Celeron de Bienville
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Joseph Céloron de Blainville
(also known as Celeron de Bienville, or Céleron or Céloron, etc.) was a
French Canadian Officer of Marine
. In 1739-1740 he led a detachment to Louisiana
to fight the Chickasaw
in the abortive Chickasaw Campaign of 1739
. In 1749 he led the 'Lead Plate Expedition' to
advance France's territorial claim on the Ohio Valley
.
and
Hélène Picoté de Belestre.
Céloron entered military service in 1713. At this time the French collaborated with the Indians in pressuring the New England colonies, but
his first firm record is an appointment as lieutenant commandant to the post at Michilimackinac
in 1734 (Burton,
328). He seems to have been appointed to a second term in 1737, but before the expiration of that term he was called to Louisiana.
The British allied Chickasaw nation
, in present day northern Mississippi, blocked communication between Upper and Lower
Louisiana. Bienville, Governor of Louisiana, assembled a second grand
campaign
against them in 1739. In response to a call to the Canadian government for assistance, Céloron was dispatched to Fort de
l'Assumption
near present day Memphis, Tennessee
, with a 'considerable number of Northern Indians' and a company of cadets. The assembled
forces remained in place through the winter without striking the fortified villages of the Chickasaw, 120 miles to the east. But finally in
March, 1740, Céloron with his corps of cadets, one hundred regulars, and four or five hundred Indians set forth. After some skirmishing the
Chickasaw were found quite willing to make peace (Atkinson, 70).
After his return to Michilimackinack, Céloron was appointed to command of Detroit
, at which time he was
referred to as a Chevalier of the Military Order of Saint Louis
and a Captain in the Department of
Marine
. In 1744, he was appointed to command at Fort Niagara
, and in 1746, Fort St. Frédéric
on Lake Champlain (Burton, 327).
. During this war, England
blockaded New France
, breaking down the
French fur trade. The British became the major trading partners with Native Americans
in the Ohio
valley.
France
claimed the Ohio Valley (and indeed the entire Mississippi basin) on the basis of the explorations made by La Salle
in 1669 and 1682. Great Britain
claimed the Ohio Valley on the basis of purchases from Native Americans in
1744. In fact, both the colonies of Virginia
and Pennsylvania
had claims on the Ohio valley, although in the 1740s and 1750s,
Virginia was more active in pressing her claim.
In 1748, Comte de la Galissoniere
, the governor of Canada
, ordered
Céloron to strengthen the French claim on the Ohio Valley. Céloron carried out this mission in the summer of 1749 by means of an expedition
through the contested territory. He set out from Montreal
on June 15, 1749, in a flotilla consisting of large boats and canoes. The
expedition included 216 French and Canadians and 55 Native Americans. On the shore of Lake Erie
, at the mouth of Chautauqua Creek
in
present-day Westfield, New York
, the expedition cut a road over the French Portage Road, and carried their
boats and equipment overland to Chautauqua Lake
, then followed the Chadakoin River and Conewango Creek to the Allegheny River
,
reaching it on July 29, 1749.
As it progressed, the expedition sought to strengthen France's claim to the territory by marking it at the mouths of several principal
tributaries. At each point, a tin or copper plate bearing the French royal arms was nailed to a tree. Below, an inscribed leaden plate was buried, declaring
the claims of France. This was a traditional European mode of marking territory, but it might have contributed to Native American anxieties
about the intentions of the French, and thus ultimately had a counterproductive effect.
When Céloron arrived at Logstown
, in present day western Pennsylvania, he discovered some English traders there. Incensed, he evicted the
traders and wrote a scolding note to the governor of Pennsylvania. He then hectored the Native Americans about French dominance of the region.
This overbearing behavior offended the Iroquois
in his party, some of whom returned to their homeland in present-day New York
, tearing
down copper plates as they went.
The party then preceded past the current site of Pittsburgh
, and down the Ohio River
. A plate was buried at the mouth of the Muskingum River
on August 16, 1749 and the mouth of the Kanawha River
on August 18, 1749.
In Lower Shawneetown at the Scioto River
's mouth, he again encountered English traders. Céloron demanded that the English leave, but
most refused.
Five months after the expedition began, it returned to Montreal, arriving November 10, 1749. Céloron's journal is archived at Archives of the
Department de la Marine, Paris, France (Galbreath, 12).
