Montcalm's Army in North America
French regiments were typically organized as two battalions, but only a single battalion would have been sent to Canada with the other battalion remaining in Europe. In the case of the Regiment de Berry, two battalions were sent to Canada (2nd and 3rd) with the 1st Battalion remaining in Europe. Each of the regimental colonels stayed in Europe, as did the 1st Battalion of their respective regiments.
From Governor General Vaudreil's letter to Machault (Controller-General of Finances - Paris), dated November 6, 1757, it is clear that the French battalions in Canada were organized under the 1749 model of a battalion, 12 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company (Brodhead, 1858: Page 498); and not the 1755 model of 16 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company. Yet company organization was different in North America with the addition of 10 men per battalion line company and 5 men in the grenadier company. On paper, the authorized strength reached 50 men per company (NCO's plus Rank & File). This increased was authorized on February 25, 1757, but does not include the Regiment de Berry. The authorized levels now were close to 650 men per battalion, but the strengths never equaled those levels and were always at least 130 men short. On paper, this allowed Montcalm's battalions to be on par with the strength of European battalions under the newer 1755 model, but with fewer officers and NCOs and thus less expense — fewer companies in each of Montcalm's battalions, but each company was larger in size. Only additional drafts and recruits needed to be shipped to Canada.
On September 18, 1757, Montcalm reports only an average of 39 men per company and not the authorized 50 men (Brodhead, 1858: Page 636). Again, this 50 men per company does not include officers. In 1757, most of the reinforcements arriving from France were authorized to the Troupes de la Marine and rebuilding the La Reine and Langeudoc Regiments which had lost eight companies to the British while in sea transit. The replacement companies for the lost La Reine and Langeudoc arrived in September 1757 (Bouganville Journal, September 9, 1757).
From the Adventure in the Wilderness: The American Journals of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, 1756-1760, Edited by Edward Hamilton, University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Journal entry for June 13, 1757:
"The King has granted M. de Vaudreuil all the aid that he asked for this colony, to wit: an increase of ten companies for the troops of La Marine, on the basis of 65 men per company, recruits to completer the others, eight companies to replace those captured (at sea) of La Reine and Languedoc, recruits sufficient to put all the companies of our six battalions at 50 to 55 men, a detachment of royal artillery and engineers, a body of scouts and this reinforcement amounts to about 3,000 men. It is now only a question of their getting here."
Of these 3,000 men, only about 1,100 actually arrived in Canada (Montcalm to Paulmy, Department of War, September 18, 1757 in Brodhead, 1858, Page 636). Authorized strength of a French Regular Company (Canada Only):
French Company: Montcalm's Regular Regiments (1757-1759)
1 Captain
1 Lieutenant
2 Sergeants
3 Corporals
3 Lance Corporals (ansepessades')
41 Privates
1 Drummer
There were no ensigns. There is the possibility that 1 or 2 cadets could be attached, but the attachment of cadets may have been limited to the Troupes de la Marine. The grenadier company might have had an sub-lieutenant attached; this now being the only difference in company size between the grenadier and the other line companies.
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Regiment de Berry were originally slated to be shipped to India and were organized to reflect that theater, but were then shipped to North America — 9 companies, each under three officers, and 60 other ranks. The Berry regiment suffered badly from an epidemic during transit. Bouganville Journal, September 20, 1757:
"The Marquis de Montcalm reviewed the Berry regiment, the two battalions must have lost two hundred men by the epidemic which still continues. In the last twenty days there have died four nuns, four chaplains, and generally fourteen or fifteen people a day. On the nineteenth, twenty-two died. It is some sort of plagues contracted on board the ships. I see the same thing happen each year and I am astonished that they do not seek remedy for this evil. Ventilation put in the ships would at least diminish the cause."
In 1757, instead of about 650 men per battalion (including about 580 Rank & File), those regiments in Canada fielded only about 470 men per battalion (not counting the even weaker Languedoc and La Reine). The slow rate of reinforcements reaching Canada allowed Montcalm to slightly increase his strength, but not build those forces to anywhere near the authorized strength. Although 20% under their authorized strength, Montcalm's companies were roughly in line with the European levels and their 40-man companies (NCO's plus Rank & File). Montcalm's larger regiments and companies were only on paper, but it does foster both complaints in the historical correspondence and confusion in histories and narratives including suggestions of 10-company battalions.
