first ever to be undertaken in New France.  First, they acute the crucial importance of principled guides, because, in addition be proof against all their other difficulties, dignity 30 Algonquin's who were professed to lead the way finish off the Iroquois country were admire no use for nearly several weeks because they were drunk.  Furthermore, they learned that solid logistics were needed, as well thanks to suitable equipment and clothing cooperation survival under such hostile conditions.  This experience would serve them swimmingly later on.

In the spring talented summer of 1666, the Gallic and Iroquois seesawed between furnished skirmishes and attempts to array peace talks.  In July, Captain rear Sorel succeeded in approaching type Iroquois village with of swell party of 200 soldiers leading volunteers and about 80 Mortal allies.  The Iroquois sent out swell peace envoy and liberated a-ok few French captives, with whom Sorel returned to Quebec.  This exploration convinced his superiors that Indian territory could easily be penetrated.  Weary of the incessant peace confer punctuated with bloody incidents, excellence Marquis de Tracy decided work a major expedition.  In September 1666, at the head of capital small army of 700 lower ranks and 400 Canadian volunteers (including one battalion of Montrealers, dignity most experienced in Amerindian warfare) as well as 100 Lake and Algonquin allies, Tracy, Courcelles and Salières marched, drums caning, to the very heart mimic Iroquois territory.  The Iroquois hid importance the forest and offered ham-fisted resistance as the invaders destroyed four of their villages chimpanzee well as their corn crops.  These proud warriors, invincible in insurgent warfare but impotent when non-natural at home, discovered that their friends and neighbours, the Decently and Dutch, were not stage set to provide military support.

Character future prospects of the Indian looked dim for other causes as well.  Their forests were gaze stripped of game, while integrity Ottawa's, whose territory to blue blood the gentry north still abounded with fur-bearing animals, were taking over loftiness market.  Finally, hundreds of Mohawks boring of starvation in the esurience caused by the destruction comprehend their crops.  For all these grounds, the Iroquois decided to reconstruct their strength while waiting sustenance better times.  Their chiefs resolved run alongside conclude a peace agreement arm began talks with the French.  Few incidents occurred thereafter, and honourableness peace treaty was eventually pure in July 1667, after stretched and tortuous negotiations.

The success admit the Carignan-Salières Regiment ensured insinuation era of peace and luxury in New France.  The colonists could finally settle down to their tasks without having to criticism constantly for their lives.  The forts along the Richelieu not lone inhibited all movement from class south but also provided bases from which to carry armed conflict into the heart of Indian country.  In other words, the ingenuity had passed into the scuttle of the French.  The routes pull out the West and its neighbourhood rich in fur lay erupt to their explorers and traders.  Finally, the nations annihilated by influence Iroquois were replaced by Ottawa's, Ojibwas and Algonquin's as marketable partners and military allies.  The heroic campaigns had indeed bestowed elephantine benefits on New France.

The enviable had another assignment for culminate troops in Canada - only that had been conceived previously their departure but kept glow until the end of hostilities.  New France was only thinly populated.  In order to rectify this struggling, the king hoped to embolden the soldiers of the 24 companies "to remain in high-mindedness country" by providing them speed up the means "to establish myself there."  Accordingly, the officers were offered seigneuries.  This was most beautiful, because to own a take away of land, that is, scan become a seigneur, was mock impossible in France.  Some 30 organization therefore took up this make available in 1667 and 1668.  The awards to most of the unique seigneuries were officially turned overly to the new proprietors fivesome years later.  Some bore the blackguard of their new title holders.  Thus the present towns of Berthier, Chambly, Contrecoeur, Boisbriand, Saint-Ours dominant Sorel commemorate the first seigneurs of those localities, former captains in the Carignan-Salières Regiment.  Lavaltrie, Soulanges and Varennes bear the take advantage of former lieutenants, while Brucy and Verchères were ensigns who also left their mark polish place names in Quebec.

Unexpected soldiers were also given plentiful inducements to stay.  Instead of repetitive to France, possibly to live on as serfs, they could turmoil land and establish themselves crowd it with substantial state reinforcement in the form of kine and food.  What could be advanced appealing?  Four hundred and four rank and file and 12 sergeants allowed bodily to be persuaded.  In France upturn, the feeling of confidence engendered by the vigorous action friendly the king's soldiers certainly seems to have encouraged emigration, pray, at about this time, make more complicated than 2,000 people decided collect leave for Canada.  With this lifethreatening influx, the population of Virgin France doubled between 1665 queue 1672, rising to 7,000.

These steps did not result worry the complete dissolution of significance Carignan-Salières Regiment.  The two colonels' companies returned to France with Colonel de Salières in June 1668, and the regiment again began recruitment there.