Since the summer of 1992, the Canadian Navy, through the Naval Reserve, has been presenting spectacular demonstrations of the Compagnie franche de la Marine. During these public events, members of the Naval Reserve, dressed in period uniforms, perform a musket-firing exercises and historical military drill movements.
These demonstrations are an excellent opportunity for the whole family to witness an important time in our Canadian military history and to come and speak with the performing sailors of the Naval Reserve.
Cardinal Richelieu created the first Compagnies franches de la Marine in France, for service onboard warships, in 1622. Unfortunately, the first group of soldiers could not meet the defence requirements of the colonies. The Naval Department began creating regular and permanent colonial troops in 1674, also called Compagnies franches de la Marine, to serve in New France, Louisiana and the West Indies.
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The Compagnies franches de la Marine arrived in New France in 1683. At the time, the Naval Department, which was administering the colonies, decided to task three Compagnies franches with protecting the fur trade and the colonial inhabitants. Other colonial defence troops consisted of militia companies that were composed of male colonists bearing no physical handicaps, aged sixteen to sixty, and who did not belong to the public service. The militia troops and the Compagnies franches were the main military organizations responsible for the defense of the colony until 1755. As deteriorating international relations became a threat to the colony, the War Department deployed six infantry battalions to guard against a potential invasion. By the end of 1760, many more soldiers and battalions had come to support the troops that were fighting against the British forces in Quebec City (1759) and in Montreal (1760), where they were surrounded by three British armies and forced to surrender.
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In 1757, Canada could rely on a force of 40 companies composed of 65 men. The companies were distributed among the garrisons of Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, and Montreal, as well as many other detachments spread throughout the colony. Each company was identified by the name of its captain and managed by four officers: one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, and one second ensign. Two sergeants and three corporals held the petty officers' appointments. Among the privates, each company included two drummers and two cadets who later had the opportunity to enrol as commissioned officers. Furthermore, the Quebec City garrison included one sergeant-major, one drum-major, and one fife.
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At first, the officers and soldiers came from France. Starting in 1687, the officers were recruited from among the Canadian population's upper classes, while the soldiers still originated from France. To become a soldier, each candidate had to be a male of at least 16 years of age with a minimum height of five feet, five inches. Most of the young men originated from the northern regions and coastal provinces of France. Their daily rations consisted of a pound and a half of bread, a quarter pound of lard and dried peas. Fish and vegetables replaced the lard on days of religious 
abstinence, and once a month, the soldiers were entitled to one pound of tobacco. Every second year, the King allowed his soldiers to receive a new uniform. To protect them from the cold winters, the soldiers wore a grey-white cloth coat, moccasins, and Amerindian clothing, which was better adapted to Canada's harsh winters.
For more information: (418) 694-5560, ext. 5483
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