Carignan-Salières Regiment

Carignan-Salières Regiment, of some 1100 strong, sent from France in June 1665 to curb the devastating attacks of the IROQUOIS on Canadian settlements. By November a chain of forts had been built along the Rivière RICHELIEU, blocking that main invasion route. When peace negotiations proved futile, a foolhardy midwinter expedition was mounted: approximately 600 of the troops and 70 Canadians invaded the Mohawk canton in February 1666. Some of them were ambushed, but no harm was done to the enemy. Some 60 more of the French perished during the retreat to Canada. In September the regiment again invaded the Mohawk country, found the villages deserted, and burned them and the surrounding cornfields. In July 1667 the Iroquois finally came to terms. The regiment was recalled to France in 1668, but some 400 officers and men chose to remain and settle on seigneuries along the Rivière Richelieu, greatly strengthening the colony's defences, military ethos, and economy.

Author W.J. ECCLES

Links to Other Sites
Fort Chambly National Historic Site of Canada
The website for the Fort Chambly National Historic Site of Canada. Features a history of the region with references to Samuel de Champlain, New France, the fur trade, the Seven Years' War, and related topics.

New France, New Horizons
An informative and entertaining multimedia website about the founding and development of New France. Features abundant illustrations, documents and multimedia clips. A Canada/France collaboration.

Four Directions Teachings
Elders and traditional teachers representing the Blackfoot, Cree, Ojibwe, Mohawk, and Mi’kmaq share teachings about their history and culture. Animated graphics visualize each of the oral teachings. This website also provides biographies of participants, transcripts, and an extensive array of learning resources for students and their teachers. In English with French subtitles.