The Battle of Riviere-Ouelle
In a former post Riviere-Ouelle: Une Paroisse Canadienne au XVII Siecle I introduced Abbe. Casgrain’s book and shared some of his genealogical tables of the founding families of Riviere-Ouelle. Today I’d like to recount some of what Abbe Casgrain had to say about one of Riviere Ouelle’s most historic moments.
Riviere-Ouelle habitants led by their priest
The year was 1690. The British were attacking Nouvelle France (today’s Quebec) and word had reached all the French settlements that a flotilla of thirty British ships was coming down the St-Lawrence river.
Riviere-Ouelle’s leader – the seigneur de La Bouteillerie - was expected to stay at Gov. Frontenac’s side to defend the walled fortress-city of Quebec and there was no militia present because they had all been sent either to Quebec City or to other crucial points along both shores of the St-Lawrence.
So Riviere-Ouelle’s other natural leader – Father de Francheville – took charge and exhorted the habitants of Riviere-Ouelle to do their part in the defense of La Nouvelle France by preventing any disembarkment by the British.
The habitants kept an eye out for the ships – and when they were spotted on the horizon Father de Francheville led a group of men down to a hidden place where the shore juts out and waited for the British to land. They were not disappointed. Once the tide rose, Admiral Phipps from Boston (U.S.A.) sent rowboats towards the beach at Riviere-Ouelle. The tide was so high that the boats landed very swiftly on the shore where they were met by a volley of musket balls. This must have been completely unexpected because they immediately retreated in great panic and never returned!
List of habitants presumed by Casgrain to have taken part in this incident because they wer of an age to carry arms:
Francois and Joseph Deschamps (sons of M. de la Bouteillerie who was in Quebec City), Robert Levesque, Pierre Hudon, Charles and Jean Miville, Galleran Boucher (and his 3 sons), Pierre Dancosse, Joseph Renault (and son), Guillaume Lissot (and son), Rene Ouellet (and 5 sons), Jean Pelletier, jean Lebel (and son), Pierre Emond, Mathurin Dube, Jean Mignot, Noel Pelletier, Jean Gauvin (and son) Pierre de St-Pierre, Nicolas Durand (and son), Francois Autin, Sebastien Boivin and Jean de Lavoye. Natives believed to have taken part: Pierre Oustabany, Gabriel Keskabogouet and Guillaume Meokerimat.
I am not sure why our ancestor Andre Mignier dit Lagace appears on this list. He was a soldier and he is supposed to have settled in the area by 1685. Casgrain explains the absence of four other habitants but does not mention Andre Mignier. I suppose one possibility is that he went to Quebec City with de la Bouteillerie (I’ll update this post when I have more information).
Source:
Casgrain, Abbe. H.R. (1890) Une paroisse Canadienne au XVIIe Siecle: La Riviere-Ouelle. Pub. C.O. Beauchemin & Fils
Related Posts:
Mignier dit Lagaces – French Canadians
Riviere-Ouelle: Une Paroisse Canadienne au XVII Siecle
Land Grants – La Pocatiere/Riviere Ouelle
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INDEXES
A Festival of Postcards(8th Ed.)–GEO
Light ~ White ~ Quadrupeds
Water ~ Signs ~ Main Street
Wheels
CANADIAN FAMILY VINTAGE POSTCARDS
Vintage Postcards of New Brunswick
Vintage Postcards: Special Topics
CANADIAN FAMILY GENEALOGY
MY SURNAMES AND FAMILY HISTORY
The Theriaults – An Acadian Family | Acadie/Quebec/Caraquet
The Mignier dit Lagaces – French Canadians | Riviere-Ouelle/Quebec/N.B.
The Luces from Jersey (Channel Islands) to Canada | Gaspe/N.B.
The Harveys – English Speaking Quebeckers from the UK
In Living Memory: The 20th Century
Here And Now: The 21st Century
SPECIAL TOPICS
Community Events (genealogy blogging)
Early French Canadian Pioneers of Quebec
Canoeing In Canada- All Things Quebec – middle school students blogging from Montreal (Canada)
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YOUR COMMENTS
Hi,
I’m a descendant of Robert Levesque and i’m presently working on my family tree. I would like to know if it would be possible to make copies of some of the info and pictures that are part of my family tree.
Also I would like to thank you for all the excellent work that you have done on your web page, it is a pleasure to look at and it is full of wonderful information.
Thank you and have an excellent day.
Note from Evelyn: I answered Sylvain via email.
Hi, im also descendant of Robert Levesque and would like to know if you have any picture and info that would help me with my family tree, Thank you
Hi, I’ve been trying to learn more about Pierre Hudon(dit Beaulieu) as he is the first Hudon to come to Canada. I thought you may want to know a little tid-bit about this battle. I’ve been told that Pierre was the only one with military experience so it is likely that he prepared everyone. If you know anything more about Pierre Hudon I sure would love to hear from you. Thanks. I would also like to copy your article.
Wow, what a great job. I have been searching my family, Mignot, for about five years now. And love to read about the times of QC and their lives. I would like permission to print off what you have concerning Jean Mignot.
Jean was in the military and was a tailor as well, like his father in France. I have read that he was involved in a few indian military operations. I have a land map with people that were neighbors and settlers with him and his wife, Louise Cloutier. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to genealogy research. Regards, Dave
* * *
Dave,
Thanks for your kind comments and thanks for asking to use material. You are free to download and print anything off this site. Permission is required to reprint – and in particular if it is being used on the internet in any way.
I will take a second look at the Rivere Ouelle parish history to see if there is anything else about your ancestor.
Have a good day,Evelyn
I would like permission to copy some of your work. My grandmother was a Beaulieu (Hudon dit Beaulieu) direct descendant of Pierre Hudon. I am teaching my grandson the family history, and he is extremely proud of his heritage. I am trying to prepare some work for him to do and have been interested in the battles Pierre and his sons were involved in during their lifetime. Your website has caught my interest. Please let me know if I can be allowed to copy some of your work. You have done an excellent job. Thank you for preserving some of my family’s history.
Sincerely
Charlyene
Charlyene Rataiczyk, I am Dave Migneault (Mignot).
I have found the names of the son’s that accompanyied their fathers into this battle. I am willing to share with you and your son what I have found. email me at davemig2@windstream.net. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for this information! I am a descendant of Pierre Dancosse and enjoy any information regarding the history of the time and region the family endured in forging a new life in the Americas.
Note from Evelyn: Answered by email
My father Richard Willette does geneology for our family. I found this website looking up Riviere Ouelle which he mentioned my ancestors, one being Rene Ouellet, started their life in North America. I would like permission to use your work and would also like to ask if you know the names of Rene Ouellet’s 5 sons that accompanied him in the Battle of Riviere Ouellet.
If you are interested I can have my father send some information off to you about anything he has. Thank you for your time.
Note from Evelyn: Answering privately.
Jason Willette, I am Dave Migneault (Mignot) and I have researched the families that were in the Battle. My email address is davemig2@windstream.net and I would be happy to share my notes (excel) with you or anyone else that is interested. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards, Dave
That’s very generous of you, Dave – as always. I’ll pass your message on to Jason in case he misses it!
Evelyn