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Raid on Percé (Summer 1690)

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Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Percé, Canada, New Francemap
This page has been accessed 308 times.
Historic event: Summer 1690 at Percé and Bonaventure
Epoch: King William's War (1688-1697)
Who was there: Category:Raid on Percé (Summer 1690)
Belligerents:
Outcome:
  • Destruction of Percé and Bonaventure
  • Desecration of churches
  • Capture of French fishing vessels
  • Escapees reach Quebec City to warn Frontenac
The Raid on Perce was a precursor to the Battle of Rivière Ouelle (October 1690) and the Siege of Quebec (16-24 Oct 1690).
"L’établissement de Percé est détruit par les troupes anglaises de sir William Phips (1651-1695), en 1690."[1]
Percé and Bonaventure Island are raided by the American corsairs of William Masson and Francis Goderis during the summer of 1690. Seven fishing boats are seized; among them, La Ste. Vierge de La Rochelle and l'Espérance.[2][3]
"Several fishing and defense sites were therefore destroyed or badly affected when, on the following August 5, "two English frigates appeared] under the Pavilion of France, at the harbor of Isle Bonaventure, & by this stratagem seized [ ment] easily from five fishing vessels."[4]
"En août 1690, deux navires anglais arborant le pavillon de la France s’introduisent à l’Isle Percée et s’emparent aisément de quatre navires ancrés en rade. Les habitants ainsi que les marins affairés au travail sont surpris et n’ont d’autre choix que de s’enfuir en forêt. Durant huit jours, les bâtiments, les chaloupes et toutes les installations sont pillés et brûlés par ces corsaires venus de Nouvelle-Angleterre."[5]
Percé and Bonaventure Island are raided by the American corsairs of William Masson and Francis Goderis during the summer of 1690. Seven fishing boats are seized; among them, La Ste. Vierge de La Rochelle and l'Espérance.[2]
"During this war, several coastal settlements in New France were destroyed; this is the case, among other things, of the community of "île de Percé". English captains William MASSON and Francis GODERIS, with their ships the 'Blessed William' and the 'John and Catherine', capture seven or eight fishing vessels..."[6]
A hardy crew of survivors escaped the conflagration of the fishery, houses, and churches at Percé and also at Bonaventure. They made their way by biscayenne on the St Lawrence; they arrived at Quebec City on 10 October 1690 and raised the alarm. Frontenac was informed and made preparations for the Siege of Quebec (16-24 Oct 1690).

Research Notes

1534 — Cartier meets Donnacona's fishing party. Erects 30 foot tall cross. Takes Domagaya and Taignoagny back to France.[7]
1672 --- Pierre Denys de la Ronde. "In 1672, he received a grant from Intendant Talon on the coasts between Percé and Gaspé Bay to create sedentary fishing establishments..." [...] "set up two fisheries, one at Percé itself, the other at Petite Rivière, at the entrance to the Barachois."[8][9][10] His partners were Charles Bazire et Charles Aubert de la Chesnaie.[11]
1686 --- According to an article by Mimeault, "The village of Percé was undoubtedly the fishing capital of New France in 1686. The title has never been awarded to him, but the naval traffic, the density of fishermen and the regularity of expeditions to this place make it the busiest place on the coast."[12]
1688 --- Census of Baie de Chaleurs conducted by Richard Denys, Sieur de Fronsac in 1688.[13]
At Perce in 1688.
  • Vincent (Chatigny) Chatigny dit Lépine from Gascony, established 1678. His wife, Françoise Aubry.
  • Noël Boissel, Quebecois and his wife, Marie Morin, was from La Rochelle; have five sons and one daughter.
  • Richard & wife, from La Rochelle, arrived 1680.
  • Pierre Vallo, served for 8 years; wife from Paris, served Denis's mother. Established 1683.
  • Jacques de l'Ille Percee, from La Rochelle. Wife is Quebec native. Established 1688. Female child.
1690 --- The region suffered the consequences of the inter-colonial wars between France and England. In 1690, the soldiers of two English ships seized the village and destroyed all the buildings there while the small community fled into the neighboring woods. "L’établissement de Percé est détruit par les troupes anglaises de sir William Phips (1651-1695), en 1690."[14][15][16][17]
From Nouveau Relations:[4]
August 1690
“To be brief, I need only tell you that at the commencement of the month of August last, two English frigates appeared in the roadstead of the Isle of Bonaventure fling the standard of France, and, through this strategem, they easily seized five fishing vessels, whose captains and crews, wholly occupied at the time with the fishery, were all obliged to seek safety at Quebec, because they were not in a state to defend themselves, nor to resist so many nations banded against them. […] they robbed, ravaged and burnt the houses of the residents, who number at least eight to ten families, and who, for the most part, had already taken refuge hurriedly in the woods, in order to escape an encounter with, and the cruelty of, these pitiless heretics who committed horrible carnage and laid everything to waste with fire and sword. […]

"Pendant huit jours, des Anglais de Boston pillent et détruisent Percé et l'île Bonaventure, devant le père Jumeau impuissant" (infra, p. 209-214).

