PDF The Forts of New France: The Great Lakes; the Plains and the Gulf Coast 1600–1763 (Fortress) by René Chartrand in History

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. The long colonial reach of France...By HMS WarspiteFrance once asserted control over a surprisingly large swath of North American as a colonial empire. The Osprey Fortress Series book "The Forts of New France" describes the largely forgotten French outposts that once stood around the Great Lakes; the Plains; and the Gulf Coast in the period 1600-1763. Author Rene Chartrand and illustrator Brian Delf collaborated on the content.The book opens with an introduction to the French presence in North America; a chronology of the period 1600-1763; and a map showing the various French forts build in a great geographic arc from the Great Lakes through the Mississippi Valley to Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. In a very concise narrative; the author provides short sketches about a selection of the forts. Some of the forts were built of stone or brick and lasted enough enough to be taken over by the British; Spanish or other successors of the French Empire. Others were temporary and abandoned or destroyed. The text is accopanied by an interesting selection of period and more modern illustrations; photographs; maps and diagrams. The book concludes with a brief glossary of terms and a short bibliography.This book can be no more than a brief introduction to the topic; given its brief length and the many forts built by the French in the interior of North American; it is recommended as such. Other Osprey Fortress Series books provide visibility on additional French colonial forts in other parts of North America.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Covering a too ignored area; well researched and illustratedBy YodaThis book is part of a two volume series intended to cover French fortifications in North American from; roughly; the time the French first came to America to attempt to seriously colonize the area until the Seven Years War (1600 – 1763). The first volume of the set; “The Forts of New France in Northeast America”; covers the fortifications the French built on the Atlantic while the second volume; this one (“The Forts of New France: The Great Lakes; the Plains and the Gulf Coast”); covers the balance. The fortifications set covered by the first volume were primarily Vauban style fortifications made of stone and masonry; were large and were intended to defend against European opponents with heavy artillery such as the English. The second volume’s fortifications were; by contrast; very small and improvised in nature; intended primarily to hold off attacking Indians. There were only two or so Vauban style fortifications in the second volume that were made out of stone or masonry that could hold off a European army equipped with artillery. Nevertheless; this chain of forts enabled the French to build up a basis for trade; colonization and a legal basis for territorial claims in the interior of North America.Unfortunately very little has been written on the subject; unlike on the heavy French forts on the North Atlantic Coast. This book hence fills a vacuum in the literature. It does this quite well. It is well researched from; predominately from primary resources; in terms of the fortifications per se along with experiences at those fortifications of both soldiers in combat and others in a variety of roles (i.e.; missionaries; merchants; etc.). One sees how small and weak most of these forts were. Many had; for example; little more than picket fences. One also sees that despite this; they served Frances interests in the area; in terms of trade; colonization; communication and the basis of territorial claims; very well (not to mention in a cost-effective manner).All and all a very good book recommended for anyone interested in the topic and having only an hour or so to get up to speed.4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. THE FORTS OF NEW FRANCE: THE GREAT LAKES; THE PLAINS; AND THE GULF COAST; 1600-1763By Robert A. LynnTHE FORTS OF NEW FRANCE: THE GREAT LAKES; THE PLAINS; AND THE GULF COAST; 1600-1763RENE CHARTRANDOSPREY PUBLISHING; 2010QUALITY SOFTCOVER; $18.95; 64 PAGES; PHOTOGRAPHS; ILLUSTRATIONS; CHRONOLOGY; GLOSSARY; MAPS; BIBLIOGRAPHYBy the beginning of the 18th Century; during the wars of Louis XIV that pitted English and French colonies against each other; Canada took on a strategic importance that far outweighed its commercial value. For geo-political imperatives; permission was granted by Paris to establish a colony at Detroit in 1701. Canadian settlers moved westwards into the upper Mississippi basin in what became known as the Illinois Country. At the mouth of the Mississippi; the colony of Louisiana was settled directly from France. After 1713; Governor Vaudreuil had a chain of forts built in the interior to serve as bases for trade and negotiation with Native Americans and military officers replaced missionaries in the role of diplomatic agents. In addition to this line of forts that kept the English colonists east of the Appalachian watershed; French traders in competition with the Hudson's Bay Company for hinterland furs moved beyond the Great Lakes onto the Western Plains; as far as the Missouri Coteau and Athabasca region; establishing their headquarters at Kaministiquia (now Thunder Bay; Ontario) in 1717. To the south; they ranged over the area drained by the Missouri; Arkansa; and Red Rivers.Author Rene Chartrand has written another excellant book on the French forts that were built along the Great Lakes; the Western Plains; and the Gulf Coast. It is well-illustrated as well as written but there are some needed clarifications and mistakes that need to be corrected. They are listed below:*Page 9-The first letter of lakes is capitalized-Lakes Huron; Michigan; and Superior.