History Browser

When restored to France in 1667, Acadia also benefited from King Louis XIV's policy of strengthening his colonies. Royal troops were sent to the colony, but were soon disbanded. When France declared war on the Netherlands in 1672, poorly defended Acadia suffered badly at the hands of Dutch privateers.

A near disaster against the Dutch at the French colony of Martinique prompted King Louis XIV to set up permanent colonial garrisons. These soldiers were controlled by the French Ministry of the Navy, and were known as 'Troupes de la Marine'.

From 1668 through the early 1680s, the French royal garrison declined in strength. As the French strength declined, the Iroquois began to think again of war, and the diplomatic skills of Count Frontenac were much needed to keep the peace. When conflict finally broke out in 1682, Governor de La Barre was very short of professional soldiers.

Soldiers who finished there term of enlistment were often encouraged to marry and settle in New France, to increase the population of the colony. These men were an important source of new colonists, and were given land to start farms.

The French nobility wanted to forbid commoners positions as military officers. Louis XIV favoured competence above all else, but his successors gradually capitulated. The colonial forces were attractive to non-noble officers, since the nobility preferred to stay in France.

Most of the British army was recruited in Great Britain. By the mid-19th century, half of the men were English or Welsh, one third Irish and the remainder Scottish. Recruits were (in theory) volunteers signed up by a regimental recruiting party, and service was for life (until 1847).

In 1669, King Louis XIV ordered Governor de Courcelles to create a militia from the Canadian settlers. Governor Frontenac did much work after his appointment in 1672 to organize the institution in each parish within the colony.

New recruits to the British army during the 18th and 19th centuries were sent to a regimental depot. There, they were issued clothing and equipment and started to learn how to drill and to handle a weapon. They were given a (cursory) medical and formally enlisted before a magistrate.