Saturday, October 29, 2016

Du Fort Levis Research (work in progress)

After scouting the area, Chevalier de Levis, found La Fort de Presentation was not adequate to defend the way to Montreal from the west up the St. Lawrence river. Levis, ordered a fort to be built to command the river, and Isle Royale fit the bill, being situated right in the middle of the river. Fort Levis, was a small wooden fort built on the small island, called Isle Royale by the French and Orakointon by the Indians. The Fort was named after Chevalier de Levis, a officer who took command of the French army after Montcalm was killed at Quebec. The fort was built with major political and monetary issues, as some military officials wanted it to be a masonry fort but it was ultimately built out of the much cheaper wood. The officer chosen to defend the way to Montreal was Captain Pierre Pouchot, the best French Engineer in the colony. He had led siege at Oswego, after the lead engineer was accidentally killed. He led the rebuild of Fort Niagara into Vauban style work. Captain Pierre Pouchot also stubbornly defended Fort Niagara against the British but after the French reinforcements where ambushed and routed he was forced to surrender. He was captured by the British, but ransomed back in 1759/1760, and was appointed to command Fort Levis.

Fort Levis had very tiny garrison less then 400 men, and around 37 cannon. The French Captain Pouchot, being the great engineer that he was, he put Fort Levis in the best state of defense he could. Fort Levis was not without its weaknesses, it was commanded by the shore, which was 24 feet higher than the Island. The British General Amherst took advantage of the the high ground to the fullest extent firing down upon Fort Levis.  The fort also lacked sufficient powder and ball to adequately defend itself against the British assault. I will discuss this point in a later post detailing the siege day by day.
https://ottawarewind.com/2014/03/04/submerged-fortress-of-doom-an-island-fort-under-the-st-lawrence-river/


French OOB

Commander Capt Pouchot
Captain La Force (Captain of the ship Iroquoise, which was scuttled after running aground being heavily damaged. All her cannons and men where sent ashore to help with the siege.)
5 subs:
2 Celerons Brothers
La Boularderie
de Bleury
de Poilly

338 men:
65 Troupes de la Marine
108 Artillerymen, Sailors
165 Militia (mostly from Montreal and surrounding areas)

Artillery:
Lt Bertrand (Killed by a shot to the loins, ouch!!)
12/12pd (10 where disabled during the siege)
2/8pd
13/4pd
4/swivels
2/6pd
4/6pd Brass

Ships:
Iroquoise (Capt La Force)

Outaouaise (Captured by British Officer Williamson, with 5 row galleys, August 17th 1760) 
Capt La Broquerie
27 sailors 65 militia
1/18pd
7/12pd
2/8pd
4/swivels

British OOB

Major General Amherst

5586 Regulars
4479 Provincials
190 vessels
706 Indians
Total 10,961
source: Journals of Hon. William Hervey Page 57

1st Brigade (advanced along the north shore) 
Major General Amherst
General Gage
Officers/enlisted men
21/454 80th Gage's  (advance guard)
3 row galleys
24/568 Lt Inf  Lt.Col Amherst Maj Capt DeLancey
24/568 Grenadiers Lt.Col Massey Maj Capt Campbell
450 Indians
29/391 2nd Royal Highlander regt
33/506 77th Montgomery's regt Maj. Duncan
30/462 1st Royal Highlander regt
25/499 46th Murray
Light Artillery
26/496 Schuylers NJ regiment (rear guard)

2nd Brigade (advance along the south shore) Colonel Haldimand
146 men Ogden's Ranger company & Waite's Ranger company (advance guard)
256 Indians
2 row galleys
23/505 55th regt
31/439 4/60th
27/599 44th Abercromby's regt Maj Beckwith
44/594 Lyman's Conn regt (rear guard) Colonel Lyman/Lt.Col. Payson/Major Slapp

 706 Indians
120 Mohawks
41 Schoharies
56 Oneidas
20 Canaseragays
116 Onondagas
115 Cayugas
30 Tuscaroras
35 Augua & chucknuts ? no idea what tribes these are
162 Senecas
11 Toderighronos

Heavy Artillery & Baggage train
3 NY provincials regts
25/471 Le Roux's Col. LeRoux/Lt Col Brewerton
27/458 Woodhull's Col.Woodhull/Lt Col Roseboom
30/567 Corsa's  Col. Corsa/LT Col. Van Shaick

3 Connecticut Provincials regts
45/538 Wooster's Col. Wooster/Lt.Col. Smedley
45/519 Fitch's Col. Fitch/ Lt. Col. Putnam
45/549 Whiting's Col. Whiting/Lt. Col. Spencer

British Batteries during the siege Under Command Col. Williamson

Ganataragoin point
2/24 pd
4/12pd
2/10 inch mortars
2/royals mortars
2/8 inch howitzers

La cuisse Isle
2/24 pd
2/6pd
3/5pd
2/8 inch howitzers
6/royal mortars/coehorns

Magdelaine Isle
2/24pd
6/12pd
2/12 inch mortars?
6/royal mortars/Coehorns
2/ Royal howitzers

Southern shore battery
2/12pd
2/Coehorns mortars
1/royal mortar

Sources
Page 227 to 241 The journal of Jeffery Amherst, recording the military career of General Amherst in America from 1758 to 1763
 Journals of the Hon. William Hervey
 Starting on page 238 Memoir upon the late war in North America volume 1
 Memoir upon the late war in North America volume 2

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