“[…] the tenth September, we were obliged to cut our cables quickly and to make sail at the sight of seven hostile ships, which gave us chase in a strange manner, but fro which we happily escaped at last by favour of the night, during which we saw with regret all the habitations of Petite Riviere on fire." — Rev Father Emanuel Jumeau

“Isle Percée, consisting of a few houses situate at the entrance of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, has also been plundered this year by some English pirates. That place is the rendezvous for a few vessels which come there to fish for cod. It contained only seven or eight settlers with a Franciscan convent and a few friars; six vessels were at anchor there and fishing with their boats, which were all taken without any resistance. The captains and the major parts of the crew escaped into the woods along with the settlers, and they finaly got to Quebec in Biscayan longboats. The houses have been burnt and the Recollect church desecrated. Some of those who escaped returned hence to see if the enemy had left anything, but hey have been attacked by the English army which was on its way to besiege us. They abandoned their vessel and escaped.” — De Monseignat.

9 Sep 1690 — "about the Month of September Nno 1690 Captain William Mason & Captain Francis Goderis by virtue of a Commission from Captain Leisler did take & Seize from the Subjects of the french King Six Ships which they brought into the fort of New York were they were condemned upon full Evidence as lawfull prizes in a Court of Admiralty."[18].
10 Sep 1690 — Emmanuel Jumeau quitte Percé pour la France, à bord d'un navire poursuivi par sept bâtiments anglais qui attaquent de nouveau l'établissement de Percé et brûlent les habitations de Petite Rivière (infra, p.213-214)."[4]
Hôtel-Dieu de Québec
Guillaume "Coppela" was hospitalized on 10 October 1690 and left l'hôpital Hôtel-Dieu de Québec on 27 October 1690; he is recorded as being 18 years of age.[19][20][21]
Also admitted to the hospital on that day were Françoise Aubry (abt.1653-aft.1710), wife of Vincent Chatigny dit Lépine de Perce (abt.1646-abt.1715).[22] Pierre Helie, a Recollet at Percé, expired at the hospital the same day. According to Marc Andrè Comeau, they were likely admitted as a result of raids against Percé and Bonaventure Island by the American corsairs of William Masson and Francis Goderis in August 1690. Comeau offers the suggestion that this is evidence of Guillaume Capela's presence in Perce by 1690.[23][24][25]
15 Oct 1690 — Débarqué à l'île Dieu, le père Jumeau écrit à Chrestien Leclercq pour lui apprendre la destruction du poste de pêche et de la mission des îles Percée et Bonaventure (ibid., p. 214)." [4]
Aftermath
"Intendant Champigny allowed some one hundred and fifty Basque sailors from Île Percée, who had taken refuge in Quebec, to live for eight or nine months at the king's expense among inhabitants already impoverished by bad harvests and lack of supplies."[4]
"In his letter to the Minister, Intendant Champigny reports the destitution of the Basque sailors who fled from Île Percée during the looting by the English: who fled from Isle Percée when their vessels were taken by the English, these Basques not having been able to return to France last year, for lack of ships, fell into great poverty, so that I I had to make part of it live with the inhabitants and put them in the rolls of the companies to pay for their food."[4]
"The consequences of this year of violence are considerable. [...] The Île Percée fishery ends with the destruction of the facilities. The king, who until then had never ceased to insist on its development, now refused to authorize any reconstruction. Only a few French cod fishers will return at their own risk and the farmers of the king's domain will continue to complain of fraud and the misappropriation of furs that will take place there."[4]
"While the insurances compensated for the enormous losses of the cod fishers, the inhabitants of the island, ruined, had to withdraw to Quebec 276 . With the ransacking and burning of their hospice and their church, the Recollets saw fifteen years of effort wiped out."[4]
"The Recolects of New France beg His Majesty to grant them some alms in consideration of the loss they suffered last September 18 on the descent of the English into Percée and Bonnaventure islands, where the ornaments of the church and the vases consecrated were taken away, and their church and coven reduced to ashes"[4]
"Les Recolects de la Nouvelle France supplient Sa Majesté de leur accorder quelque aumosne en considération de la perte qu'ils ont faite le 18. sep- tembre dernier à la descente des Anglois dans les isles Percée et Bonnaventure où les ornemens de l'église et les vases sacrez ont esté enlevez, et leur église et convent réduits en cendre» (Résumé d'une lettre de Champigny, ibid., f. 204v°)"
Aug 1692 — Le roi accorde aux récollets une compensation de cinq cents livres pour remplacer les vases sacrés pillés par les Anglais lors du saccage de l'île Percée(RAPQ 1939-1940, p. 302)."

