Man of many frailties becomes

the defender of New France

QUEBEC CITY, Oct. 16, 1690 —
What swashbuckling general came
to New France to escape from his
creditors and ultimately became
one of the great military governors
of the colony?

y Marsha Boulton
Contributing Writer

If you knew that Louis de
Buade, Comte de Palluau et de
Frontenac’s arrival in Quebec in
1672 as the new governor was ef-
fectively a career move that
blocked his creditors’ attempts to
seize his French properties, you
may also know that even as the
courtier and soldier accepted his
colonial posting, he determined to
rule as a ‘‘high and mighty lord."

Governor Frontenac was a man
of many weaknesses. He was
proud, vain, stubborn and impa-

- tient.

All of these attributes, plus his
agility in avoiding formal channels
of approval for such items as the
building of new fur-trading posts,
led to his recall to France after a
decade.

In the years of his retirement
the colony of New France was
eroded by weak: leadership and
Frontenac again accumulated vast
debt.

In 1869, 70-year-old Frontenac
was returned as Governor of
Canada to the delight of the colo-
nists.

During his absence, the Iroquois
had allied themselves with the
British and the Canadian colonists
had come under constant attack.

Shortly before his arrival,
raiding Ircquois had killed 24 set-
‘thers and taken 90 captives at
Lachine, Quebec,

Frontenac determined that the
only way to defeat the British was
to defeat them in the eyes of their
Indian aflies.

He mounted a series of surprise
attacks on outposts of the New
England colonies that spread ter-
ror throughout the English  fron-
‘tier settlements.

The tactics of this warfare were
brutal.

Both the British and the French
offered rewards for scalps. In
Massachusetts, the cry went out
for revenge and an English fleet of
34 war ships under the command
of Sir William Phips set out from
Boston to capture the French col-
ony. /

Frontenac made immediate
plans to defend the fortress of
Quebec, which was the gateway of
the Saint Lawrence and guarded
the rest of the colony.

The siege of Quebec began on
Oct. 16, 1690.

Hoping to avert.a_ bloody
assault, Phips sent his emissary,
‘Major Savage, to order the gov-
ernment to surrender. At this
point, Frontenac achieved a

: brilliant stroke of tactical decep-
tion,

Savage was blindfolded and led
through the town to Frontenac’s

“ headquarters.

Along the route, citizens and
soldiers raised a great commotion,
giving the impression of a large
and willing garrison that was
readied and eager for battle.

’. Governor Frontenac received
the emissary in a splendid room,
surrounded by elegantly attired
officers. When he heard the
message he drew himself up
grandly and gave his now famous
response: ‘“‘My only reply to your
general will be from the mouth of
my cannon.”

The report delivered to Admiral
Phips had the effect of a cold
shower. .

It is even said that the message

was punctuated by a cannon shot
which took down the British flag.

The British launched an attack
with 1,400 troops, but Frontenac’s
psychological ploy proved so ef-
fective that the solid stand of his
small but valiant force of less than
500 Canadians saw the British
beat a hasty retreat after three
days of siege.

Despite his human frailties,
Frontenac proved himself a gallant
governor.

When he died in 1698, one who
knew him well wrote: “‘He was the
love and delight of New Fraice.””

For more information about the
Heritage Project call 1-800-567-
1867,

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