*Page 12-Louis de Buade; Count of Frontenac came from a family of warriors and were members of the Nobility of the Sword in France. He and his wife proceeded to run up large debts from gambling and extravagant living notable even in the court of King Louis XIV. In addition to being a spendthrift; Frontenac was a cheat; he refused to pay his creditors in 1688; even after they had given him a four-year reprieve. In light of these events; it is surprising that Frontenac was appointed the governor of New France in 1672. It appears likely that two things aided him in his appointment: his family name and personal charm. This appointment gave him immunity from his creditors.*Page 17-The total Anglo-American force consisted of the following: 2;520 American Provincials; 150 British Regulars; 300 Bateaux Men; and 40 Native Americans. The attack was on 25 August 1758 not July 25; 1758 and Fort Frontenac was commanded by Pierre-Jacques Payen de Noyan et de Chavey. It surrendered on 27 August 1758 not 27 July 1758.*Page 19-The first letter of Lakes is capitalized-Lakes Erie; Huron; and Michigan. Both Forts Conti and Denonville proved too isolated and exposed to Iroquois hostility to be maintained. Thus Fort Niagra was constructed.*Page 21-The Anglo-American army that laid siege to Fort Niagara consisted of 2;500 British and Colonial troops and 1;000 Native Americans of the Six Nations not the total of 4;000 as written in the book. Fort Niagara encompassed about 12 acres and was arguably the strongest and most sophisticated fortification west of Quebec. It had a 600-man garrison not 500 as written. During the siege of Fort Niagara; the two senior officers of the Anglo-American army were killed-Colonel John Johnston of the New York Regiment and Brigadier General John Prideaux; who was killed when he carelessly walked in front of one of his mortars as it went off. Fort Niagara surrendered on 25 July 1759. Fort Petit Niagara was also called Fort du Portage and was constructed by Chabert de Joncairede Clausonne; Daniel Marie.*Page 23-The first letter of Lake is capitalized-Lakes Huron and Superior.*Page 24-The fort constructed by Repentigny was named Fort Repentigny and enclosed three buildings. He and his fellow officer; Captain de Bonne de Missegle; then formed a trading monopoly. Both men hired Jean Baptiste Caddote to command the fort along with his Chippewa wife. After the British captured it in 1761; the entire fort (except for Caddote's house) went up in flames. Repentigny's descendants unsuccessfully sought to reclaim the grant. The first letter of Lake is capitalized-Lakes Erie and Huron. Daniel Greysolm; Sieur du Lhut Duluth and fifty coureurs des bois constructed Fort Saint Joseph (also called Fort Duluth). It was a palisaded fort which was built on .85 acre without basitons. Commanding this fort was Baron Louis-Armand de Lahontan in 1687. The garrison traded with the Native Americans and the French and Hurons used it as a base against the Iroquois. It was abandoned in 1688. Lo Mothe Cadillac's goal was to develop a trade monopoly for himself. By the mid-1700s; Detroit and its area had about 500 inhabitants not 800.*Page 25-It was Major Robert Rogers who took the surrender from the French commandant of Detroit; Francois-Marie Picote de Belestre on 29 November 1760. The French Fort Sandusky was constructed in November or December; 1750 not 1751. It was garrisoned with 20 soldiers but it was ordered abandoned in November; 1753. This Fort Sandusky isn't to be confused with British Fort Sandusky; which was located on the lake's south shore. Fort Saint Joseph was also known as the St. Joseph River Post; Miami Post; and St. Joseph of the Miamis.*Page 28-Fort de Buade was constructed around 1680 not 1690 and its commandant was Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac. Fort Michilimackinac's commandant was Constant Le Marchand de Lignery and it had six cannons.*Page 29-Fort La Baye was destroyed by the Native Americans in 1728 but was re-built in 1733. The French garrison at Green Bay was evacuated to Illinois in 1760. La Salle constructed Fort Miamis on 1 November 1679 on a bluff above St. Joseph's River. It was 30 feet by 40 feet. La Salle visited it in March; 1680 before it was abandoned in late January; 1681 on his orders.