Guillaume de Bellecombe
Encyclopedia
Guillaume Léonard de Bellecombe (February 20, 1728 – 1792) was Governor General of Réunion
, Haiti
and Pondichéry. According to most accounts he was born in 1728 in France
.
Bellecombe engaged to Royal Roussillon and took part in French military expeditions overseas of the 2nd part of the 18th century. He had his last battles in New France
(1755–1760) and a surprise expedition at St Jean
, Newfoundland in 1762. He opposed the English everywhere, whether on the seas, or in the American continent, or in the Indies
. He was Governor of St Domingue at the end of his career (1781–1785), where he saw the slave traders
unloading their "goods". He helped start the revolution of the slaves which broke out soon in 1791. This event led to the creation of the Republic of Haiti
in 1804.
Bellecombe retired to France
in 1792 and died in the same year.
.
He spent his youth in France
. He entered the regiment of infantry of the Royal Roussillon Regiment in 1747. On March 30, 1755 he reached the rank of Adjutant and on September 1, 1755 attained the rank of Captain.
He served as adjutant during the French and Indian War
in Canada
from 1756 to 1760. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1761, and in 1762 he was second in command during the Newfoundland expedition and was wounded during the Battle of Signal Hill
.
He was promoted to Colonel
on December 1, 1762.
In 1763 he was adjutant in Martinique
.
For 1767 to 1774, Ordering in Isle Bourbon (La Réunion), Sergeant
in 1770
He married Angelique de Galaup de Marès.
In 1776 he was Commander Général in India, and Governor of Pondicherry. In 1778, when the American War of Independence reached India, Bellecombe was compelled to surrender Pondicherry to British forces after ten weeks of siege
.
He received the rank of Brigadier
and the decoration of Commander of Saint-Louis
.
On July 13, 1781 he became Governor of Saint Domingue (Haiti
). On August 25, 1783 he received the Grand Cross of Saint-Louis
.
He spent 1785 to 1792 in retirement in France.
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and Pondichéry. According to most accounts he was born in 1728 in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Bellecombe engaged to Royal Roussillon and took part in French military expeditions overseas of the 2nd part of the 18th century. He had his last battles in New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
(1755–1760) and a surprise expedition at St Jean
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland in 1762. He opposed the English everywhere, whether on the seas, or in the American continent, or in the Indies
Indies
The Indies is a term that has been used to describe the lands of South and Southeast Asia, occupying all of the present India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and also Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines, East Timor, Malaysia and...
. He was Governor of St Domingue at the end of his career (1781–1785), where he saw the slave traders
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
unloading their "goods". He helped start the revolution of the slaves which broke out soon in 1791. This event led to the creation of the Republic of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in 1804.
Bellecombe retired to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1792 and died in the same year.
Stages of life
Bellecomb was born February 20, 1728, in the hamlet of “Bellecombe”, in the commune of PervillePerville
Perville is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.-References:*...
.
He spent his youth in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He entered the regiment of infantry of the Royal Roussillon Regiment in 1747. On March 30, 1755 he reached the rank of Adjutant and on September 1, 1755 attained the rank of Captain.
He served as adjutant during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
in Canada
Canada, New France
Canada was the name of the French colony that once stretched along the St. Lawrence River; the other colonies of New France were Acadia, Louisiana and Newfoundland. Canada, the most developed colony of New France, was divided into three districts, each with its own government: Quebec,...
from 1756 to 1760. He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1761, and in 1762 he was second in command during the Newfoundland expedition and was wounded during the Battle of Signal Hill
Battle of Signal Hill
The Battle of Signal Hill was a small skirmish, the last of the North American theatre of the Seven Years' War. The British under Lieutenant Colonel William Amherst forced the French to surrender St...
.
He was promoted to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
on December 1, 1762.
In 1763 he was adjutant in Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
.
For 1767 to 1774, Ordering in Isle Bourbon (La Réunion), Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in 1770
He married Angelique de Galaup de Marès.
In 1776 he was Commander Général in India, and Governor of Pondicherry. In 1778, when the American War of Independence reached India, Bellecombe was compelled to surrender Pondicherry to British forces after ten weeks of siege
Siege of Pondicherry (1778)
The 1778 Siege of Pondicherry was the first military action on the Indian subcontinent following the declaration of war between Great Britain and France in the American War of Independence...
.
He received the rank of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
and the decoration of Commander of Saint-Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
.
On July 13, 1781 he became Governor of Saint Domingue (Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
). On August 25, 1783 he received the Grand Cross of Saint-Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
.
He spent 1785 to 1792 in retirement in France.
Further reading
- H. de BELLECOMBE, Essai Biographique sur Guillaume Léonard de Bellecombe, Agen, 1895.
- Myriam-Idelette GARNIER, Histoire d’une famille protestante et de ses alliances en Périgord – Quercy – Dordogne, Poitiers, 1990.
- André de VISME, Terre-Neuve 1762 : Dernier combat aux portes de la Nouvelle-France, Montréal, 2005. ISBN 2-9808847-0-7
- André de VISME, Québec 1759 : Bellecombe, officier blessé, prisonnier des Anglais, Montréal, 2009. ISBN 2-9808847-1-5