Last update : January 30, 2004 by Michel Robert
Six ships were used to transport the Regiment to Canada and a seventh was used for the supplies. Details about these ships are given below.
BRÉZÉ
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A Royal Navy man-of-war of 800 tons, probably of the third line with about 60 cannons. It had sailed the previous year with the Terron, a slightly smaller man-of-war, from La Rochelle to the Antilles, with the Marquis de Tracy and the four detached companies ( Berthier, La Brisardière, La Durantaye and Monteil ) to chase the English out of the colonies. After a successful campaign, they sailed to Canada in the spring as planned. Tracy, a lieutenant-general, with vice-royal authority to establish the new royal government structure in New-France, arrived at Quebec from the Antilles with the four detached companies on June 30. They had sailed to Percé on the tip of the Gaspésie peninsula where they waited three weeks for two smaller vessels, and then transboarded on the smaller ships to sail up the Saint Laurent, as it was thought too dangerous for the big Brézé to sail through the shifting sand banks near Quebec. The Brézé returned from Percé to Rochefort south of La Rochelle, the base of the French Atlantic Navy, where it arrived on August 16. The following November, it sank while at anchor in the roads at Rochefort during a terrible squall, when it was hit by another ship out of control. At the time the Brézé was said to be an older ship, but of very good quality that would have been good for many years of service. The 14 pounder cannons on its deck were salvaged by divers. An old large scale model of the Brézé hangs from the ceiling of the nave of the "Notre Dame des Victoires" chapel (built in 1688) in the Lower Town of Québec. Pictures of this model can be seen by clicking on the icon at right. I doubt that it actually is a model of the Brézé, given the number of cannons.
JOYEUX SIMÉON
A 200 tx. chartered merchant ship belonging to Mr. Le Gaigneur, one of the merchant of La Rochelle doing business with Canada. He had just purchased it from its Dutch owner. At the time of the purchase the ship was named "Vieux Siméon" and was likely rebaptised by Le Gaigneur. It sailed from La Rochelle on April 19, 1665 and landed at Québec on June 19, after 61 days at sea. It carried four companies, including the Chambly, Froment and La Tour companies, based on documentary evidences of the time.[19971, 19972]
PAIX
A Royal Navy flute of 300 tx. Captain Jean Guillon. It sailed May 15, 1665 from La Rochelle and landed at Québec on August 19. It accompanied the Aigle d'Or. The Paix transported the Contrecoeur, Maximy and La Colonelle companies and maybe a fourth one. The Paix sank during a squall in front of Matane on the Saint-Laurent on her return trip on September 26. Details of the sinking and rescue can be seen by clicking this link.[16514]
AIGLE D'OR
An old and decrepit (worm-eaten hull) Royal Navy flute of 300 tx. It sailed on May 53, 1665 from La Rochelle with the PAIX. It transported at least three companies including, La Fredière, Grandfontaine, Lamotte and the Marquis de Salières, colonel of the Regiment. It landed at Québec on August 19, after 111 days at sea.The Paix had to wait for the Aigle d'Or en route. The Aigle d'Or was declared unfit for sea upon its return to La Rochelle.
SAINT SÉBASTIEN
A new Royal Navy flute of 350 tx. As opposed to many flutes, it did not have portholes for cannons. It sailed from La Rochelle on May 24, 1665 with four companies and landed at Québec September 12, after 110 days. Jean Talon and Daniel de Rémy de Courcelle respectively the new Intendant and new Governor of New France were on this ship.
JUSTICE
A Royal Navy flute of 300 tx. It sailed from La Rochelle on May 24, 1665 with at least three companies and landed at Québec on September 12, accompanying the Saint Sébastien. From these two ships which sailed together, more than 20 men had died at sea and 130 were too weak to make it ashore by themselves.
JARDIN DE HOLLANDE
Despite its name, this was a Royal Navy flute of 300 Tx. It transported the supplies for the Regiment. It sailed from La Rochelle on June 22, 1665 and its date of arrival is not known, but apparently after September 2. This ship had been to Quebec at least twice before. For the present voyage the captain was Sieur des Bouges, with one lieutenant, one chaplain, one surgeon, six marine officers and thirty three Royal Navy sailors. This flute was equipped with 12 cannons.
Below is a drawing depicting a typical flute of this period. This one is roughly 500 tx. with enough portholes for up to 24 cannons. Portholes for flutes were essentially cargo loading-unloading doors, not cannon stations, although they would be used for that purpose as required. The ship would usually have only 6 to 8 6-pounder cannons at the ready behind the port holes, and spare ones being used for ballast.
Sources: Fonds des Archives départementales de la Charente-Maritime; La Rochelle [France]
, Bibliothèque nationale. Département des manuscrits. Mélanges de Colbert , [rc16514, 121151-4, 121166, 121191,121539]