*Page 31-The mission of Saint-Esprit was established by Jesuit Claude Allouez in 1665 not 1660. Coureus de bois Medard Chouart Des Groseilliers and Pierre-Esprit Radisson opened the Hudson Bay area to French trade but Frontenac stripped both men of their trading licenses for refusing to share their profits with him. They both went to England to persuade Prince Rupert to sponsor an expedition to Hudson Bay. This he did.*Page 32-Since about 1680 should read 1683; Fort Sainte-Croix was constructed by traders on the St. Croix River. Daniel Greysolon Duluth should read Daniel Greysolon; Sieur du Lhut. Fort Kaministiquia was established as a trading post in 1684/1685 time frame not 1679 and it was abandoned in 1696. It was re-established as a fort in 1717 by Zacharia Robutel de la Noue. Fort La Tourette was established in 1683 not 1684. Fort Saint-Nicholas (Prairie-de-Chien; Wisconsin) was established in May; 1685. Fort Trempealeau was established in 1685 while Fort Saint Antoine in 1686. The small stockades were basically small storehouses for furs and other goods not forts.*Page 33-Fort L'Huillier was constructed in the fall and winter of 1700/1701. Pierre-Charles Le Sueur left 20 men to garrison this fort but it was attacked and abandoned in 1702. Fort Beauharnois was permanently abandoned in 1751 not March; 1736. In 1751 not 1750; a new fort called Fort La Jonquiere was constructed. It was subsequently abandoned in 1753.*Page 34-Fort Saint-Pierre was the first fort constructed west of Fort Kaministiquia. Fort Saint-Charles became the unofficial western capital of New France and played a dominant role in limiting the number of furs going to the established British posts on Hudson Bay. It was the most northwesterly settlement in New France. It was located in an area that was described as one of the "roads of war" of the Dakotas. The fort operated for a couple of decades and also figured prominently in the relentless Ojibwa displacement of the Dakota Indians in northern Minnesota and North Dakota. Pierre Gaultier de La Verendrye's eldest son was killed by Native Americans along with Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau and 19 French-Canadian voyageurs on June 6; 1736. His son; Jean-Baptiste de La Verendrye and Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau were buried under the altar of the chapel located in Fort Saint-Charles not Fort de la Fourche aux Roseaux. The 19 voyageurs killed were buried outside this fort. Pierre Gaultier de la Verendrye was appointed commandant of all the western forts in New France.*Page 35-The first Fort Maurepas was abandoned in 1739 with the second Fort Maurepas constructed in 1739 not 1740. Fort Rouge translated means "Red Fort." The first Fort Paskoya was constructed in 1741 or 1742 not 1739.*Page 36-The second Fort Bourbon was constructed on its site in 1767. The first Fort Dauphin was constructed in 1741 while the second Fort Dauphin was constructed in 1767. Fort La Covne was constructed in 1753 not about 1753.*Page 37-La Salle was killed on March 19; 1687. Construction began on Fort Crevecoeur on 5 January 1680 and was completed in early March; 1680.*Page 39-A trading post was established at Vincennes; Indiana on October 28; 1702. Fort Kaskaskia was destroyed by the British in 1763.*Page 40-Fort Orleans was also established as a base from which to seek copper deposits rumored to be in the area. The fort was abandoned in early 1729. Fort Cavagnial was dedicated on August 8; 1744 and it was manned by 12 to 20 French Marines.*Page 41-The first Fort de Chartres was constructed during 1719/1720 not 1720/1721. It also included a building for the Company of the Indies and it was fully manned by detached French marines.*Page 45-Fort de L'Assomption should read Fort de L'Ascension. The small settlement at Little Prairie was commanded by Lt. La Boulaye with 13 not 17 soldiers. It was later re-named Fort Massac in 1759. Fort Arkansas was attacked by Native Americans on May 10; 1749.*Page 47-Fort Saint-Jean-Baptiste was constructed in 1714.*Page 48-Fort Rosalie had a garrison of 30 men and this fort had two small iron cannons and one brass swivel gun.*Page 50-The new Fort Rosalie was re-built in February; 1730. It had a garrison of 50 men constantly repairing the eroding earthworks. Fort de L'Assomption was finished on August 15; 1739 and all French troops withdrew on March 31; 1740. It was later abandoned.*Page 54-It was 1723 not 1724 that Fort Louis was re-named Fort Londe.*Page 57-The English took possession of Fort Tombecbe on October 22; 1763 and it was extensively re-built in 1760. It was garrisoned with between 40 to 50 men. Fort de la Boulaye was also called the Mississippi Fort. Dauphine Island had its first settlers in 1702.*Page 58-Fort Toulouse was equipped with swivel guns as well as 4-and 6-pounder cannons and it was called the Alabama Post. In September; 1717; it was garrisoned by Lt. Vitral de La Tour and 25 men. Its garrison subsequently mutinied in 1721 not 1722. Eight deserters from Mobile fled to the fort and convinced two-thirds of the garrison to mutiny. The Creek Indians were also called Alabama Indians. Fort Crevecoeur on St' Joseph's Bay; Florida; was completed in May; 1718 but was later abandoned and burned on August 20; 1718.Lt. Colonel Robert A. Lynn; Florida GuardOrlando; Florida