Louis Billouart
Encyclopedia
Louis Belcourt, Chevalier de Kerlerec (1704–1770) was the governor of the French
colony
of Louisiana
from 1753 to 1763. After the former governor, Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal
, was promoted to the post of Governor of New France
, Kerlerec, a naval officer originally from Quimper, France with twenty-five years of service, was chosen to replace him. Kerlerec's administration suffered due to lack of support from the French government, which was immersed in the French and Indian War
. Kerlerec took precautions to defend the colony from a possible British
attack by erecting a palisade
around New Orleans
, rebuilding the battery at English Turn and anchoring an old ship at the mouth of the Mississippi River
which could be sunk to keep out any English ships which tried to enter. However, Kerlerec's request for more troops went unanswered, and Kerlerec tightened his discipline over the troops already stationed in the colony. During his governorship, relations between the Jesuit and the Capuchin orders in the colony were strained, and the local Indian
tribes threatened to switch allegiances to the British if they were not provided with more supplies and merchandise. After a few years of not receiving communications or supplies from France, the colony learned that Louisiana had been handed over to the Spanish
as a result of the French and Indian War. After many public quarrels with the Commissary-Commissioner, who accused Kerlerec of stealing money from the colony's treasury and acting as a dictator, Kerlerec was recalled to France and thrown into prison in 1763. He was exiled from Paris
in 1769 but was exonerated a year later. Kerlerec then returned to Paris where he died in 1770.
There is currently a street named after Kerlerec in New Orleans, which runs through the 7th Ward
from Chartres Street in the Faubourg Marigny
neighborhood, north to Dorgenois Street. Due to developments over the years, the road is "broken" and does not run straight through its original course.
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...
colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
from 1753 to 1763. After the former governor, Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal
Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal
Pierre François de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal was a Canadian-born French colonial governor in North America...
, was promoted to the post of Governor of New France
Governor of New France
The Governor of New France was the viceroy of the King of France in North America. A French noble, he was appointed to govern the colonies of New France, which included Canada, Acadia and Louisiana. The residence of the Governor was at the Château St-Louis in the capital of Quebec City...
, Kerlerec, a naval officer originally from Quimper, France with twenty-five years of service, was chosen to replace him. Kerlerec's administration suffered due to lack of support from the French government, which was immersed in 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...
. Kerlerec took precautions to defend the colony from a possible British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
attack by erecting a palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
around New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, rebuilding the battery at English Turn and anchoring an old ship at the mouth of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
which could be sunk to keep out any English ships which tried to enter. However, Kerlerec's request for more troops went unanswered, and Kerlerec tightened his discipline over the troops already stationed in the colony. During his governorship, relations between the Jesuit and the Capuchin orders in the colony were strained, and the local Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes threatened to switch allegiances to the British if they were not provided with more supplies and merchandise. After a few years of not receiving communications or supplies from France, the colony learned that Louisiana had been handed over to the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as a result of the French and Indian War. After many public quarrels with the Commissary-Commissioner, who accused Kerlerec of stealing money from the colony's treasury and acting as a dictator, Kerlerec was recalled to France and thrown into prison in 1763. He was exiled from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1769 but was exonerated a year later. Kerlerec then returned to Paris where he died in 1770.
There is currently a street named after Kerlerec in New Orleans, which runs through the 7th Ward
7th Ward of New Orleans
The 7th Ward is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is geographically the second largest of the 17 Wards of New Orleans, after the 9th Ward.-Boundaries and geography:...
from Chartres Street in the Faubourg Marigny
Faubourg Marigny
The Marigny is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Bywater District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: North Rampart Street and St...
neighborhood, north to Dorgenois Street. Due to developments over the years, the road is "broken" and does not run straight through its original course.