Forwarding of Hudson Bay

The Expédition of Hudson Bay is organized by sea in 1782 at the time of the war of American independence, where Lapérouse shows its maritime value and soldier by taking two strong British.

Origin

It is about an old project is taken again by Vaudreuil, the successor of Of Fatty, which gathered the French forces with Haiti, to destroy by surprised strong English of collection of furs of the Hudson Bay.

Chronology

Lapérouse is in charge of this raid and one gives for it him the responsibility on the vessel Sceptre for 74 guns, Astrée being entrusted to his friend of Langle and a second frigate Engaging it with the lieutenant of Jaille.

It is necessary to preserve the secrecy in the Antilles filled spies, from where under manifest equipment against the cold. The nautical crenel to penetrate in Hudson Bay is very runs between the rout and the first gel, with very insufficient sea charts, although one knows the general shape of bay.

The preparations of this forwarding were made with activity, and the May 31st, Perugia left the roads of the Cape, ordering the vessel the Sceptre , with the frigate Astrée which it had just left, and Engaging it , that one had detached from the squadron wet then in the roads of the Cape.

The July 17th, the squadron was informed of the island of the Resolution, located in the middle of the entry of the strait of Hudson, and penetrated in this strait. Though the summer was advanced, it did not have there not made twenty miles, that the ices closed the passage to him. Interstices were formed however on several occasions, and one could engage there. Thick fogs increased the dangers and the difficulties of this navigation; one remained sometimes during several days saris capacity to travel. Lastly, the August 8th at the evening, Perugia wet in front of the fort of Prince de Galles, located at the mouth of the river Churchill, which discharges at the Western coast from Hudson Bay by approximately 59° from latitude. The fort went to the first summation. The squadron left the Churchill river, went down along the coast and was increased to forty miles in the south. It seized with the same facility the fort York, located on a point which separates the Nelson river from the river of the Hedges; this strong last had been formerly called the strong Bourbon, and had belonged to us when France had Canada. These establishments gave place to many disputes; they were taken and taken again several times by the French and the English. Lastly, the latter, having become Masters of Canada, remained peaceful owners until the time about it when Perugia seized some again and destroyed them.

The nautical part of forwarding is hazardous, and costs also many human lives by the cold and the diseases; on the other hand the defense of strong English, for whom the troops had been embarked with Saint-Domingue, is very weak so much this attack by the sea was unexpected for the English. This operation costs them several thousands of books and the harvest of the furs.

The success of this forwarding causes admiration for the nautical and military capacities of Lapérouse both in France and in the United Kingdom. The way in which it treats the English governor-explorer Samuel Hearne is noticed at least as much, and also solidarity between Européens, while allowing the English remained for a wintering on the spot not to die of hunger and cold, and being able to defend oneself against the indigenous populations….

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