Sources

  • Myrand, Ernest,, "Sir William Phips devant Québec - Histoire d'un siège" /, Québec, Imprimerie de L.J. Demers & frère, bureau de l'Événement, 1893, 428 p. [10] f. de pl. : cartes, fac-sim. plan, portr. ; 23 cm, Collections de BAnQ. (Accessed 13 nov 2021) https://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2022077
  1. Patrimoine culturel, Percé, p.13. PDF edition. (Accessed 13 Nov 2021) https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/rpcq/document/rpcq_bien_93526_255192.PDF?id=255192
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lee, David. "The French in Gaspé, 1534 to 1760"
    "As can be seen, financing a vessel engaged in dry fishing was both expensive and risky. When the first news arrived in La Rochelle of the English attack on Percé in 1690, [...] l'Espérance, had a burden of 200 tons and carried 42 men. La Ste. Vièrge was new and had a burden of 150 tons and could carry 70,000 cod."
  3. La Ste. Vierge de La Rochelle. [https://www.naviresnouvellefrance.net/html/pages16891690.html Naivres venus en Nouveau France. No. 1171.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 Nouvelle relation de la Gaspésie / Chrestien Leclercq. Montréal :Presses de l'Université de Montréal,1999. (Accessed 9 Jan 2023) https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2365389
  5. William Lambert. "LES VÉRITABLES COUPABLES DE LA DESTRUCTION DE L’ISLE PERCÉE" in Magazine Gaspesie. (Accessed 28 Dec 2022) https://magazinegaspesie.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Destruction-Isle-Percee_Version-longue_202.pdf
  6. La Ste. Vierge de La Rochelle. Naivres venus en Nouveau France. No. 1171.
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnacona
  8. Chrestien Leclercq. NEW RELATIONSHIP OF GASPÉSIA Biographical Notes.
  9. Mimeault, Mario, Ph. D. Histoire. "Pierre Denys de La Ronde" EncycloBec. Gaspé, 7 juillet 2002, 2017. (Accessed 1 Nov 2021) http://encyclobec.ca/region_projet.php?projetid=333
  10. Mimeault, Mario, Ph. D. Histoire. "Jean Talon et les débuts de l’industrie canadienne de la pêche" Gaspé, July 26, 2002, 2017 (Accessed 1 Nov 2021) http://encyclobec.ca/region_projet.php?projetid=331
  11. Hugolin, "L'établissement des récollets à l'Isle Percée", Québec, s.n., 1912, 47 p. ; 25 cm., Collections de BAnQ. (Accessed 13 Nov 2021) https://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2022246
  12. Mimeault, Mario, Ph. D. History. "Percé, 1686" EncycloBec. Gaspé, July 13, 2002, 2017 (Accessed 1 Nov 2021) http://encyclobec.ca/region_projet.php?projetid=334
  13. Go Gaspe. 1688 Census in Gaspesia. (Accessed 14 Nov 2021) http://gogaspe.com/host/annett/volume5/162%20The%201688%20Census%20in%20Gaspesia.pdf
  14. Patrimoine culturel, Percé, p.13. PDF edition. (Accessed 13 Nov 2021) https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/rpcq/document/rpcq_bien_93526_255192.PDF?id=255192
  15. La Ste. Vierge de La Rochelle. [https://www.naviresnouvellefrance.net/html/pages16891690.html Naivres venus en Nouveau France. No. 1171.
  16. Lee, David. "The French in Gaspé, 1534 to 1760" "As can be seen, financing a vessel engaged in dry fishing was both expensive and risky. When the first news arrived in La Rochelle of the English attack on Percé in 1690, [...] l'Espérance, had a burden of 200 tons and carried 42 men. La Ste. Vièrge was new and had a burden of 150 tons and could carry 70,000 cod."
  17. Myrand, Ernest,, "Sir William Phips devant Québec - Histoire d'un siège" /, Québec, Imprimerie de L.J. Demers & frère, bureau de l'Événement, 1893, 428 p. [10] f. de pl. : cartes, fac-sim. plan, portr. ; 23 cm, Collections de BAnQ. (Accessed 13 nov 2021) https://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2022077
