'Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière', Marquis de La Galissonière, sometimes spelled Galissonnière, (b.
1693 – d.
1756) was the French
governor of New France from
1747 to
1749 and the victor in the
Battle of Minorca in 1756.
New France
La Galissonière had family connections to
New France as his mother was a sister of
Michel Bégon, the
intendant from 1712 to 1726. He also married a relative of
Jean de Lauzon, the governor of New France from 1651 to 1657.
La Galissonière was a naval commander who reluctantly accepted the position of Governor due to military necessity. He appears to have been well liked but was limited by resources to accomplish much that would distinguish himself during his stay in New France. He did send
Celeron de Bienville to extend France's trading posts and
François Picquet to convert the Indians in the
Detroit area and the
Ohio valley in order to out-flank the British American colonies.
His strength was as an administrator and diplomat. In recognition of his service in New France, he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral, despite never having been tested militarily. Eventually, he was charged with heading the Dépôt de la Marine.
Minorca
In 1756, La Galissonière supported the invasion of
Minorca and was engaged in combat for three hours by Admiral
John Byng. La Galissonière was extremely cautious and was rewarded by an English withdrawal. Byng was court-martialed and executed. The modest naval victory over the English was lauded in France to the point that the king was said to be preparing a marshal's baton for La Galissonière's return. However, the naval commander died from illness, aged 63, prior to their meeting.
Scientific interests
He was one of the first sailors of his time to take part in the scientific movement. He had connections with numerous well-known scientists such as
Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau,
Bernard de Jussieu,
Pierre-Charles and
Louis Guillaume Lemonnier. La Galissonière organized three scientific missions to:
★ chart the coasts of
Newfoundland,
Acadia, and Île Royale
★ chart the coasts of
Spain,
Portugal, and
Madeira;
★ catalogue the stars of the southern hemisphere (by Abbé
Nicolas Louis de Lacaille).
Honours
★ elected as associate at large for the Académie de Marine and the
Académie des Sciences
★ La Galissonniere Pavilion at the
Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean was named in his honour.
★ Three ships of the
French Navy have been named in his honour :
★
★ an armoured
corvette
★
★ the light cruiser ''
La Galissonière'', lead ship of
the same name class
★
★ a destroyer of the
T56 type (''escorteur d'escadre'')
External links
★
Biography, By Étienne Taillemite,
Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Retrived on May 27, 2007
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