The Military of New France consisted of a mix of regular soldiers of the French Army, French Navy and Canadien volunteer militia units, supported by independent American Indian Allies. Prior to 1690 most French troops were sent from France, but challenges of logistics and localization meant that by 1690 (In 1669 Louis XIV ordered that all valid men of New France between the ages of 16 and 60 must do mandatory military service so every parish would have its own militia), the number of Canadian volunteers increased relative to the number of professional troops and by the 1720s Canadiens dominated military service.
The French and Canadiens built forts from Newfoundland to Louisiana and others captured from the British from the 1600s to the late 1700s. Some were a mix of military post and trading forts.
Chateau St. Louis - built 1648 with 16 redoubts; rebuilt and finally destroyed by fire 1834
Citadelle of Quebec 1673-1872
The Citadel, Montreal 1690-1821
Fortress of Louisbourg, Louisbourg, (Ile Royale) Acadie 1720-1758 - destroyed in 1760 and partially rebuilt in the 1960s as a historic museum
Port Royal, Port Royale, Acadie 1605-1613
Fort Anne 1636-1713
Fort Beauharnois 1727-
Fort Beauséjour 1751-1835
Fort Boishebert before 1696 to 1751
Fort Bon Secours 1685-
Fort Bourbon 1684 (by British); captured 1692 and captured by French several times and returneed 1713
Fort Carillon 1755-1759
Fort Chambly 1675-1776
Fort Champlain
Fort-Coulonge
Fort Crevier 1687-1701
Fort Dauphin (Manitoba) 1741-?
Fort de la Montagne, Mont-Royal 1685 - Quebec and home to Governor; mostly destroyed by fire of 1854
Fort du Sault Saint-Louis 1725
Fort Douville 1720-1730
Fort Duquesne 1754-1758
Fort Frontenac Fortenac 1673-1758; rebuilt 1783
Fort Gaspareaux 1751-1756
Fort Kaministiquia
Fort La Baye 1717-1760
Fort La Biche 1753-1757
Fort La Reine 1738-?
Fort Le Boeuf 1753-1763
Fort Lachine (Fort Rémy), Lachine 1672-1873 and site of Lachine massacre; abandoned 1825 and destroyed 1873
Fort de la Corne 1753-?
Fort La Jonquière 1751-?
Fort La Pointe 1693-1759
Fort Laprairie, Laprairie 1687-1713; site of the Battle of La Prairie 1691
Fort La Reine 1738-1852
Fort Le Sueur 1695-
Fort Machault 1754-1763
Fort Maurepas 1734-
Fort Menagoueche 1751-1755
Fort Miami 1679-1680
Fort des Miamis 1702-1760
Fort Michilimackinac 1715-1780
Fort Michipicoton 1725-1904
Fort Nashwaak 1692-1700
Fort Niagara 1726-
Fort Ouiatenon 1717-1791
Fort Paskoya 1741-
Fort Pentagouet 1613-1674
Fort Pimiteoui1691-1812
Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit 1701-1796
Fort Presque Isle 1753-1852
Fort Richelieu 1665-?
Fort Royal (Plaisance) 1687-1713
Fort Rouge 1738-1741
Fort Sainte Anne 1686-1693
Fort Saint Antoine 1686-1731
Fort Saint Charles 1732-
Fort Sainte Croix 1683-
Fort Saint Jacques 1686-1713
Fort Saint Jean, La Vallée-du-Richelieu 1666 - destroyed 1760 and rebuilt by British in 1775 and had small shipyard
Fort Saint Joseph 1691-1795
Fort Saint Nicholas 1685-
Fort Saint Pierre 1731-1812?