In total, Céloron buried at least six lead plates. One was stolen by curious Indians almost immediately, possibly before it was even buried, and
placed in British hands. Two more were found in the early 19th Century. Measuring about eleven inches long and seven and one-half inches wide,
each lead plate was marked with an inscription as follows (Galbreath, 110-111):
L'AN 1749 DV REGNE DE LOVIS XV ROY DE
FRANCE, NOVS Céloron, COMMANDANT D'VN DETACHEMENT
ENVOIE PAR MONSIEVR LE MIS. DE LA
GALISSONIERE, COMMANDANT GENERAL DE LA
NOUVELLE FRANCE POVR RETABLIR LA TRAN
QUILLITE DANS QUELQUES VILLAGES SAUVAGES
DE CES CANTONS, AVONS ENTERRE CETTE PLAQUE
AU CONFLUENT DE L'OHIO ET DE TCHADAKOIN CE
29 JVILLET, PRES DE LA RIVIERE OYO AUTREMENT
BELLE RIVIERE, POUR MONUMENT DU RENOUVELLEMENT
DE POSSESSION QUE NOUS AVONS PRIS
DE LA DITTE RIVIERE OYO, ET DE TOUTES CELLE~
QUI Y TOMBENT, et de TOUTES LES TERRES DES
DEUX COTES JVSQVE AVX SOURCES DES DITTES
RIVIERES AINSI QV'EN ONT JOVY OU DV JOVIR LES
PRECEDENTS ROIS DE FRANCE, ET QU'ILS S'Y SONT
MAINTENVS PAR LES ARMES ET PAR LES TRAIT
TES, SPECIALEMENT PAR CEVX DE RISWICK
D'VTRECHT ET D'AIX LA CHAPELLE."
Translation:
"In the year 1749, of the reign of Louis the 15th, King of
France, we Céloron, commander of a detachment sent by
Monsieur the Marquis de la Galissoniere, Governor General of
New France, to reestablish tranquility in some Indian villages of
these cantons, have buried this Plate of Lead at the confluence
of the Ohio and the Chatauqua, this 29th day of July, near the
river Ohio, otherwise Belle Riviere, as a monument of the renewal
of the possession we have taken of the said river Ohio
and of all those which empty into it, and of all the lands on
both sides as far as the sources of the said rivers, as enjoyed
or ought to have been enjoyed by the kings of France preceding
and as they have there maintained themselves by arms and by
treaties, especially those of Ryswick, Utrecht and Aix la
Chapelle.".
The French continued to press their claim to the Ohio Valley, and colonial friction with the British finally contributed to outbreak of the Seven Years' War
.
died at Montreal on April 14, 1759 (Burton, 332).
Parelle, married in Montreal on October 13, 1743, and with whom he enjoyed nine children (Burton, 327).
Céloron de Blainville
Céloron de Blainville is a French family of officers and colonial administrators, who notably played a role in New France since the 17th century.-Persons:Famous Céloron de Blainville family are :...
(also known as Celeron de Bienville, or Céleron or Céloron, etc.) was a
French Canadian Officer of Marine
Compagnies Franches de la Marine
The Compagnies Franches de la Marine was the main organization for the defence of New France from 1683 to 1755. In 1683, the Naval Department of France began using the Compagnies to defend the fur trade and the local civilians. They were superseded by the arrival of large units of the army under...
. In 1739-1740 he led a detachment to Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
to fight the Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
in the abortive Chickasaw Campaign of 1739
Chickasaw Campaign of 1739
The Chickasaw Campaign of 1739 was a continuation of the Chickasaw Wars pursued by the French in Louisiana. In 1739 the French prepared extensively, but failed to engage the Chickasaw beyond some half hearted skirmishing, and finally accepted a negotiated peace.After the 1736 disasters of Ogoula...
. In 1749 he led the 'Lead Plate Expedition' to
advance France's territorial claim on the Ohio Valley
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
Early career
Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville was born at Montreal on 29 December, 1693. He was the son of Jean-Baptiste Céloron de BlainvilleCéloron de Blainville
Céloron de Blainville is a French family of officers and colonial administrators, who notably played a role in New France since the 17th century.-Persons:Famous Céloron de Blainville family are :...
and
Hélène Picoté de Belestre.
Céloron entered military service in 1713. At this time the French collaborated with the Indians in pressuring the New England colonies, but
his first firm record is an appointment as lieutenant commandant to the post at Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower...
in 1734 (Burton,
328). He seems to have been appointed to a second term in 1737, but before the expiration of that term he was called to Louisiana.
