Louis Coulon de Villiers
Encyclopedia
Sieur
Louis Coulon de Villiers (17 August 1710 – 2 November 1757) was a French Canadian
military officer during the French and Indian War
(Seven Years' War
). Perhaps his greatest claim to fame is the fact that he is the only military opponent to force George Washington
to surrender.
Coulon was born into a prominent French Canadian family. His grandfather, Sieur Raoul-Guillaume Coulon, was a commandant in the French royal army. Louis Coulon de Villier entered the military in 1733. He had risen to the rank of captain by the outbreak of the French and Indian War and was assigned to Fort Duquesne
.
His half-brother, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville
, was killed by George Washington and his men after surrendering at the Battle of Jumonville Glen
. Coulon sought justice and led an expedition to attack the British garrison at Fort Necessity under the command of George Washington
.
On the morning of July 3, 1754, Coulon's troops attacked Fort Necessity (See Battle of the Great Meadows
). By evening, the British had asked for terms of surrender. It was the only time in Washington's long military career when he surrendered to an enemy.
Coulon considered Washington personally responsible for his brother's death. He inserted a clause into the surrender document that described Jumonville's death as an "assassination
". They read as follows:
…Since our intention [as Canadiens] was never to disturb the peace and harmony which exist between two friends as two Prince allies, but only to avenge the assassination of one of our officers, messenger of a summon, and of his escorts, to prevent any establishment on the lands of her majesty, the King of France, my master. (abstract)
The British were allowed to return to the security of their land with the honours of war, and the promise that they leave their settlements to the west of the Alleghany mountains during the twelve months that followed. They were made to promise the safe return of the prisoners taken during the attack on Joseph Coulon de Jumonville back to Fort Duquesne. The Canadiens also presented two prisoners; Robert Stobo and his interpret, Jacob Van Braam, to demonstrate their respect of the clauses of surrender.
The following day, the British left in haste. So quickly did they leave, that Washington left behind his journal in his abandoned luggage. The French Government used this content and the articles of surrender, to label the British as assassins and admitted terrorists. Washington denied having admitted to the murders. In accordance with his officers and colleagues, he maintained that the interpreter, when translating the act of surrender, had substituted the incriminating words of assassination by the words of death and killing. The British further declared that they had no intention of respecting the document that Washington had signed. The Canadien prisoners were not released; Stobo reneged on his word and became a spy; and by the end of the year, Washington accompanied Major General Edward Braddock on an assault on Fort Duquesne.
In July and August of 1756, Coulon led a column of French and Native Americans against the frontier of the Province of Pennsylvania
. The expedition assaulted Fort Granville
, near Lewistown, Pennsylvania
, on August 2, and won the surrender of the fort on the following day.
Coulon died of smallpox
on November 2, 1757 at Quebec City
.
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
Louis Coulon de Villiers (17 August 1710 – 2 November 1757) was a French Canadian
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,...
military officer 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...
(Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
). Perhaps his greatest claim to fame is the fact that he is the only military opponent to force George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
to surrender.
Coulon was born into a prominent French Canadian family. His grandfather, Sieur Raoul-Guillaume Coulon, was a commandant in the French royal army. Louis Coulon de Villier entered the military in 1733. He had risen to the rank of captain by the outbreak of the French and Indian War and was assigned to Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....
.
His half-brother, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville
Joseph Coulon de Jumonville
Joseph Coulon de Villiers, Sieur de Jumonville was a French Canadian military officer. His defeat and killing at the Battle of Jumonville Glen by forces led by George Washington was one of the sparks igniting the Seven Years' War.- Early life :Jumonville was born in the seigneury of Verchères, New...
, was killed by George Washington and his men after surrendering at the Battle of Jumonville Glen
Battle of Jumonville Glen
The Battle of Jumonville Glen, also known as the Jumonville affair, was the opening battle of the French and Indian War fought on May 28, 1754 near what is present-day Uniontown in Fayette County, Pennsylvania...
. Coulon sought justice and led an expedition to attack the British garrison at Fort Necessity under the command of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
.
On the morning of July 3, 1754, Coulon's troops attacked Fort Necessity (See Battle of the Great Meadows
Battle of the Great Meadows
The Battle of Fort Necessity, or the Battle of the Great Meadows took place on July 3, 1754 in what is now the mountaintop hamlet of Farmington in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The engagement was one of the first battles of the French and Indian War and George Washington's only military surrender...
). By evening, the British had asked for terms of surrender. It was the only time in Washington's long military career when he surrendered to an enemy.
Coulon considered Washington personally responsible for his brother's death. He inserted a clause into the surrender document that described Jumonville's death as an "assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
". They read as follows:
…Since our intention [as Canadiens] was never to disturb the peace and harmony which exist between two friends as two Prince allies, but only to avenge the assassination of one of our officers, messenger of a summon, and of his escorts, to prevent any establishment on the lands of her majesty, the King of France, my master. (abstract)
The British were allowed to return to the security of their land with the honours of war, and the promise that they leave their settlements to the west of the Alleghany mountains during the twelve months that followed. They were made to promise the safe return of the prisoners taken during the attack on Joseph Coulon de Jumonville back to Fort Duquesne. The Canadiens also presented two prisoners; Robert Stobo and his interpret, Jacob Van Braam, to demonstrate their respect of the clauses of surrender.
The following day, the British left in haste. So quickly did they leave, that Washington left behind his journal in his abandoned luggage. The French Government used this content and the articles of surrender, to label the British as assassins and admitted terrorists. Washington denied having admitted to the murders. In accordance with his officers and colleagues, he maintained that the interpreter, when translating the act of surrender, had substituted the incriminating words of assassination by the words of death and killing. The British further declared that they had no intention of respecting the document that Washington had signed. The Canadien prisoners were not released; Stobo reneged on his word and became a spy; and by the end of the year, Washington accompanied Major General Edward Braddock on an assault on Fort Duquesne.
In July and August of 1756, Coulon led a column of French and Native Americans against the frontier of the Province of Pennsylvania
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
. The expedition assaulted Fort Granville
Fort Granville
Fort Granville was a militia stockade located in the colonial Province of Pennsylvania. Its site was in what is now Granville Township near Lewistown...
, near Lewistown, Pennsylvania
Lewistown, Pennsylvania
Lewistown is a borough in and the county seat of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies along the Juniata River, northwest of Harrisburg. The number of people living in the borough in 1900 was 4,451; in 1910, 8,166; and in 1940, 13,017. The population was 8,998 at the 2000 census,...
, on August 2, and won the surrender of the fort on the following day.
Coulon died of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
on November 2, 1757 at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
.