Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne
Encyclopedia
Louis de la Corne or Louis Chapt, Chevalier de la Corne (June 6, 1703 – November 15, 1761) was born at Fort Frontenac
in what is now Kingston, Ontario
, Canada
, and began his career in the colonial regular troops as a second ensign in 1722 and was made full ensign five years later.
He married in 1728 and began investing heavily in the commerce of the fur trade while continuing his military career. This was a common practice of the time. In the next few years both careers flourished. He received promotions to lieutenant and then captain six years later. In 1747 he had serious combat experience in Acadia
for which he was awarded the cross of Saint Louis
in May 1749 for his actions at the Battle of Grand Pre
. During this period he was involved in other hostile military operations as well as organizing militias amongst new settlers in new territories.
In 1752, La Corne began a three-year appointment as the western commander of the poste de l’Ouest, (the French name for the posts started by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye).
He succeeded Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre
and set out in June 1753 with 57 men, leaving his brother Luc de la Corne
to coordinate additional resources. He crossed paths with Saint-Pierre north of Lake Superior and was briefed on what he would find in the west. During his tenure in the west, La Corne appears to have been an active commander. He improved Fort Paskoya
(Le Pas, Man.), built Fort Saint-Louis (Fort de la Corne
, Saskatchewan
) and explored the Carrot River
valley. He was succeeded by Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye
who was Commander of the West from 1756 to 1758. (Because of the Seven Years' War
, La Vérendrye never actually came west but carried out the business through agents.)
By July 1755, La Corne was back east and was heavily involved in military matters for the next five years, patrolling the Montreal to Lake Ontario waterway with a large contingent of men. More military recognition for his role was recommended but never occurred. He was to be deported to France in 1761 and was one of the victims when the ship, Auguste
sank off the coast of Cape Breton Island
on November 15 of that year.
Fort Frontenac
Fort Frontenac was a French trading post and military fort built in 1673 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It was positioned at the mouth of the Cataraqui River where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario , in a location traditionally known as Cataraqui...
in what is now Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and began his career in the colonial regular troops as a second ensign in 1722 and was made full ensign five years later.
He married in 1728 and began investing heavily in the commerce of the fur trade while continuing his military career. This was a common practice of the time. In the next few years both careers flourished. He received promotions to lieutenant and then captain six years later. In 1747 he had serious combat experience 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...
for which he was awarded the cross of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
in May 1749 for his actions at the Battle of Grand Pre
Battle of Grand Pré
The Battle of Grand Pré, also known as the Battle of Minas, was a battle in King George's War that took place between British and French forces near present-day Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia in the winter of 1747 during the War of the Austrian Succession...
. During this period he was involved in other hostile military operations as well as organizing militias amongst new settlers in new territories.
In 1752, La Corne began a three-year appointment as the western commander of the poste de l’Ouest, (the French name for the posts started by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye).
He succeeded Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre
Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre
Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre was a Canadien colonial military commander and explorer. who held posts throughout North America in the 18th century.-Life:...
and set out in June 1753 with 57 men, leaving his brother Luc de la Corne
Luc de la Corne
Luc de la Corne, also known as Saint Luc, was the son of Jean-Louis de La Corne and the brother of Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne. As in the case of most of his contemporaries, he was an officer in the colonial regular troops. He had a varied and courageous military career which earned...
to coordinate additional resources. He crossed paths with Saint-Pierre north of Lake Superior and was briefed on what he would find in the west. During his tenure in the west, La Corne appears to have been an active commander. He improved Fort Paskoya
Fort Paskoya
Fort Paskoya or Paskoyac or Pasquia was a French fort and trading post near the mouth of the Saskatchewan River. Along with Fort Bourbon, Fort Dauphin and Fort La Reine is was built by the Vérendryes to control the chain of lakes west of Lake Winnipeg...
(Le Pas, Man.), built Fort Saint-Louis (Fort de la Corne
Fort de la Corne
Fort de la Corne was built in 1753 by Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne at the same time that the second Fort Paskoya was built. It was built a little lower than the Saskatchewan River Forks at the mouth of the Pehonan Creek, a new establishment which originally bore the name of Fort des...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
) and explored the Carrot River
Carrot River
The Carrot River is a river in northeastern Saskatchewan, and northwestern Manitoba. The river begins at Waterhen Marsh located south of Kinistino, Saskatchewan and continues through northeast Saskatchewan until it empties into the Saskatchewan River north-west of The Pas, Manitoba.The Carrot...
valley. He was succeeded by Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye
Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye
Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye was a French Canadian fur trader and explorer who took part in extending these activities westerly from the Great Lakes during the eighteenth century, an enterprise for which he and other members of his family were largely responsible...
who was Commander of the West from 1756 to 1758. (Because of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, La Vérendrye never actually came west but carried out the business through agents.)
By July 1755, La Corne was back east and was heavily involved in military matters for the next five years, patrolling the Montreal to Lake Ontario waterway with a large contingent of men. More military recognition for his role was recommended but never occurred. He was to be deported to France in 1761 and was one of the victims when the ship, Auguste
Auguste (ship)
Auguste was a full rigged sailing ship which sank at Aspy Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia in 1761 while carrying exiles from the fall of New France. Auguste was a former French privateer ship which had been captured by the British and converted to a merchant ship...
sank off the coast of Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
on November 15 of that year.