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Fort de la Boulaye ? Russell Guerin
http://www.russguerin.com/history/our-pioneers/fort-de-la-boulaye/
Russell Guerin
A Creole in Mississippi
2010-01-04 12:40:13
Fort de la Boulaye
.. .an early Guerin footprint on the river?
Some time ago, I became interested in the area in which there was once an early fort on the lower Mississippi River.
I have made at least two trips down there over the years, not with the expectation of seeing any ruins, but just to have the experience of being in such a place. It is, after all, one of the loneliest, most sparsely populated places I could imagine where some of the heroes of our history might have congregated.
The nearest town is a small village named Phoenix, about ten miles from the end of the road on the East bank in Plaquemine Parish, near Pointe a la Hache.
It was first called Fort Mississippi by Iberville, and later became known as Fort de la Boulaye. Iberville chose the spot after being satisfied that the first fort, at Biloxi Bay, was progressing. The year was still 1699, and so this new fort took its place in history as one of the earliest sites in Louisiana.
As might be expected, nothing remains of the fort; even an historical marker once placed at the site is not to be found. Hard evidence has been uncovered, however. In the 1930?s, an archaeological exploration was done, and artifacts such as cannon balls and foundation logs were uncovered and donated to the Louisiana State Museum.
In the process of researching the fort, I was surprised to find that the Encyclopedia of Forts, Posts, Named Camps... says that Fort Boulaye ?may have been named for Chevalier Claude Agnan Guerin de la Boulaye, native of Orleans.? I have found record of one Agnan Guerin de la Boulay [sic] who was bom in Orleans and died on Sept. 29, 1739. This could be the same man, although it would make him a very young man to have been bom in New Orleans, which was not founded until 1718.
There is a French town of Boulay, northeast of Orleans and generally in the Loire River valley, where our ancestors came from.
A most startling discovery for me was found in the Historic New Orleans Collection. There, I found an actual page of the London Gazette from 1699.1 handled it with care, viewed it and had it copied. (A special ?soft? light copier was used.)
The part of particular interest is dated Paris, Aug. 8, 1699, and reads:
?They write from Rochefort, that a Man of War is fitting out there to carry the Sieurs Renault and de la Boulaye to the West Indies, who are appointed to visit the French Colonies and Fortifications in those parts, and particularly their new Plantation near the River Mmipi.? [sic]
Unfortunately, the name Guerin is not included in the article.
It is known that sometime after the date of departure, Fort Boulaye was begun in 1699 or 1700. This was during one of Iberville?s early voyages up the Mississippi River. It was about the same time, as reported by Sauvole, that Bienville fooled the English vessel?s captain into believing there was already a French claim and that he was trespassing. This ruse caused the English captain to turn around, roughly at the place of the fort. Thus, ?English Turn.?
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