Fort Sandoské 1747-1763
Fort Senneville 1671-1691; 1692-1776
Fort Tourette 1683-1763
Fort Trempealeau 1685-1731
Fort Verchères 1672-
Fort Vincennes 1731-1766
Fort Ville-Marie 1642-74; demolished 1688
French Army
Carignan-Salières Regiment (Régiment de Carignan-Salières) - volunteer army unit (1665–1668)
François Cottineau, dit Champlaurier, a member of this unit and ancestor of PM Sir Wilfrid Laurier
176 soldiers and 4 officers 1740s
Canadian Voyageurs - militia unit
militia artillery corps (2 brigades) - 1723
Reserve companies (2 units) - 1750s
The Governor General's Guard 1672-1682 - 20 mounted men-at-arms or carabineers for Comte de Frontenac
Compagnie des canonniers-bombardiers de Quebec (Gunner and Bombardier Company) 1750-1760 - consisted of 43 gunners/bombers
Régiment de la Reine 1755-1760
Régiment de Guyenne 1755-1760
Régiment de Berry 1755-1760
Régiment de Béarn 1755-1760
Régiment La Sarre 1755-1760
Régiment Royal Roussillon 1755-1760
Régiment de Languedoc 1755-1760
Régiment de Bourgogne 1755-1760
Régiment d'Artois 1755-1760 - 520 soldiers
Régiment de Cambis 1758 - 680 soldiers
2 companies
Marechaussee - police unit
French Navy
Régiment suisse de Karrer 1722-1745 (Louisbourg); 1747-1749 (Quebec)
28 Compagnies Franches de la Marine (Naval Corps) 1683-1755
30 companies 1750s with 1500 soldiers and 120 officers
Compagnies franches de la Marine of Acadia
4 companies with 200 soldiers and 12 officers by 1702
Compagnies franches de la Marine of Plaisance
3 companies with 150 soldiers and 9 officers by the 1690s
Compagnies franches de la Marine on Ile Royale 1710s
24 companies with 1200 soldiers and 96 officers by 1749
Bombardiers de la Marine (Navy Bombardiers) 1702-1760s - 108 bombardiers
Troupes de la marine (Troops of Marines) 1682-1755 - 1759 - 1000 soldiers
Galley Troops (Pertuisaniers des Galères)
Canadian Militia
District of Québec: 1759 - 5,640 miliciamen
District of Montréal: 1759 - 5,455 miliciamen 4,200 sent to Quebec City
District of Trois-Rivière: 1759 - 1,300 miliciamen 1,100 to Quebec City
Canadian Cavalery: 200 cavalerymen
Acadian Militia 1759 - 150 miliciens
Native Indians 1759 - 1,800
The soldiers of New France were either exceptionally well trained and very apt to the challenges of the colonial frontier, or they were dangerously inept. Most of the military consisted of habitant militia rather than actual French soldiers. Upon their arrival, the soldiers of New France learned quickly that the traditional military techniques seen on the battlefields of Europe were not at all effective in the New World. The Iroquois attacks on the French forced them to adapt to their current situation. Luckily the French were experts on forging alliances with the Native people and with the help from their allies the French adopted what they called “la petite guerre”. This was essentially small-scale guerilla warfare that allowed the French to harass and cripple targets slowly over time rather than engage in battle after battle, something that New France could not afford. The strategies consisted mostly of stealth and surprise attacks whose purpose lied in creating ambushes and raids and followed by immediate withdrawals from the battlefield. This strategy focused on the elimination of small groups of targets rather than capturing targets of strategic value. In addition this style of warfare was not only well suited to the North American wilderness but it also allowed the French troops to be at a vast numerical disadvantage (outnumbered sometimes 20 to 1) and still effectively retaliate against their enemies, primarily the British. Ironically, the fact that most of the soldiers were in fact habitant militia men actually aided in the ability to fight using these strategies given that many of these men would have been hunters and would already be accustom to hunting and stalking in forests.
Native Allies
It was the job of the military to maintain good relations with frontier Native Americans in order to preserve French interests in the colony. In fact, preserving a positive relationship between the French and Native Peoples was the most important of the duties that were given to the military. Throughout the years the French developed ties with several Native tribes, those allies consisted mainly of the Abenakis, Algonquin, Huron, Montagnais, and Outaouais and through their partnership they taught them much more than just military strategy. They taught them how to hunt, fish and dress their catches and they taught them how to navigate and essentially survive in the unforgiving Canadian wilderness. The French soldiers relied heavily on the Native warriors but their allegiance came at a cost. The Natives were “self interested and attached themselves only to the one who gives them the most… [and] [i]f they failed to be rewarded one single time, the good that was done for them before counts for nothing”. In addition, the Natives as tribes provided knowledge of the wilderness but the tribes themselves were not active in their wars as a whole. Native warriors participated in the French battles if they chose to do so usually under the arrangement that they would be compensated for their participation. Falling short on these agreements sometimes caused great discourse amongst the Natives and sometimes damaged French-Native relationships.
