Jacques Legardeur De Saint-Pierre: Officer, Gentleman, Entrepeneur

Famine, Knighthood, Supplies, and Brandy, 1751

152 Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre Sr. Le Gardeur de St. Pierre, Infantry Captain, ordered by us to go in search of The Western Sea, IS ORDERED to stop all the Canoes that he will find on his way which Are not provided with our authorization and to seize the Brandy and English trade goods that they might have on board and to send back the canoes and individuals who are in charge of them, and if he cannot take on board the aforesaid brandy, He will have the / Kegs broken so that it will be destroyed, and will have the trade goods burned if he cannot take them on board either, and he will take down the particulars that he will Send us. DONE at Montreal 30 May 1750. [Signature] Laionquiere By my lord, [countersignature] Saint Sauveur + Finally, on 31 May, before his departure on what was to become one of the great adventures of his colorful life, Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre gave Marie-Joseph Guillimin, his wife, total power of attorney over all his affairs. His confidence in her was such that her "power and authority" extended to business, legal, and judicial matters and even to "the things that he cannot foresee." Later events were to justifY this confidence in a woman who was clearly able to protect her rights.3o Less than a week later, on 5 June 1750, Saint-Pierre and his convoy left for the west. FAMINE, KNIGHTHOOD, SUPPLIES, AND BRANDY, 1751 The expedition arrived in Michilimackinac on 12 July and rested there for three weeks before struggling to Fort La Reine (Portage la Prairie, Manitoba), near the Crees and Assiniboins, where Saint-Pierre and his men spent an extremely difficult winter, nearly dying of starvationY Toward the end of the winter, in March 1751, La Jonquiere took three separate actions for Saint-Pierre, all of which had to immeasurably improve the officer's state of mind and health. The first, on 5 March, was to send him the coveted Croix de Saint-Louis and word that he was now a knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint-Louis. The governorgeneral 's authorization for Saint-Pierre to wear the cross reads as follows:32 Beyond Michilimackinac: The Western Sea (Part I), 1750-1751 153 The Cross of Saint-Louis. Courtesy ofMackinac State Historic Parks. THE MARQUIS DE LA JONQUIERE Commander of the royal and military order of St. Louis vice admiral of the Navy Governor And lieutenant General for the King of all New france Lands and regions of Louisiana THE KING having admitted Sr. Le Gardeur de St. Pierre, Infantry Captain, into the royal and military Order of St. Louis and doc. 56 doc. 57 154 Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre [Saint-Pierre] not being able to be received into the aforesaid order because he is being employed in the King's service in the pays d'en haul and commissioned to search for the Western Sea, WE, By virtue of the power given to us by the King, have sent the cross of St. / Louis to the aforesaid Sr. de St. Pierre with which His Majesty has honored him, and we authorize Him to wear this decoration as soon as he has received it, on condition that he present himself before us as soon as he has completed his mission, to be received into the aforesaid order and to take the oath of loyalty to the King in conformity with His Majesty's orders. In witness whereof we have signed these presents, had our coat of arms affixed to them and had them countersigned by our secretary. Done at Quebec 5 March 1751. [Signature] Laionquiere By my lord [Countersigned] Saint Sauveur The second of the governor-general's actions two weeks later was to authorize eight canoes to proceed to the Western Sea posts to provide the expedition with desperately needed provisions. His permit allowing the canoes to resupply at Michilimackinac follows:33 THE MARQUIS DE LA JONQUIERE etc. The leaders of the Canoes of Sr. de St. Pierre, commandant at the Western Sea, ARE AUTHORIZED to buy at Missilimakina the provisions that they Will need to proceed to The Western Sea and to trade merchandise for this purpose only in the aforesaid post. Done at Quebec this 19 March 1751. [Signature] Laionquiere By my lord, [countersignature] Saint Sauveur Beyond Michilimackinac: The Western Sea (Part I), 1750-1751...