"Bougainville's Corps at Québec 1759" Topic

Hello fellow forum members,

I may of course have been a bit inefficient but I have been unable to find in the last 20 years decent secondary sources which specifically detail the make up of Bougainville's Corps above the city of Québec monitoring the British navy and possible landings.

I do know there were the Corps de Cavalerie, as well as Grenadier companies and piquets from all five regiments stationed in the vicinity of the city. However, just how many soldiers of the Compagnies Franches de la Marine, how many Militia (Repentigny?) and Indians were there under Bougainville?

Thanks

A marvelous book from Bougainville's own hand is:
Adventures In The Wilderness edited by Edward P. Hamilton. This book is filled with an enormity of detail and anecdotes. Try the Fort Ticonderoga bookstore/shop first. Try ABE Books next, and so forth.
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Pages 318-320 indicate varying numbers.

Beginning of Sept. 1759 per Bougainville:
"Then I was given the five grenadier companies, Duprat's Volunteers, three light companies of our regulars, and a few militia light companies, which gave me a corps of fifteen hundred men, in addition to the various posts I had placed along the shore." p. 320
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POINTS OF ORDER

#1 Hamilton understandibly but incorrectly uses the word light companies. The word piquet for the regulars is the exact term. Think of them as second class grenadiers capable of doing flank protection, assaults, being speed bumps and special duties. Do not think of them as Napoleonic skirmishers.

Hamilton uses the word light for the militia too. This is okay but is a term not used in the parlance of the time. Le petite guerre, (the litle war) was a mission of skirmishing, surprise, hiding behind trees and rocks, etc.

In no case would the above combatants be used as anything like a Napoleonic or ACW screen. Think flanks.

#2 Earlier on pp. 318-319, Bougainville mentions militiamen posted along the shoreline. Numbers varied per changeable missions and British activities. He had a sizeable command but it was spread out along the Saint Lawrence River.
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The Hamilton book is a gold mine for the entire F&I.
Good luck finding it. Finding it should not be difficult and it should be inexpensive.
Bon chance,
Bill P.
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See these rules:

Drums of War ALong The Mohawk (F&I)
Batailles de l'Ancien Régime 1740-1763 (BAR)

oldregimerules.com
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Oh boy, thanks for that information ge2002bill, but what about those "Duprat's Volunteers" are they militia or Colonial marines….and what about the Repentigny volunteers and Indians mentioned in other sources, where are they now?

The Cavalry corps are not mentioned either in the segment quoted…

see? It gets worse and worse!

Bonsoir Monsieur Quebecnordiques,
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The cavalry was there, 200 strong.
Duprat was an officer of 2/La Sarre. In the prior year he was posted with 100 volunteers from the eight metropolitan battalions to guard the extreme left flank south of the Ticonderoga Retrenchement. Thus Duprat's Volunteers were French regulars. I would designate them as piquets.
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It appears Bougainville did not have any Compangnie Franche de la Marines with him. These were with Montcalm formed into two converged marine battalions posted I think at the Beauport Line of fortifications east of Quebec.
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Bon Chance!
Bill P.

Book is Adventure In The Wilderness, not Adventures….
Bill P.

Salut ge2002bill !

That piece of information is invaluable to me. Thank you ever so much. What a shame I am going to have problems getting that book as I can't find it available in my usual suppliers, but I'll definitely keep an eye open.

The two Colonial Marine battallions were indeed with Montcalm and would go on to form the two wings of the regular battle line. Though what baffles me is that practically every secondary source mentions there being Marine companies with Bougainville.

With the quality and number of men under him, Bougainville's inablity or unwillingness to intervene at the decisive battle on the plain seems even more bizarre.

ge2002bill, thanks a million for your kind input.

Hey ge2002bill, Just one question more?

Just when do classical secondary sources like CP Stacey, Parkman and Chartrand who always mention the French line of battle with Montréal and Trois-Rivières Militia on the left and Québec and Montréal Militia on the right turn into the Osprey "Québec 1759" version of events who substitutes the aforementioned units for two batallions of colonial marines?

Why don't you ask Chartrand or Bill P at Historicon yourself? They will both be there. :-)

These are good questions. I can say that the Quebec and Montreal contingents were militia but according to The Company of Military Historians they were oufited in almost regular uniforms. If you go to their website, the uniform plate and accompanying text may still be there. IT is old though. With regret my purchased copy is no longer available for me to look at. Perhaps a conversationalist here may have a copy and can add to the discussion. IT may be some marines were present on the wings serving with militia but I can't say for sure from the two Osprey books, Knox's Journal and a very quick scan of Oliver Warner's With Wolfe to Quebec. Chartrand of course would be reading French sources.
Bon Chance,
Bill

Historygamer, would that I could! I'd love to talk to Chartrand, in fact if anybody knows any contact details I'll definitely get in touch with him.

ge2002bill. I really don't know about those French sources. I think Chartrand is inpired by Stacey's work a lot, which is fine by me…in fact he follows Stacey's order of battle verbatim. It's Reid's OOB which has me in doubts.

I'll be leaving old Europe and going back to Québec to see family and friends this summer…maybe I can meet up with Chartrand!