Decadence amongst the soldiers
Part of the job of the military was to create good trade relations with the Natives. New France relied heavily on the fur trade given that it was the only valuable commodity in the entire colony, which cost more to operate than it brought in in profit. However, much of the military hierarchy was not based on merit but rather on internal family connections, which allowed unqualified young ambitious and greedy men to take positions of high rank. This resulted in many soldiers leaving their post for weeks at a time in order to illegally trade with the Natives. The Natives had an understanding of how the trading system worked and considered the military as “trading-goods chiefs” and because of their dereliction of duty came to recognize many soldiers as dishonest people who went against their code. In addition there were even times where the presents the king would send to keep friendly relations with the Natives were often taken and sold to them for profit instead, the only presents they would give them would be mere trinkets. Therefore, the lack of discipline amongst some of the higher ups resulted in losing face amidst the natives and subsequently losing some of their business and their allegiance to the English.
Military commanders
Louis-Joseph de Montcalm
Chevalier de Lévis
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
François-Charles de Bourlamaque
Claude-Pierre Pécaudy de Contrecœur
Marquis de Denonville
Jean-Daniel Dumas
Daniel Liénard de Beaujeu
Louis Coulon de Villiers
Chevalier de la Corne
Charles Le Moyne
Joseph-François Hertel de la Fresnière
Jean Vauquelin
Duc d'Anville
Joseph de Bauffremont
Comte de La Galissonière
Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville
Louis Charles du Chaffault de Besné
Marquis de la Jonquière
Dubois de la Motte
Alcide 64-guns
L'Algonquin 74-guns
Bienfaisant 64-guns
Bourgogne
Dauphin Royal 74-guns
Diadème 74-guns
Duc de Bourgogne 74-guns
Fantasque 64-guns
Formidable 80-guns
Héros 74-guns
Le Machault 32-guns
Orient 80-guns
Pélican 44-guns
Raisonable 64-guns
Tonnant 84-guns
A list of ships posted to New France:
La Tempête
Ship building in New France 1650s and repair facilities were available in Quebec and Louisburg.
Ships built in Quebec shipyard include:
500-tonne store ship launched on June 4, 1742
Caribou, a 700-tonne store ship launched on May 13, 1744
Castor, a 26-gun frigate launched on May 16, 1745
Carcajou, a 12-gun corvette built in 1744-45
Martre, a 22-gun frigate launched on June 6, 1746
Saint-Laurent, a 60-gun vessel launched on June 13, 1748
Original, a 60-gun vessel - sank when launched on September 2, 1750
Algonquin, a 72-gun ship launched in June 1753
Abénaquise, a 30-gun frigate launched in the spring of 1756
30-gun frigate begun in 1756 but not completed
muskets
light hunting musket by militia units
flintlock muskets by marines
matchlock muskets with bayonets by marines
swords
pike - used by pikemen
hatchet - used by militiamen
halbard
Military commanders
Louis-Joseph de Montcalm
Chevalier de Lévis
Louis Antoine de Bougainville
François-Charles de Bourlamaque
Claude-Pierre Pécaudy de Contrecœur
Marquis de Denonville
Jean-Daniel Dumas
Daniel Liénard de Beaujeu
Louis Coulon de Villiers
Chevalier de la Corne
Charles Le Moyne
Joseph-François Hertel de la Fresnière
Jean Vauquelin
Duc d'Anville
Joseph de Bauffremont
Comte de La Galissonière
Pierre LeMoyne d'Iberville
Louis Charles du Chaffault de Besné
Marquis de la Jonquière
Dubois de la Motte
Alcide 64-guns
L'Algonquin 74-guns
Bienfaisant 64-guns
Bourgogne
Dauphin Royal 74-guns
Diadème 74-guns
Duc de Bourgogne 74-guns
Fantasque 64-guns
Formidable 80-guns
Héros 74-guns
Le Machault 32-guns
Orient 80-guns
Pélican 44-guns
Raisonable 64-guns
Tonnant 84-guns
A list of ships posted to New France:
La Tempête
Ship building in New France 1650s and repair facilities were available in Quebec and Louisburg.
Ships built in Quebec shipyard include:
500-tonne store ship launched on June 4, 1742
Caribou, a 700-tonne store ship launched on May 13, 1744
Castor, a 26-gun frigate launched on May 16, 1745
Carcajou, a 12-gun corvette built in 1744-45
Martre, a 22-gun frigate launched on June 6, 1746
Saint-Laurent, a 60-gun vessel launched on June 13, 1748
Original, a 60-gun vessel - sank when launched on September 2, 1750
Algonquin, a 72-gun ship launched in June 1753
Abénaquise, a 30-gun frigate launched in the spring of 1756
30-gun frigate begun in 1756 but not completed
muskets
light hunting musket by militia units
flintlock muskets by marines
matchlock muskets with bayonets by marines
swords
pike - used by pikemen
hatchet - used by militiamen
halbard
