The King's Soldiers

The Carignan

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Twelve Hundred New Men

In view of the fact that there were only 3,200 people of French ancestry in Canada, of whom about 500 lived in or near the town of Quebec, it is easy to guess the emotions raised in that little colony by the announcement that such a large force was arriving. There was enough commotion just trying to find lodgings for all 1,200 soldiers and 80 officers! It was not long before the troops were deployed. By the end of August, eight companies had been sent to build strongholds all along the Richelieu. These became the forts of Sorel, Chambly, Saint-Jean, Sainte-Thérèse and Sainte-Anne. The four companies from the West Indies were attached to the Carignan-Salières Regiment but not incorporated into it, retaining their identification with their respective regiments.