Soldiers, Heroes, and Villains By Chloe Lachance and Rachel Wood

Soldiers Some of the settlers in New France were soldiers who stayed after their military service was over. For example, in 1665, the Carignan- Saileres regiment arrived to defend the colony from the First Nations Iroquois, who were attacking it. There were 1200 soldiers and 80 officers in the regiment. The regiment built 3 forts along the Richelieu River. After a series of battles with the Iroquois people, they signed a peace treaty in The regiment was called back to France in 1668, but more than 400 stayed behind. The king encouraged the people to stay behind and populate a new colony. The king even offered financial rewards.

Heroes and Villains In 1610, Champlain sent 18 year old Etienne Brulé to travel among the Huron people. He established close relationships between the French and the Huron people. But, Etienne was free spirited which annoyed the Iroquois, who were traditional enemies of the Huron, by being so close to the Huron. Then he annoyed Champlain when he supported the British when they captured Québec in Québec was soon restored to France, but Brulé was no longer welcome there. Champlain said that Etienne had betrayed France. Brulé returned to live Huron people but was later captured but the Iroquois people. Stories circulated that he had been tortured and killed by the Iroquois, but others circulated that Brulé had been killed by the Huron. Was Brulé a hero or a villain? On the hero side, he was a coureur des bois (someone who travelled among and traded with the first Nations). Brulé realized that the relationship with the First Nations was very important to the French’s survival. He deserted Champlain, supported the British, and he annoyed the Iroquois, traditional enemies of the Huron. Samuel De Champlain Etienne Brule