The companies franches de la marine were independent companies of regular soldiers maintained by the Department of the Marine (Navy) to garrison colonial posts. Overall military command in the colonies rested with the governor. The companies were divided into three districts, consisting of Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers. The first marine companies were sent to New France in 1683. The organization would continue virtually unchanged until the English conquest. Enlisted men of the companies franches were recruited in France, but by 1755, most of the officers were Canadian-born. In 1755, the companies franches in New France numbered 30 companies, each of 50 men and 4 officers. Another 24 companies were assigned to Isle Royale. Stationed in the colony of Louisiana were 36 more and some of these saw action in the Ohio country. On occasion they were aligned in battalions, as under Montcalm in 1757, for the attack on Fort William Henry. In 1760, Levis, after assuming command after the death of Montcalm, established two battalions of Marines.
The Marine Department contracted independently for its small arms. Artillery for the colonies was also of Marine rather than the Army pattern and was almost always made of iron.
The following is a partial listing of names, if you can help to expand it please let me know.
Louis - Hyacinthe Boyer de Crémilles (1700 - 1768), Lieutenant General and Inspector General of Infantry.
Joseph-Ghtmlard Chaussegros de Léry (1721-1797)
Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay (1708-1777) King's Lieutenant in 1758, surrendered city of Quebec to English in 1759.
Captain Alexandre Dagneau Douville (1698-1774) commander of Fort Rouillé 1757-59 burned fort on departure
Captain Claude-Pierre Pécaudy de Contrecoeur (1705-1775), commanded the Ohio expedition of 1753
Captain Francois-Marie Le Marchand de Lignery (1703-1759)
Captain François-Marc-Antoine Le Mercier (1722-1798) Captain 1753, Colonial Artillery Company of canoniers-bombardiers and commandant of the artillery of New France. Engineer
for Ohio expedition.
Captain Jacques Legardeur de Sainte-Pierre (1701-1755), captain 1748. He served with the Ohio expedition 0f 1753-54. It was Sainte-Pierre
who received the summons from the Governor of Virginia delivered by George Washington.
Captain Jean- Francois de Vassan or Jean-Baptiste Mutigny de Vassan (born in France) wounded at battle of St. Foy
Captain Louis Coulon de Villiers
(1710-175_) .
Lieutenant Le Poupet de La Boularderie date of rank 1758
Lieutenant Pierre-Joseph de Céloron (1726-1801) captain in 1760
Lieutenant François-Clément Boucher de la Perrière (d.1759
Lieutenant Joseph Marin de La Malgue (1719-1774) Captain
in Jan. 1759
Lieutenant Charles-Joseph de Noyelles (1719-1767) commandant of Fort Rouillé 1754-1757 (small stockaded post at Toronto
2nd Lieutenant Francois-Louis Picoté
de Belestre
2nd lieutenant Cadet Phillippe-Francois Rastel de Rocheblave (1727-1802)appointed in 1757
Ensign Sabrevois de Bleury date of rank 1755, captain 1760
Ensign Pierre-Hyacinthe de Céoron (b.1732) date of rank 1756, captain 1760
Ensign Daniel-Marie Chabert de Joncaire de Clausonne (1714-1771) lieutenant 1757
Ensign Charles-Michel Mouet de Langlade (1729-1800) appointed 2nd in command at
Michilimackinac 1757.
Ensign Daniel-Maurice Godefroy de Linctot (1739-1783)
date of rank 1759
Ensign Francois Mouet de Louvigny (1732-178_)
Ensign Jean-Baptiste Levrault de Langis Montegron (1723-1760)
Ensign Joseph Coulon de Villiers de Jumonville (1718
- 1754)
Ensign Michel Rousseau de Villejouin (fl.1750-1760)
Corps of Cavalry:Raised June 1759 disbanded 1760
Montcalm Regiment of Cavalry
Captain de La Roche-Beaucourt (aide to Montcalm and commanded the Corps of Cavalry)
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