The British allied Chickasaw nation
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
, in present day northern Mississippi, blocked communication between Upper and Lower
Louisiana. Bienville, Governor of Louisiana, assembled a second grand
campaign
Chickasaw Campaign of 1739
The Chickasaw Campaign of 1739 was a continuation of the Chickasaw Wars pursued by the French in Louisiana. In 1739 the French prepared extensively, but failed to engage the Chickasaw beyond some half hearted skirmishing, and finally accepted a negotiated peace.After the 1736 disasters of Ogoula...
against them in 1739. In response to a call to the Canadian government for assistance, Céloron was dispatched to Fort de
l'Assumption
Fort Assumption
Fort Assumption was a French fortification constructed in 1739 on the fourth Chickasaw Bluff on the Mississippi River at present day Memphis, Tennessee...
near present day Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, with a 'considerable number of Northern Indians' and a company of cadets. The assembled
forces remained in place through the winter without striking the fortified villages of the Chickasaw, 120 miles to the east. But finally in
March, 1740, Céloron with his corps of cadets, one hundred regulars, and four or five hundred Indians set forth. After some skirmishing the
Chickasaw were found quite willing to make peace (Atkinson, 70).
After his return to Michilimackinack, Céloron was appointed to command of Detroit
History of Detroit, Michigan
The city of Detroit, Michigan, developed from a French fort and missionary outpost founded in 1701 to one of the largest American cities by the early 20th century. As reflected by the emblems on its flag, Detroit has been governed by three world powers: France, Great Britain, and the United States....
, at which time he was
referred to as a Chevalier of the Military Order of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
and a Captain in the Department of
Marine
Compagnies Franches de la Marine
The Compagnies Franches de la Marine was the main organization for the defence of New France from 1683 to 1755. In 1683, the Naval Department of France began using the Compagnies to defend the fur trade and the local civilians. They were superseded by the arrival of large units of the army under...
. In 1744, he was appointed to command at Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
, and in 1746, Fort St. Frédéric
Fort St. Frédéric
Fort St. Frédéric was a French fort built on Lake Champlain at Crown Point to secure the region against British colonization and to allow the French to control the use of Lake Champlain....
on Lake Champlain (Burton, 327).
The 'Lead Plate' Expedition
From 1743 to 1748, Britain and France fought King George's WarKing George's War
King George's War is the name given to the operations in North America that formed part of the War of the Austrian Succession . It was the third of the four French and Indian Wars. It took place primarily in the British provinces of New York, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia...
. During this war, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
blockaded New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, breaking down the
French fur trade. The British became the major trading partners with Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
in the Ohio
valley.
France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
claimed the Ohio Valley (and indeed the entire Mississippi basin) on the basis of the explorations made by La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
in 1669 and 1682. Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
claimed the Ohio Valley on the basis of purchases from Native Americans in
1744. In fact, both the colonies of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
had claims on the Ohio valley, although in the 1740s and 1750s,
Virginia was more active in pressing her claim.
In 1748, Comte de la Galissoniere
Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière
Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière, Marquis de La Galissonière, sometimes spelled Galissonnière, was the French governor of New France from 1747 to 1749 and the victor in the Battle of Minorca in 1756.- New France :...
, the governor of Canada
Canada, New France
Canada was the name of the French colony that once stretched along the St. Lawrence River; the other colonies of New France were Acadia, Louisiana and Newfoundland. Canada, the most developed colony of New France, was divided into three districts, each with its own government: Quebec,...
, ordered
Céloron to strengthen the French claim on the Ohio Valley. Céloron carried out this mission in the summer of 1749 by means of an expedition
through the contested territory. He set out from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
on June 15, 1749, in a flotilla consisting of large boats and canoes. The
expedition included 216 French and Canadians and 55 Native Americans. On the shore of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, at the mouth of Chautauqua Creek
Chautauqua Creek
Chautauqua Creek is a tributary of Lake Erie, approximately long, in the southwestern corner of New York in the United States. The headwaters of the creek rise in the town of Sherman, in Chautauqua County, and flow in a northerly direction through the town and village of Westfield where they empty...
in
present-day Westfield, New York
Westfield (town), New York
Westfield is a town in the western part Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2000 census. Westfield is also the name of a village within the town.- History :...
, the expedition cut a road over the French Portage Road, and carried their
boats and equipment overland to Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake
Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The lake is approximately long and wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately 13,000 acres . The maximum depth is about 78 feet...
, then followed the Chadakoin River and Conewango Creek to the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
,
reaching it on July 29, 1749.
As it progressed, the expedition sought to strengthen France's claim to the territory by marking it at the mouths of several principal
tributaries. At each point, a tin or copper plate bearing the French royal arms was nailed to a tree. Below, an inscribed leaden plate was buried, declaring
the claims of France. This was a traditional European mode of marking territory, but it might have contributed to Native American anxieties
about the intentions of the French, and thus ultimately had a counterproductive effect.
