Heroine of Acadia Françoise Marie
Jacquelin: the defender of Fort La Tour
She was called the heroine of Acadia
caught in the power struggle between two warring governors that reached its
climax in a battle at Fort La Tour in what is now Saint John in April, 1645.
Her name was Françoise Marie Jacquelin and her husband was Charles de
Saint-Étienne de La Tour, a personable underdog who had fought to
preserve the colony of Acadia through many adversities. His rival, Charles de
Menou, Sieur d'Aulnay, was an astute and capable aristocrat, cousin of France's
chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu.
Learning that La
Tour was away, leaving Françoise in charge of the small Saint John
garrison, d'Aulnay attacked in force. Late in the afternoon of April 16, 1645 -
Easter Day - d'Aulnay withdrew his forces for a time beyond artillery range.
Glad of the respite, Françoise ordered her embattled men to
rest.
This article was taken from The New Brunswick
Reader April 10/99
She was called the heroine of Acadia
caught in the power struggle between two warring governors that reached its
climax in a battle at Fort La Tour in what is now Saint John in April, 1645.
Her name was Françoise Marie Jacquelin and her husband was Charles de
Saint-Étienne de La Tour, a personable underdog who had fought to
preserve the colony of Acadia through many adversities. His rival, Charles de
Menou, Sieur d'Aulnay, was an astute and capable aristocrat, cousin of France's
chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu.