François-Marie Picoté, sieur de Belestre II (17 November 1716 – 30 March 1793) was a colonial soldier for both

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

and

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

. As a soldier in the French troupes de la marine, Belestre fought against British and American colonial troops for 30 years, from

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...

to the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

valley. Belestre became famous during the wars between

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

, serving in the

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

n theater of the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

, also known as the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

(1754–63). He was one of the last officers of New France to surrender to British troops. In 1758, Belestre became the thirteenth and last official French Commandant of Fort Ponchartrain (

Fort Detroit A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

). His term ended in 1760 with the end of French rule in Detroit, after which he was sent to England. He returned to Quebec under British rule, and joined the British troops which defended Fort Saint Jean from American colonial forces in 1775. He became a colonel in the British Army before his death.

Biography

François-Marie Picoté de Belestre was born in Lachine, in the French province of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

on 17 November 1716. In 1738 he married Marie Anne Nivard Saint-Dizier, the daughter of Pierre Nivard Saint-Dizier, in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

. They had six children: François-Louis (1739) (ref: Joachime Coulon de Villiers in 1762 in Fort Chartres), Marie-Joseph (1741), Etienne (1742), François-Xavier (1743), Anne (1746) & Marie-Archangel (1748). In 1739, he followed his father into the military, embarking on a career in the Troupes de la marine, the colonial military of

. He saw service in the

Chickasaw Wars The Chickasaw Wars were fought in the first half of the 18th century between the Chickasaw allied with the British against the French and their allies the Choctaws, Quapaw, and Illinois Confederation. The Province of Louisiana extended from I ...

and was active in battles against the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

. He was promoted to second ensign in 1741.

Conflict with British colonies

When Louisbourg fell early in

King George's War King George's War (1744–1748) is the name given to the military operations in North America that formed part of the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748). It was the third of the four French and Indian Wars. It took place primarily in ...

, Belestre was sent to

Acadia Acadia (; ) was a colony of New France in northeastern North America which included parts of what are now the The Maritimes, Maritime provinces, the Gaspé Peninsula and Maine to the Kennebec River. The population of Acadia included the various ...

to assist in resistance against the British occupation. By 1747 he was back on the western frontier, working with

Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville Pierre-Joseph Céloron de Blainville (29December 169314April 1759), also known as Celeron de Bienville (or Céleron, or Céloron, etc.), was a French Canadian Officer of Marine. In 1739 and 1740 he led a detachment to Louisiana to fight the Chicka ...

to supply

. During the 1740s British colonists had begun to penetrate the

Ohio Country The Ohio Country (Ohio Territory, Ohio Valley) was a name used for a loosely defined region of colonial North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and south of Lake Erie. Control of the territory and the region's fur trade was disputed i ...

and were competing successfully with the French in the lucrative fur trade. Belestre was sent to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

in 1749 to report on the state of affairs with the Indians. 1749 to 1759: he is given the responsibility to look after and maintain the trade of fur in Michigan. 1751: he is asked to carry out a punitive raid on "La Demoiselle" village (ref: post, 417, 419, 444). 1751 (Fall) to 1752: he is sent to France to be cured of a wound and report of the situation. (A N Colonies C11A 97:198). 1751 (end) or 1752: Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. 1752: he is back in Canada, in charge of Wabash Post (ref: Ibid., 119:316). 1753: On January 29, following the death of his wife, Belestre married Marie Ann Magnan also in Montreal. 1754: He was recommended for promotion to ensign "en pied". (ref: Ibid, 99:282v.)

Seven Years' War

In 1755 Belestre commanded a troop of colonial marines and Indians in the decisive

Battle of the Monongahela The Battle of the Monongahela (also known as the Battle of Braddock's Field and the Battle of the Wilderness) took place on July 9, 1755, at the beginning of the French and Indian War at Braddock's Field in present-day Braddock, Pennsylvania, ...

, in which British General

Edward Braddock Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American front of what is known in Europe and Canada as ...

