Battle of Quebec (1690)
Frontenac refuses to surrender
(historical painting by Charles William Jefferys around 1925)
| date | October 16, 1690 to October 24, 1690 |
|---|---|
| place | Quebec |
| output | French victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 2,300 soldiers and militiamen 60 indigenous people 6 field guns 34 warships |
900 soldiers 1100 militiamen 100 Indians |
| losses | |
|
150 dead and injured, numerous other losses due to illness and exhaustion |
9 dead |
Palatinate War of Succession (1688–1697)
Philippsburg - Koblenz - Walcourt - Bantry Bay - Mainz - Bonn - Fleurus - Beachy Head - Boyne - Staffarda - Québec - Mons - Cuneo - Leuze - Aughrim - Barfleur / La Hougue - Namur 1 - Steenkerke - Lagos - Neerektiven - Marsaglia - Charleroi - Torroella - Camaret - Texel - Sant Esteve d'en Bas - Gerona - Dixmuyen - Namur 2 - Brussels - Ath - Cartagena - Barcelona
The Battle of Québec (also Siege of Québec ) in October 1690 was one of the main events of the North American Secondary Theater of the Palatinate War of Succession in Europe, known as King William's War . The attack on the New England colonies, especially Massachusetts, was a backlash to French attacks. The New England militia troops landed near Québec by a fleet were trained on the European model. They failed above all because of the militia of New France , which acted from behind the scenes based on Indian models.
background
Québec had developed from a trading post into a regular city in the course of the 17th century. It was a transshipment point for European goods and an export port for Canadian fur goods. Larger ships could also reach Québec, while Montreal or Trois-Rivières could only be reached with smaller boats. The city also became the starting point for further exploration of North America and the center of New France as a whole . In 1689 the colony had 14,000 inhabitants. The population growth in the Newengland colonies was much stronger. There were religious and economic differences between the English and French colonies.
French attacks on New England
The conflict was exacerbated when the English supported the Iroquois in the 1680s . After England entered the Palatine War of Succession against France in Europe in 1689, the Iroquois attacked the area around Montreal.
The French planned counterattacks on the English, whom they identified as the originator of the Iroquois attack. At that time, Louis de Buade de Frontenac arrived from France and took over the post of Governor General for the second time. He accepted the plan for Indian-inspired warfare. Before advancing towards New England, he reinforced the defense against the Iroquois. The attack on New England came at a time when internal conflict was raging as a result of the Glorious Revolution .
The French Canadians planned to attack the English colonies overland and in winter. Separate troops made up of colonial troops, volunteer members of the militia and allied Indians set out from the three cities of Montreal, Québec and Trois-Rivières. The troops from Montreal attacked the westernmost outpost of the New York colony in January 1690 and killed a large part of the population. Trois-Rivières troops attacked the fort and settlement of Salmon Falls in what is now New Hampshire two months later . There was a skirmish with the local militia. Then this unit joined the third force, which captured and destroyed a settlement near Portland in May.
Armor in Massachusetts
The attacks resulted in New England's internal disputes being pushed aside and countermeasures taken. First, a small fleet under William Phips sailed to Acadia and took Port Royal . This success led the Massachusetts colonists to plan an attack on Quebec by sea. A private company was set up to finance the company and sold shares. It was hoped that the loot would be able to repay the money. William Phips was appointed as the commander.
The troops on land consisted only of members of the militia. Regular army units were not involved. Requests for the deployment of troops had been rejected because of the Irish uprising . The militia troops were divided into seven battalions and together numbered about 2,300 men. Most of them were from Massachusetts. But there were also companies from New York and other areas. Artillerymen came from Boston with their cannons . There were also Indian scouts . The land troops were commanded by John Walley. The New England militia modeled itself on the regular European troops.
The fleet consisted of 34 ships. The flagship had 44 guns. Most of the other ships were also armed with cannons. The number of crew members was about 1000. With a total strength of 3400 men, the attacking army was the strongest force in North America until the 1750s.
course
The fleet ran out on August 19, but did not reach Québec until October 16. The New Englanders hoped for a quick surrender. Immediately upon arrival, Phips urged Frontenac to give up. This refused. In the days that followed, the New Englanders attacked the city with the ship's cannons without any notable success.
The city itself is located on the Colline de Québec and was additionally protected by some defenses and gun batteries. A frontal assault was out of the question for the attackers. The French forces consisted of 900 men from the 1,400-strong Compagnies Franches de la Marine stationed in New France . Then there was the Canadian militia, which was based on Indian warfare. They were trained as snipers and in secret approach. Of these, around 1,100 men were drawn from Montreal in Quebec, plus around 100 allied Indians. In total, Frontenac had about 2100 men.
The attackers had identified a rather weak point of the enemy defense in the northeast of the city. To do this, however, they had to cross the Rivière Saint-Charles . While the fleet attacked the city again with ship guns, the militiamen were landed at the village of Beauport . The landing went without resistance. However, as the troops advanced, they encountered the French units. Frontenac had already had fortifications built in the area. Other troops and Indian allies familiar with the Bush War were hidden in the woods. The New Englanders were repeatedly attacked by these. They suffered losses for several days without being able to achieve success themselves.
The English fleet meanwhile moved closer to the city and attacked it again with the ship's guns. However, she came within range of the enemy cannons and the ships were sometimes significantly damaged and had to retreat.
On October 20th the English decided to advance. They planned a daring maneuver, wanted to cross another river in order to finally attack the defenses of the city themselves. They advanced in closed units under drums and flags, but soon came under heavy fire from the Canadian militia hidden in the forest. The New Englanders were forced to retreat to their camp. The Canadian militia and the allied Indians advanced and eventually the New Englanders were forced to flee onto the ships.
consequences
In total, the attackers lost around 150 men wounded or killed. On the French side, there are said to have been only nine dead and 52 wounded. On October 23, the New England fleet left Quebec. At least three ships were lost on the return voyage.
On return, the holders of the shares asked to be paid out. This would have brought Massachusetts to the brink of financial collapse. Payment was made in a kind of paper money that quickly lost value.
In Quebec, city walls and other defenses began to be built after the attack. Port Royal was retaken by the French in 1691. In 1696, after the devastation of the Iroquois settlements, they succeeded in pacifying them, at least for the time being. The Peace of Rijswijk in 1697 confirmed the status quo ante.
literature
- René Chartrand: French Fortresses in North America 1535–1763: Québec, Montréal, Louisbourg and New Orleans . Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, ISB 9781849080262, pp. 15-19
- Hermann Wellenreuther: Decline and Rise: History of North America from the beginning of settlement to the end of the 17th century. , Münster 2014, pp. 473 f., 582