Strength of Montcalm's Regular Regiments 1757-1759 (Rank & File)
July 29, 1757 (Fort William Henry); April 30, 1758 (Ticonderoga) and May 1759 Start of Siege of Quebec
La Reine: (1757: 369) (1758:465) (1759:440)
La Sarre: (1757: 451) (1758: 499) (1759:489)
Royal Roussillon: (1757: 472) (1758: 508) (1759 :485)
Languedoc: (1757: 322) (1758: 474) (1759: 473)
Guyenne: (1757: 492) (1758: 508) (1759: 436)
Bearn: (1757: 464) (1758: 516) (1759: 454)
2nd and 3rd Berry: (1758: 811) (1759: 908)
1757 = Siege of Fort William Henry
1758 = Battle of Carillon (Ticonderoga)
1759 = Plains of Abraham & Quebec
[SUP]2[/SUP] April 30 1758 Letter Doriel includes the statement: "The complete out to 4,230, it consequently lacks 449 men, and 1,250 would be required to carry the companies of the six battalions which first arrived to 50 men. We have actually only 100 men in the hospitals of Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers."
Companies de la Marine
As New France was a colony under naval administration, Companies Franches de la Marine or Troupes de la Marine were stationed in Canada. Between 1689 and 1750, the 28 companies had been positioned in France and increased to 30 companies in 1750 and 40 companies in 1757. These companies were often lead by the Canadian born officers, but the Rank & File were brought from France. Native born Canadians were needed as agricultural workers and their recruitment unwanted. The Governor General seems to have a strong role in commanding these troops. In 1757, Company make-up would be[SUP]4[/SUP]:
1 Captain
1 Lieutenant
2 Ensign
3 Sergeants
4 Corporals
2 Cadets
2 Drummer
54 Privates
1 Adventure in the Wilderness: The American Journals of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, 1756-1760 (Edited by Edward Hamilton, University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Journal entry for July 29, 1757).
2 Letter from M. Doriel to Marshall de Belle Isle, April 30, 1758 (Brodhead, John Romeyn Brodhead. 1858. Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York: Procured in Holland, England and France. Vol. X, Weed Parsons and Company, Printers, Albany. Page 702). On-line.
3 Quebec: The Battle that Won Canada (Stuart Reid, Osprey Publishing, 2003).
4 Military Uniforms in Canada 1665-1970. Summers, Jack; Rene Chartrand and R.J. Marrion. Canadian War Museum, Historical Publication No. 16, National Museum Canada, 1981.
French regiments were typically organized as two battalions, but only a single battalion would have been sent to Canada with the other battalion remaining in Europe. In the case of the Regiment de Berry, two battalions were sent to Canada (2nd and 3rd) with the 1st Battalion remaining in Europe. Each of the regimental colonels stayed in Europe, as did the 1st Battalion of their respective regiments.
From Governor General Vaudreil's letter to Machault (Controller-General of Finances - Paris), dated November 6, 1757, it is clear that the French battalions in Canada were organized under the 1749 model of a battalion, 12 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company (Brodhead, 1858: Page 498); and not the 1755 model of 16 fusilier companies and 1 grenadier company. Yet company organization was different in North America with the addition of 10 men per battalion line company and 5 men in the grenadier company. On paper, the authorized strength reached 50 men per company (NCO's plus Rank & File). This increased was authorized on February 25, 1757, but does not include the Regiment de Berry. The authorized levels now were close to 650 men per battalion, but the strengths never equaled those levels and were always at least 130 men short. On paper, this allowed Montcalm's battalions to be on par with the strength of European battalions under the newer 1755 model, but with fewer officers and NCOs and thus less expense — fewer companies in each of Montcalm's battalions, but each company was larger in size. Only additional drafts and recruits needed to be shipped to Canada.
On September 18, 1757, Montcalm reports only an average of 39 men per company and not the authorized 50 men (Brodhead, 1858: Page 636). Again, this 50 men per company does not include officers. In 1757, most of the reinforcements arriving from France were authorized to the Troupes de la Marine and rebuilding the La Reine and Langeudoc Regiments which had lost eight companies to the British while in sea transit. The replacement companies for the lost La Reine and Langeudoc arrived in September 1757 (Bouganville Journal, September 9, 1757).
From the Adventure in the Wilderness: The American Journals of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, 1756-1760, Edited by Edward Hamilton, University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Journal entry for June 13, 1757:
"The King has granted M. de Vaudreuil all the aid that he asked for this colony, to wit: an increase of ten companies for the troops of La Marine, on the basis of 65 men per company, recruits to completer the others, eight companies to replace those captured (at sea) of La Reine and Languedoc, recruits sufficient to put all the companies of our six battalions at 50 to 55 men, a detachment of royal artillery and engineers, a body of scouts and this reinforcement amounts to about 3,000 men. It is now only a question of their getting here."