's forces were routed. For his contribution to the victory, Belestre was awarded the

Order of Saint Louis The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis () is a dynastic order of chivalry founded 5 April 1693 by King Louis XIV, named after Saint Louis (King Louis IX of France). It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, notable as the fi ...

. In April 1756, he led a raiding party of 20 French soldiers and 150 Miami, Ouiatonon, and Shawnee into the Carolinas, capturing

Fort Vause Fort Vause (also known as Fort Vaux, Voss, Vass, Vance, or "Vass' Fort", and renamed Fort Lyttelton in 1757) was built in 1753 in Montgomery County, Virginia, by Ephraim Vause. The historic site is near the town of Shawsville, Virginia. It was att ...

on the way. Later that year he participated in Montclam's victory in the Battle of Fort Oswego. He was then promoted to lieutenant, and placed in command of Fort de Miami. In the summer of 1757, he was ordered to raid Fort Cumberland on the Virginia frontier. He led an expedition with 12 French soldiers, 40 allied natives and 300 men but on June 5 they were attacked on their way back by Cherokees allied to the British. Belestre's nephew, Philippe Dagneau of Saussaye, St. Ours and three French soldiers were killed, and Belestre was captured.“From George Washington to John Stanwix, 15 June 1757,” Founders Online, National Archives. Original source: ''The Papers of George Washington,'' Colonial Series, vol. 4, 9 November 1756 – 24 October 1757, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1984, pp. 215–217.
/ref> Belestre was brought to Fort Loudoun, in Winchester, VA, where he was questioned by Edmund Atkyn, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the presence of Colonel

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and

George Croghan George Croghan (c. 1718 – August 31, 1782) was an Kingdom of Ireland, Irish-born fur trader in the Ohio Country of North America (current United States) who became a key early figure in the region. In 1746 he was appointed to the Onondaga Cou ...

, Deputy to

Sir William Johnson Major-General Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet ( – 11 July 1774), was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Ireland known for his military and governance work in British colonial America. As a young man, Johnson moved to t ...

. It is uncertain if he was released or if he escaped, but he succeeded in finding his way back to

by early fall 1757. On November 28, he took what remained of his troops—about 300 Canadians and Indians soldiers—toward

Fort Frontenac Fort Frontenac was a French trading post and military fort built in July 1673 at the mouth of the Cataraqui River where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario (at what is now the western end of the La Salle Causeway), in a location traditi ...

(now

Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario. It is at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, the south end of the Rideau Canal. Kingston is near the Thousand Islands, ...

). They move east towards the

Mohawk River The Mohawk River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 3, 2011 river in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson R ...

valley. Captain Belestre received the order, probably from Vaudreuil, the Governor of New France, to attack the Palatine settlement of German Flatts, where they destroyed the place, killing 40 German settlers and taking 150 prisoners (men, women and children). Most of the houses and buildings were burned. Using this "hit and run" tactic, common during this war, the damage caused was important. This last raid was regarded as a considerable victory for France, by the fact that this relatively small team had succeeded in penetrating deep into New York without opposition. They took what remained of the food, horses and cows, which they carried back to Montreal. In 1758 Belestre was promoted to captain and became the 13th official commander of Fort Ponchartrain du Detroit, founded by

Antoine de Lamothe Cadillac Antoine de la Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (, ; March 5, 1658October 16, 1730), born Antoine Laumet, was a French explorer and adventurer in New France, which stretched from Eastern Canada to Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico. He rose from a modest beg ...

