Louis Groston de Saint-Ange de Bellerive
Encyclopedia
Louis Groston de Saint-Ange de Bellerive (1700-1774), was an officer in the French marine troops
in New France
.
in 1700.
In 1720, he followed his father to Fort Saint-Joseph..
In 1723, he accompanied the explorer Étienne de Veniard
along the banks of the Missouri river
and the Platte river
. He assisted in the construction of Fort Orleans
.
Louis served as a military officer until 1736, when his father asked the Gouvernor of Louisiana
, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, to promote him to lieutenant and commander of Fort Vincennes, replacing François-Marie Bissot
, who was killed in an Indian raid. Louis received that promotion and remained commander of the fort until 1764. He was promoted to captain in 1748..
On May 18 1764, Louis Groston de Saint-Ange de Bellerive surrendered fort Vincennes to the British under the terms of the Treaty of Paris
of 1763. He then took command of Fort de Chartres
..
On October 10th, 1765, he surrendered Fort de Chartres to the British. He took his regiment to Saint-Louis, Missouri
, in a part of French Louisiana which had been yielded to the Spanish, who were not yet in control of it (except for New Orleans)..
In 1770, he swore allegiance to the Spanish Governor, and became a Captain in the Spanish army, where he continued to serve until his death in 1774..
Troupes de la marine
See also Troupes de Marine for later history of same Corps.The Troupes de la Marine , also known as independent companies of the navy and colonial regulars, were under the authority of the French Minister of Marine, who was also responsible for the French navy, overseas trade, and French...
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...
.
Biographie
Louis Groston de Saint-Ange de Bellerive was born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1700.
In 1720, he followed his father to Fort Saint-Joseph..
In 1723, he accompanied the explorer Étienne de Veniard
Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont
Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont was a French explorer who documented his travels on the Missouri and Platte rivers in North America and made the first European maps of these areas. He wrote two accounts of his travels, which included descriptions of the Native American tribes he encountered...
along the banks of the Missouri river
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
and the Platte river
Platte River
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...
. He assisted in the construction of Fort Orleans
Fort Orleans
Fort Orleans was a French fort in colonial North America, the first fort built by any European forces on the Missouri River. It was built near the mouth of the Grand River near present-day Brunswick. Intended to be the linchpin in the vast New France empire stretching from Montreal to New Mexico,...
.
Louis served as a military officer until 1736, when his father asked the Gouvernor of Louisiana
French Louisiana
The term French Louisiana refers to two distinct regions:* first, to colonial French Louisiana, comprising the massive, middle section of North America claimed by France; and,...
, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, to promote him to lieutenant and commander of Fort Vincennes, replacing François-Marie Bissot
François-Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes
François Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes was a French Canadian explorer and soldier who established several forts in what is now the U.S. state of Indiana, including Fort Vincennes....
, who was killed in an Indian raid. Louis received that promotion and remained commander of the fort until 1764. He was promoted to captain in 1748..
On May 18 1764, Louis Groston de Saint-Ange de Bellerive surrendered fort Vincennes to the British under the terms of the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
of 1763. He then took command of Fort de Chartres
Fort de Chartres
Fort de Chartres was a French fortification first built in 1720 on the east bank of the Mississippi River in present-day Illinois. The Fort de Chartres name was also applied to the two successive fortifications built nearby during the 18th century in the era of French colonial control over...
..
On October 10th, 1765, he surrendered Fort de Chartres to the British. He took his regiment to Saint-Louis, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, in a part of French Louisiana which had been yielded to the Spanish, who were not yet in control of it (except for New Orleans)..
In 1770, he swore allegiance to the Spanish Governor, and became a Captain in the Spanish army, where he continued to serve until his death in 1774..