Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Encyclopedia
Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin (1689–1720) was a French
military officer serving in Acadia
. He was a member of a successful privateer
ing force at the time of Queen Anne's War
, and led native and French forces in the defense of Acadia.
) and was the son of Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
, third Baron de Saint-Castin, and Pidianske, an Abenaki woman. Bernard-Anselme's brother was Joseph d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
, an Acadian military chief. After his father's departure for France in 1701, relations with the Abenaki people began to fray.
In 1704, Governor Brouillan
asked Bernard-Anselme, then just 15 years old, to rally his tribe to help protect Acadia
from British attacks. In 1707, this request paid off and Bernard-Anselme fiercely help defend Port Royal
against a siege
by British colonial forces. On October 31 that same year, Bernard-Anselme married Marie-Charlotte Damours de Chauffours in Port Royal. In 1708, Bernard-Anselme received a promotion within the military, rising to the rank of lieutenant.
In 1709, a privateer
ing force, of which Bernard-Anselme was a member, sank 35 British ships and took 470 people prisoner. Whilst Saint-Castin was at sea in 1710, Port Royal fell to the British
and was renamed Annapolis Royal. Saint-Castin, who was unaware of these events, returned from his privateering to Port Royal. His ship was captured, but Saint-Castin escaped into the woods.
Saint-Castin was then appointed to command the whole of Acadia's military in an attempt to drive out the British. He was ordered to keep the First Nations
hostile to the British, and in immediately after the Battle of Bloody Creek in 1711 his Abenakis unsuccessfully attacked Annapolis Royal.
However, in 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht
was signed, ending the war. During the winter of 1713-14, Saint-Castin lived with his tribe on the Penobscot River
. In 1714, Saint-Castin and his wife set sail for France, landing at Béarn
late that year. He died there in the autumn of 1720. He was survived by his wife and three daughters.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
military officer serving in Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
. He was a member of a successful privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing force at the time of Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War
Queen Anne's War , as the North American theater of the War of the Spanish Succession was known in the British colonies, was the second in a series of French and Indian Wars fought between France and England, later Great Britain, in North America for control of the continent. The War of the...
, and led native and French forces in the defense of Acadia.
Biography
Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin was born in 1689 at Pentagouet (site of present-day Castine, MaineCastine, Maine
Castine is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States and was once the capital of Acadia . The population was 1,343 at the 2000 census. Castine is the home of Maine Maritime Academy, a four-year institution that graduates officers and engineers for the United States Merchant Marine and marine...
) and was the son of Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin was a French military officer serving in Acadia and an Abenaki chief. He is the father of two prominent sons who were also military leaders in Acadia, Bernard-Anselme and Joseph...
, third Baron de Saint-Castin, and Pidianske, an Abenaki woman. Bernard-Anselme's brother was Joseph d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Joseph d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Joseph d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin was a French military officer serving in Acadia. He was also an Abenaki chief. His father was Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin and Joseph's brother was Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin....
, an Acadian military chief. After his father's departure for France in 1701, relations with the Abenaki people began to fray.
In 1704, Governor Brouillan
Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan
Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan French military officer and Governor of Plaisance , Newfoundland....
asked Bernard-Anselme, then just 15 years old, to rally his tribe to help protect Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
from British attacks. In 1707, this request paid off and Bernard-Anselme fiercely help defend Port Royal
Port Royal, Nova Scotia
Port Royal was the capital of Acadia from 1605 to 1710 and is now a town called Annapolis Royal in the western part of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Initially Port Royal was located on the north shore of the Annapolis Basin, Nova Scotia, at the site of the present reconstruction of the...
against a siege
Siege of Port Royal (1707)
The Siege of Port Royal in 1707 was two separate attempts by English colonists from New England to conquer Acadia by capturing its capital Port Royal during Queen Anne's War. Both attempts were made by colonial militia, and were led by men inexperienced in siege warfare...
by British colonial forces. On October 31 that same year, Bernard-Anselme married Marie-Charlotte Damours de Chauffours in Port Royal. In 1708, Bernard-Anselme received a promotion within the military, rising to the rank of lieutenant.
In 1709, a privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing force, of which Bernard-Anselme was a member, sank 35 British ships and took 470 people prisoner. Whilst Saint-Castin was at sea in 1710, Port Royal fell to the British
Siege of Port Royal (1710)
The Siege of Port Royal , also known as the Conquest of Acadia, was conducted by British regular and provincial forces under the command of Francis Nicholson against a French Acadian garrison under the command of Daniel d'Auger de Subercase, at the Acadian capital, Port Royal...
and was renamed Annapolis Royal. Saint-Castin, who was unaware of these events, returned from his privateering to Port Royal. His ship was captured, but Saint-Castin escaped into the woods.
Saint-Castin was then appointed to command the whole of Acadia's military in an attempt to drive out the British. He was ordered to keep the First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
hostile to the British, and in immediately after the Battle of Bloody Creek in 1711 his Abenakis unsuccessfully attacked Annapolis Royal.
However, in 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
was signed, ending the war. During the winter of 1713-14, Saint-Castin lived with his tribe on the Penobscot River
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to , making it the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains .It arises from four branches...
. In 1714, Saint-Castin and his wife set sail for France, landing at Béarn
Béarn
Béarn is one of the traditional provinces of France, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, the principality of Bidache, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms in the...
late that year. He died there in the autumn of 1720. He was survived by his wife and three daughters.