Of these 3,000 men, only about 1,100 actually arrived in Canada (Montcalm to Paulmy, Department of War, September 18, 1757 in Brodhead, 1858, Page 636). Authorized strength of a French Regular Company (Canada Only):
French Company: Montcalm's Regular Regiments (1757-1759)
1 Captain
1 Lieutenant
2 Sergeants
3 Corporals
3 Lance Corporals (ansepessades')
41 Privates
1 Drummer
There were no ensigns. There is the possibility that 1 or 2 cadets could be attached, but the attachment of cadets may have been limited to the Troupes de la Marine. The grenadier company might have had an sub-lieutenant attached; this now being the only difference in company size between the grenadier and the other line companies.
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Regiment de Berry were originally slated to be shipped to India and were organized to reflect that theater, but were then shipped to North America — 9 companies, each under three officers, and 60 other ranks. The Berry regiment suffered badly from an epidemic during transit. Bouganville Journal, September 20, 1757:
"The Marquis de Montcalm reviewed the Berry regiment, the two battalions must have lost two hundred men by the epidemic which still continues. In the last twenty days there have died four nuns, four chaplains, and generally fourteen or fifteen people a day. On the nineteenth, twenty-two died. It is some sort of plagues contracted on board the ships. I see the same thing happen each year and I am astonished that they do not seek remedy for this evil. Ventilation put in the ships would at least diminish the cause."
In 1757, instead of about 650 men per battalion (including about 580 Rank & File), those regiments in Canada fielded only about 470 men per battalion (not counting the even weaker Languedoc and La Reine). The slow rate of reinforcements reaching Canada allowed Montcalm to slightly increase his strength, but not build those forces to anywhere near the authorized strength. Although 20% under their authorized strength, Montcalm's companies were roughly in line with the European levels and their 40-man companies (NCO's plus Rank & File). Montcalm's larger regiments and companies were only on paper, but it does foster both complaints in the historical correspondence and confusion in histories and narratives including suggestions of 10-company battalions.
Strength of Montcalm's Regular Regiments 1757-1759 (Rank & File)
July 29, 1757 (Fort William Henry); April 30, 1758 (Ticonderoga) and May 1759 Start of Siege of Quebec
La Reine: (1757: 369) (1758:465) (1759:440)
La Sarre: (1757: 451) (1758: 499) (1759:489)
Royal Roussillon: (1757: 472) (1758: 508) (1759 :485)
Languedoc: (1757: 322) (1758: 474) (1759: 473)
Guyenne: (1757: 492) (1758: 508) (1759: 436)
Bearn: (1757: 464) (1758: 516) (1759: 454)
2nd and 3rd Berry: (1758: 811) (1759: 908)
1757 = Siege of Fort William Henry
1758 = Battle of Carillon (Ticonderoga)
1759 = Plains of Abraham & Quebec
[SUP]2[/SUP] April 30 1758 Letter Doriel includes the statement: "The complete out to 4,230, it consequently lacks 449 men, and 1,250 would be required to carry the companies of the six battalions which first arrived to 50 men. We have actually only 100 men in the hospitals of Quebec, Montreal and Three Rivers."
Companies de la Marine
As New France was a colony under naval administration, Companies Franches de la Marine or Troupes de la Marine were stationed in Canada. Between 1689 and 1750, the 28 companies had been positioned in France and increased to 30 companies in 1750 and 40 companies in 1757. These companies were often lead by the Canadian born officers, but the Rank & File were brought from France. Native born Canadians were needed as agricultural workers and their recruitment unwanted. The Governor General seems to have a strong role in commanding these troops. In 1757, Company make-up would be[SUP]4[/SUP]:
1 Captain
1 Lieutenant
2 Ensign
3 Sergeants
4 Corporals
2 Cadets
2 Drummer
54 Privates
1 Adventure in the Wilderness: The American Journals of Louis Antoine de Bougainville, 1756-1760 (Edited by Edward Hamilton, University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Journal entry for July 29, 1757).
2 Letter from M. Doriel to Marshall de Belle Isle, April 30, 1758 (Brodhead, John Romeyn Brodhead. 1858. Documents Relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York: Procured in Holland, England and France. Vol. X, Weed Parsons and Company, Printers, Albany. Page 702). On-line.
3 Quebec: The Battle that Won Canada (Stuart Reid, Osprey Publishing, 2003).
4 Military Uniforms in Canada 1665-1970. Summers, Jack; Rene Chartrand and R.J. Marrion. Canadian War Museum, Historical Publication No. 16, National Museum Canada, 1981.
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