Rivière-Ouelle Heroes
Left of the triptych “Les héros de Rivière-Ouelle”, the Fil Rouge interpretive panel tells the story of these heroes, and the failure of the English commander Phips’ expedition to conquer Quebec City.
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Follow De la Pointe Road in Rivière-Ouelle towards the St. Lawrence River. Park your vehicle on the riverside, next to the Fil Rouge interpretive panels.
Sir William Phips, 1651-1695. (Salem State College)
According to the historian Henri-Raymond Casgrain, ancestor Jean Grondin and his sons-in-law Sébastien Bonin and Pierre Émond were part of a group of some 40 volunteers who pushed Major General William Phips’ fleet to the mouth of the Ouelle River around October 13th, 1690. The volunteers’ wives were probably accomplices in this act of bravery.
In fact, Phips had planned to take Quebec City on behalf of the King of England. In 1690, no militia was yet in place in the seigniory of La Bouteillerie, so it seemed like an apt timing to create one in the parish. All men between the ages of 16 and 60 were asked to join the ranks of the militia to protect the colony.
Each parish resident had to have his own rifle, powder, ammunition and be prepared to respond in the event of an attack. The Lord being absent, it was the priest, Pierre de Francheville, who allegedly gathered his parishioners, armed with rifles, to prevent the English from landing to resupply.