  18. Administration of Lieutenant-Govener Leister; THE DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK By E.B. O'CALLAGHAN, M.D.. p. 229 (Accessed 4 Oct 2023) Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/documentaryhist01ocal
  19. Le registre journalier des malades de Hôtel-Dieu de Québec 1690-1760. 1690, page 78, 12e ligne. Retrieved from Ancestry.com
  20. Myrand, p.308. "Du 27 au 31 octobre, il sort 14 personnes de l’Hôtel- Dieu: Guillaume Plastre, Joseph Forgues dit Monrougeau, Jean Bourlaire, Abigael Plastre, Reine Marceau, Marie Côté, Guillaume [Capela] Coppelan, François Fafard dit Delorme, Philippe Desprès, Pierre Ducharme, Joseph Péré, les quatre sauvages blessés par les Anglais, Louis le Cronier dit Legrand, et Joseph Alphonse."
  21. Comeau, p.106, footnote 25. Relations de Jeanne Françoise Juchereau de la Ferte (1650-1723), dites Jeanne Françoise de Saint-Ignace, hospitalière de l'Hotel-Dieu de Quebec. "Dans le mois de Juin 1690, il vint ici [à Québec] 8 ou 10 matelots qui disaients s'etre sauves de naivres pecheurs que les Anglais aient pris a l'ile Percee. Ils assuraient que les Anglais fasiaient leprojet d'aller prendre le Port-Royal, et ensuite de venir assieger Quebec; mais personne ne voulut les croire."
  22. Go Gaspe. M. Lepine is listed in the 1688 census of Baie de Chaleurs conducted by Nicolas Denys. Boissel is also listed. (Accessed 14 Nov 2021) http://gogaspe.com/host/annett/volume5/162%20The%201688%20Census%20in%20Gaspesia.pdf
  23. Registre journalier des malades de l'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, Marcel Fournier et Gisèle Monarque, avec la collaboration de Dominique Ritchot et du PRDH. Hôtel-Dieu register from 1689 to 1760. (Accessed 16 Nov 2021) https://www.archiv-histo.com/assets/publications/OutilsRecherche/1689-1760_Registre_journalier_des_malades_de_l'Hotel-Dieu_de_Quebec.pdf
    1690-10-10 — Aubry, Françoise (38 ans), paroisse Saint-Roch, Paris, femme de Vincent Lespine.
    1690-10-10 — Coppelan, Guillaume (18 ans), paroisse Saint-Jean, Bordeaux.
    1690-10-10 — Demonté dit Lagrandeur, Jean (23 ans), Le Blanc, évêché Limoges.
    1690-10-10 — Denis, Laurent (52 ans), Saint-Laurent-de-La-Prée, évêché de La Rochelle.
    1690-10-10 — Dubison, Charles (30 ans), paroisse Saint-Aspais, Melun.
    1690-10-10 — Hélis, Récollet, décédé le 10 octobre. [...]
  24. PRDH #413012. Hospitalisation: Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, 1690-10-10
    Rang Nom Âge É.m. Pr. Sexe
    01 Pierre HELIE --- c p m
    Profession : RECOLLET
    02 FRANCOISE AUBRY 038 m p f
    Origine : ST-ROCH, PARIS
    03 VINCENT LESPINNE --- m a m
    CONJOINT DE 02
    Résidence : ILE-PERCEE
    04 SIMEON MORIN 015 --- p m
    Résidence : CHARLESBOURG
    05 GUILLAUME COPPELAN 018 --- p m
    Origine : ST-JEAN, BORDEAUX
    06 JEAN DEMONTE LAGRANDEUR 023 --- p m
    Origine : PAROISSE DE BLON, LIMOGES
    07 PIERRE MAILLACHAUX JOLYCOEUR 025 --- p m
    Profession : SOLDAT
    Origine : ST-JEAN, POITOU
    08 REMY LEBOEUF 024 --- p m
    Profession : SOLDAT
    Origine : MARVANDE PRES DE LA ROCHELLE
    09 JACQUES PETIAUX 019 --- p m
    Résidence : DANTRES
    10 JEAN LANGLOIS 042 --- p m
    Résidence : BEAUPORT
    11 LAURENT DENIS 052 --- p m
    Origine : ST-LAURENT PRES DE LA ROCHELLE
    12 FRANCOISE MORINAUX 060 m p f
    Origine : ILE DE RE
    13 LOUIS MARCHAN --- m a m
    CONJOINT DE 12
    14 LUC RUNENAUX LAFRANBOISE 026 --- p m
    Origine : ST-MARTIN-DE-RAY [LA ROCHELLE]
    15 PIERRE LERAUX 030 --- p m
    Résidence : STE-FAMILLE, I.O.
    16 CHARLES BISON 032 --- p m
    Origine : ST-ESPES-DE-MELIN
    Notable: Françoise Aubry and Vincent Chatigny dit Lépine de Perce; Jean Baptiste Dumontet (abt.1667-1729), Louis Marchand and Françoise Morineau.
  25. Comeau, p.104-107, "1690: Capela durant les raids de Phips."
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