Thanks to the
Analouge Hobbies Painting Challenge, these fine looking fellows found their way out of the TO Paint box, and onto sticks to be painted up. The figures are from Essex Miniatures Seven Years War range, and are all based up for my yet to be finished FIW Skirmish rules.
During the French Indian War, the regiment was ranked 34th and was commanded by Louis Gouy Sacriste de Tombebeuf, chevalier puis marquis de Montpouillan.
La Sarre's had two battalions and they operated on different theatres for most of the Seven Years' War. In 1756, the 1st Battalion remained in Europe while the 2nd was sent to Canada.
On April 3 1756, the 2nd battalion boarded the fleet transporting reinforcements to Canada along with the new French commander Montcalm. On May 12, it disembarked at Québec. On June 6 and 7, the 2nd battalion of La Sarre Infantry went to Fort Frontenac on Lake Ontario to join battalions of Béarn and Guyenne already stationed there. This fort was supposed to serve as the starting point for the expedition against Fort Oswego. In July, Montcalm advanced towards Lake Ontario and reached Fort Frontenac on July 29 to lead the attack on Fort Oswego. The 2nd battalion joined this expedition which consisted of 2,000 regulars, 1,000 militiamen and around 200 Indians along with 51 guns, mortars and howitzers. It sailed on Lake Ontario up to Niaouré. On August 12, Montcalm opened the trench in front of Fort Ontario. On August 13, the British abandoned the fort after having spiked their guns and wetted their powder. The capture of Fort Ontario allowed the French to install a battery of 9 guns on the heights of the right bank of the Oswego River. This battery, taking the British from the rear, forced them to surrender. Montcalm captured 5 flags, 55 guns, 14 mortars, 5 howitzers, a brigantine (14 guns), a schooner (8 guns), a few light boats and a large quantity of supplies and munitions.
By July 20 1757, a French force totalling 8,000 men (including the 2nd Battalion) was gathered at Carillon. On August 1, this force left Carillon with
Montcalm and advanced upon Fort William Henry. The battalion then took part to the
siege of Fort William Henry which lasted from August 5 to 9. After the capture and destruction of the fort, the French force re-embarked on August 16 and returned to Carillon. On September 4, the battalion left Carillon and arrived at Saint-Jean on September 7 where they worked at the fortification of the place. On October 12, a piquet of the battalion was sent to Carillon to garrison the place during winter. On October 28, the rest of the battalion left Saint-Jean for its winter quarters on Ile-Jésus.
In mid June 1758, the battalion left its quarters and moved towards Carillon. On June 30, the battalion was part of Montcalm's detachment who encamped at the saw-mill near the Fall on the west bank of the channel connecting Lake Saint-Sacrement to Lake Champlain. On July 6, it followed the main French force to the left bank of the fall before retreating to Carillon. On July 7, it worked at the entrenchment in front of the fort. On July 8, the battalion took part in the victorious Battle of Carillon where it was deployed on the left wing under Bourlamaque. Between November 1 and 5, the entire French army quitted Carillon to move to its winter quarters, leaving detachments from various battalions to guard the fort.
On May 29 and 30 1759, the chevalier de Lévis arrived at Québec with all 5 battalions of regulars (La Sarre, Royal Roussillon, Languedoc, Guyenne and Béarn) along with the militia of the government of Montréal. While awaiting the arrival of the British fleet, the French army encamped on the right bank of the Saint-Charles river and fortified it to serve as a second line of defence if ever the British were able to land at Beauport. On June 26, the French army moved to its encampment at Beauport. The 5 battalions of regulars, forming a single brigade, held the centre. On July 31, the grenadiers of the battalion took part in the victorious battle of Beauport where they were deployed between the militia of Montréal and the battalion of Montréal who had been sent forward to man the entrenchments between the 2 threatened redoubts on the strand. On September 13, the battalion took part in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham near Québec where it was deployed on the right wing and suffered heavy casualties, losing its lieutenant-colonel, M. de Sennezergues. After the battle, the regiment followed the French army in its retreat towards Jacques-Cartier. On November 7, the battalion took its winter quarters on Île-Jésus.
In 1760, the 2nd battalion participated to Chevalier de Lévis' attempt to recapture Québec. It was at the Battle of Sainte-Foy and retired towards Montréal with the rest of the French army when a British fleet under Lord Colville entered the harbour. After the capitulation of Montréal on September 18 1760, the 2nd battalion of La Sarre were transported to France on board British ships. There, it joined its first battalion who was garrisoning La Rochelle.
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