in 1701. This happened after the death of the Detroit commandant, Nicholas D'aneau, Sieur de Muy in 1758. Assisted by Pierre Passerat de La Chapelle, he commanded a small army in a fort which was more of a fur trading center than a military fortress. Because of the many Indian allies camped around the fort, it was not considered necessary by the French Army to garrison the post with many troops like it was in the past. But it soon became a warehouse of supplies and equipment for the troops in the northwest of New France. As the French settlements in the east started falling to British forces in 1759, some citizens of New France fled to Detroit seeking protection. He participated in the French effort to relieve Fort Niagara that same year. More colonial troops were sent to fortify Fort Detroit in 1760. But in September 1760, Governor Vaudreuil surrendered Montreal and the rest of New France to the British. At that time, all communications with France and the rest of the French troops were broken, and Fort Detroit and other frontier outposts became completely isolated; Belestre knew nothing of the French capitulation. British General

Jeffery Amherst Field Marshal Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, (29 January 1717 – 3 August 1797) was a British Army officer and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in the British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the ...

then ordered Major Robert Rogers to ascend the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes, to take command of the French forts at Detroit,

Michilimackinac Michilimackinac ( ) is derived from an Ottawa Ojibwe name for present-day Mackinac Island and the region around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.. Early settlers of North America applied the term to the entire region ...

and elsewhere. Rogers was also given instructions to avoid battle unless necessary. On September 13, 1760, with "two hundred Rangers in fifteen whale-boats" (some archives mention the 60th Royal Americans troops and

Rogers' Rangers Rogers' Rangers was a company of soldiers from the Province of New Hampshire raised by Major Robert Rogers and attached to the British Army during the French and Indian War. The unit was quickly adopted into the New England Colonies army as an i ...

), Rogers left Montreal. Approaching Fort Detroit in late November, Rogers sent a runner with a letter for Belestre, notifying him that the western posts now belonged to

King George King George may refer to: People Monarchs ;Bohemia *George of Bohemia (1420-1471, r. 1458-1471), king of Bohemia ;Duala people of Cameroon * George (Duala king) (late 18th century), king of the Duala people ;Georgia *George I of Georgia (998 or ...

. His messenger explained to Belestre that Rogers had a letter from the Marquis de Vaudreuil and a copy of the capitulation. Belestre got very upset, irritated by the news, and the idea that he could lose his post. Could he trust Rogers, an enemy? No real proofs were given. Four hundred soldiers were stationed at the entrance of the Detroit River to obstruct any further advance from Rogers' troops. Belestre intended to fight and arrested the officer who delivered Rogers' message. Belestre's doubts were reinforced by the fact that no French officers had confirmed the situation in Montreal and he sent messengers to try to find out the truth. The next morning, near to what is now Ecorse city (Michigan), the British troops approached Fort Detroit and Rogers sent Captain Donald Campbell with a small party to Belestre, carrying an official copy of Montreal's capitulation together with Vaudreuil's letter instructing Belestre to surrender the fort to him. These documents were convincing enough, and Belestre capitulated. On November 29, Rogers took possession of Fort Detroit.

British rule

Captain Campbell took over command of the fort, while Belestre and his soldiers were made prisoners of war and sent to Philadelphia in chains, escorted by two officers under the command of Lieutenant Holmes and twenty men. This ended Belestre's career as a French military officer. He was sent to England, still a prisoner. Although Belestre was in bitter spirit about the defeat, he was also very disappointed about the French Crown, letting New France and his

Acadians The Acadians (; , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French colonial empire, French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, most descendants of Acadians live in either the Northern Americ ...

down. He then found out that the French government was near bankruptcy after the Seven Years' War, and had little choice but to stop fighting. He became reconciled to British rule, and decided that he would prefer to return with his family to Montreal where he was born. In 1764, he was released in England and returned to Canada via France. He then became a highly respected citizen of

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, serving in 1767 on a jury that heard the case of Thomas Walker, a British merchant and justice who was assaulted in his home after he handed down an unfavourable judgment. In 1771 Belestre took part in St. Peter's Lodge (Provincial Grand Lodge of Quebec) as "Premier Surveillant" with Pierre Gamelin.

American Revolutionary War

When the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

broke out in 1775, and the rebel colonists launched an invasion of Quebec, he volunteered his services in defence of Fort Saint-Jean on the

Richelieu River The Richelieu River () is a river of Quebec, Canada, and a major right-bank tributary of the St. Lawrence River. It rises at Lake Champlain, from which it flows northward through Quebec and empties into the St. Lawrence. It was formerly kno ...

. The fort was besieged in September by

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...

forces, and Belestre was taken prisoner when the garrison surrendered. 1776: on May 1, he was named "Grand Voyer" of the Province of Quebec and as recognition for his services in the Revolutionary War, was made provincial lieutenant-colonel in the Québec Militia on July 12, 1790. 1775: Member of the legislative Council on August 17.

Later years

1784: appointed as member of the executive Council. 1792: He was decorated with the

Saint Helena Medal The Saint Helena Medal () was the first French campaign medal. It was established in 1857 by a decree of emperor Napoleon III to recognise participation in the campaigns led by emperor Napoleon I. Emperor Napoléon I, creator of the Order of ...

. 1792 : from January - to March 30, 1792 when he became too weak, he was appointed a member to the first Legislative Council of

Lower Canada The Province of Lower Canada () was a British colonization of the Americas, British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence established in 1791 and abolished in 1841. It covered the southern portion o ...

, where he served for 3 months. 1793 (March 30): he died in Montreal, at the age of 76 years and 4 months. He was buried in the parish of Notre-Dame, April 2.

Origins & descendants

Origins

Belestre's family comes from the French

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

and their line can be traced back to France in the 15th century. The family played a significant role in the affairs of the French regime, New France and subsequently after the English takeover in about 1760. Belestre's father bears the same name - Francois Marie Picote, Sieur de Belestre I (born in Montreal 1677 - 1729). His father was described as an officer or garrison commander of the fort of Ville-Marie (now

Montréal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

), a title that he shared with

Adam Dollard des Ormeaux Adam Dollard des Ormeaux (July 23, 1635 – May 21, 1660) is an iconic figure in the history of New France (modern day Quebec). Arriving in the colony in 1658, Dollard was appointed the position of garrison commander of the fort of Ville- ...

, (1635 – May 1660). His father was also governor of Fort Detroit as acting Commandant in de Tonty's absence, in winter 1721-22. His mother was Marie-Catherine Trottier des Ruisseaux de Beaubien (1681–1731). Belestre is a descendant of "Pierre Picotté, Sieur de Belestre" (as listed within the « Recensement de Montréal en 1666 » when he was 39 years old).

Descendants

François-Louis, Francois Marie's oldest son by the first marriage, followed his father into the troupes de la marine and later settled in

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

. After the

Expulsion of the Acadians The Expulsion of the Acadians was the forced removal of inhabitants of the North American region historically known as Acadia between 1755 and 1764 by Great Britain. It included the modern Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Br ...

, descendants of Belestre (or Belletre, Bélêtre) were dispersed throughout North America, Germany and France.

Character

Belestre had the reputation of a courageous, resistant & brave fighter and it has been written that "Belestre has surmounted all the obstacles which arose before him at each instant." Belestre was considered a capable and efficient warrior by his superiors and a frightening threat for his enemies. It is surprising that he was not killed while fighting, or executed once made prisoner of war on several occasions. According to reports found in the Quebec Historical Society, "After the capture of Fort DuQuesne in 1758, General Forbes planned an attack on Detroit. Sieur de Belestre, having heard that the enemy was marching, put himself at the head of the Hurons and other Indians to give an attack to the advance guard, which he defeated." Belestre was also said to write "French with an inimitable German phonetization" in a Paris journal.

Notes

References

External links

*
history of Detroit

"Les Marines de Belletre"

Belestre family in Quebec

History Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belestre, Francois-Marie Picote De 1716 births 1793 deaths French military leaders French military personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession French Canadian people of the French and Indian War French military personnel of the Seven Years' War French Canadians in the American Revolution British people of the American Revolution People of New France Order of Saint Louis recipients Members of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada