Gouvernement du Canada - Commission des champs de batails nationaux Gouvernement du Canada - Canada

The National Battlefields Commission

Plains of Abraham

www.ccbn.gc.ca

 

SIEGE OF QUÉBEC

Opposing Forces

French Army, Canadians and Amerindians The Amerindian Allies

The Amerindians were a significant force in the defence of the colony. Like militiamen, they made effective use of ambush tactics. Although each nation had its own rituals and traditions, there was consistency in the war tactics and strategies favoured by the Amerindians in the conflict. In the first place, they never fought in open terrain, resorting instead to ambush tactics and camouflage. In fact, surprise attacks were their strongest asset. They caught European soldiers unawares, since the latter were more familiar with pitched battles, and so they caused a great deal of devastation. As for war preparations, although some elements varied among the groups, they had some points in common: lengthy discussions before leaving for combat, smoking of the war pipe and dances. Premonitory dreams were also very popular as a means of predicting the outcome of a battle or to determine if it represented a danger for an individual or for the entire nation. The weapons used by the Amerindians in battle generally included knives, clubs – small hammers with a stone on top –, axes and rifles50.

Amerindian warriors, like their French counterparts, were usually men in their twenties. However, they had different duties. Amerindian warriors were not paid by their clans to fight in combat. Moreover, warriors could leave the battle at any time for a number of reasons, such as an unfavourable premonitory dream. The warrior's motivations were therefore different from those of European soldiers: the Amerindians fought mainly to support an alliance or to take revenge for the death of a friend or relative51.

During the summer of 1759, in Québec, nearly 1,800 Amerindians took part in the conflict opposing the French and British armies. Although not all Amerindian nations took part in the war, several of them did so and formed an alliance with the French, with whom they had rubbed shoulders across the land for a number of years. These nations occupied vast territories throughout North America. Among the allies of the French during the siege of Québec were the Abnakis, Micmacs, Malecites, Ottawa, Poutouetamis, Renards (Fox) and Hurons.

French and Allied Forces in Québec in 1759

 

Commanders:

 

Governor General of New France:

Pierre de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil

Army Commander:

Lieutenant General Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm

Second in Command:

Major General François Gaston, Chevalier de Lévis

Senior Officers:

Brigadier Louis-Antoine de Bougainville

Brigadier É.-G. Sénezergues de la Rode

Québec Commander:

Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay

Senior Naval Officer :

Captain Chevalier Jean Vauquelin

Artillery Commander:

Captain Chevalier F.-M.-A. Le Mercier

Chief Engineer:

Captain Nicholas Sarrebource de Pontleroy

 

Number of men

Land Troops

 

Régiment de Béarn

454

Régiment de La Sarre

489

Régiment de Guyenne

436

Régiment de Languedoc

473

Régiment Royal-Roussillon

485

Royal Artillery

66

Total Regular Land Troops

2,403

Troupes de la Marine (approximation)

 

Compagnies Franches (approximation)

1,000

Gunners artillerymen*

108

Total Troupes de la Marine

1,108

Navy (approximation)

 

Navy Infantry

100

Sailors serving as artillerymen on land

1,400

Sailors assigned to fire ships

600

Total Navy Men

2,100

Militia

 

Québec District Militia

4,800

Québec Militia

840

Trois-Rivières District Militia

1,100

Montreal District Militia

4,200

Royal-Syntaxe Militia (Séminaire de Québec)

35

Acadian Militia

150

Cavalry Corps

200

Total militiamen

11,325

Amerindians (approximation)

1,775

Total land forces

18,711

* The artillerymen used 324 pieces of artillery.

 

Source : André Charbonneau, « Québec, ville assiégée », Dans Serge Bernier et al., Québec, ville militaire (1608-2008), Montréal: Art Global, 2008, p. 140.


 

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