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- François Bernard Chenard de la Giraudais was an 18th century French explorer, naval officer and privateer. He toured the world in command of the L'Étoile flute, accompanied by Louis-Antoine de Bougainville.
The 1760 Expedition and the Battle of Ristigouche in the spring of 1760, the French government entrusted him with a mission of assistance and supplies for New France, then at war with England. Despite his young age (33), La Giraudais has extensive experience which earned him the rank of lieutenant of frigate. He left Bordeaux on April 10, 1760 at the head of a small squadron of five requisitioned merchant vessels (the Beneficent, the Sun, the Dawn, the Loyalty and the Marquis of Malauze) and some twenty small ships loaded with ammunition and provisions 1.2.
The flagship, the frigate Machault is armed with 28 guns and 150 crew members. François Chenard de la Giraudais knows this ship well for having already escorted several convoys to New France in 1759. He has secret instructions in the event that the English prevent him from entering the Saint- Laurent; he must, if necessary, notify Governor Vaudreuil and go to Louisiana or to Santo Domingo to unload his vessels.
The day after departure, April 11, 1760, the English who blockaded the port chased the convoy which was to disperse. But, weighed down by their goods, the Aurora and the Sun are boarded by the enemy. Two weeks later, while the convoy crossed off the Azores, the Fidélité sank. On May 15, there are only three ships left when the diminished fleet anchors in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. There, La Giraudais learns that the British arrived first and destroyed Jean Vauquelin's flotilla outside Quebec. He then decides to take refuge in Chaleur Bay. On May 18, he dropped anchor in the Ristigouche estuary. Local natives, allies of the French, promise to fight the English alongside La Giraudais.
Despite the support of local nations, La Giraudais can do nothing against the five British warships led by Captain John Byron, who arrived from Louisbourg. And, after several days of battle, La Giraudais must resign itself to scuttling its buildings, on the morning of July 8, having them evacuated. So that the enemy does not take food, he blows up the Machault and the Beneficent. Only the Marquis de Malauze who had prisoners on board was spared. Once on the ground, the French established a small fort and garrisoned there.
Chenard de la Giraudais cocks the remaining schooner which he calls the Petit Marquis de Malauze and, on August 10, he leaves for France.
Returning to France, and after leaving the army, La Giraudais made several scientific exploration trips. Commander of the sloop Le Sphinx during the trip to the Falklands by Louis Antoine de Bougainville in 1763-1764, he was captain of the ship l'Étoile during the trip around the world of Bougainville.
He died aboard L'Espérance on February 27, 1776.
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1727 - 1776 (48 years)