When Céloron arrived at Logstown
Logstown
The riverside village of Logstown was a significant Native American settlement in Western Pennsylvania and the site of the 1752 signing of the treaty of friendship between the Ohio Company and the Amerindians occupying the region in the years leading up to the...
, in present day western Pennsylvania, he discovered some English traders there. Incensed, he evicted the
traders and wrote a scolding note to the governor of Pennsylvania. He then hectored the Native Americans about French dominance of the region.
This overbearing behavior offended the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
in his party, some of whom returned to their homeland in present-day New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, tearing
down copper plates as they went.
The party then preceded past the current site of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, and down the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. A plate was buried at the mouth of the Muskingum River
Muskingum River
The Muskingum River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 111 miles long, in southeastern Ohio in the United States. An important commercial route in the 19th century, it flows generally southward through the eastern hill country of Ohio...
on August 16, 1749 and the mouth of the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
on August 18, 1749.
In Lower Shawneetown at the Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
's mouth, he again encountered English traders. Céloron demanded that the English leave, but
most refused.
Five months after the expedition began, it returned to Montreal, arriving November 10, 1749. Céloron's journal is archived at Archives of the
Department de la Marine, Paris, France (Galbreath, 12).
In total, Céloron buried at least six lead plates. One was stolen by curious Indians almost immediately, possibly before it was even buried, and
placed in British hands. Two more were found in the early 19th Century. Measuring about eleven inches long and seven and one-half inches wide,
each lead plate was marked with an inscription as follows (Galbreath, 110-111):
L'AN 1749 DV REGNE DE LOVIS XV ROY DE
FRANCE, NOVS Céloron, COMMANDANT D'VN DETACHEMENT
ENVOIE PAR MONSIEVR LE MIS. DE LA
GALISSONIERE, COMMANDANT GENERAL DE LA
NOUVELLE FRANCE POVR RETABLIR LA TRAN
QUILLITE DANS QUELQUES VILLAGES SAUVAGES
DE CES CANTONS, AVONS ENTERRE CETTE PLAQUE
AU CONFLUENT DE L'OHIO ET DE TCHADAKOIN CE
29 JVILLET, PRES DE LA RIVIERE OYO AUTREMENT
BELLE RIVIERE, POUR MONUMENT DU RENOUVELLEMENT
DE POSSESSION QUE NOUS AVONS PRIS
DE LA DITTE RIVIERE OYO, ET DE TOUTES CELLE~
QUI Y TOMBENT, et de TOUTES LES TERRES DES
DEUX COTES JVSQVE AVX SOURCES DES DITTES
RIVIERES AINSI QV'EN ONT JOVY OU DV JOVIR LES
PRECEDENTS ROIS DE FRANCE, ET QU'ILS S'Y SONT
MAINTENVS PAR LES ARMES ET PAR LES TRAIT
TES, SPECIALEMENT PAR CEVX DE RISWICK
D'VTRECHT ET D'AIX LA CHAPELLE."
Translation:
"In the year 1749, of the reign of Louis the 15th, King of
France, we Céloron, commander of a detachment sent by
Monsieur the Marquis de la Galissoniere, Governor General of
New France, to reestablish tranquility in some Indian villages of
these cantons, have buried this Plate of Lead at the confluence
of the Ohio and the Chatauqua, this 29th day of July, near the
river Ohio, otherwise Belle Riviere, as a monument of the renewal
of the possession we have taken of the said river Ohio
and of all those which empty into it, and of all the lands on
both sides as far as the sources of the said rivers, as enjoyed
or ought to have been enjoyed by the kings of France preceding
and as they have there maintained themselves by arms and by
treaties, especially those of Ryswick, Utrecht and Aix la
Chapelle.".
The French continued to press their claim to the Ohio Valley, and colonial friction with the British finally contributed to outbreak of the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
.
Conclusion
Upon his return, Céloron was reappointed to the important post at Detroit, and in 1753, was promoted to Major and appointed to Montreal. Hedied at Montreal on April 14, 1759 (Burton, 332).
Family
Céloron had three children by his first wife, Marie Madeline Blondeau, married December 30. 1724. His second wife was Catherine Eury de laParelle, married in Montreal on October 13, 1743, and with whom he enjoyed nine children (Burton, 327).
Sources
pp. 62-73 Chapter on Céloron, pp. 327-333 Céloron's Ohio Expedition journal and other accounts Account of Céloron at Logstown, pg. 26- Hildreth, S. P.: Pioneer History: Being an Account of the First Examinations of the Ohio Valley, and the Early Settlement of the Northwest Territory, H. W. Derby and Co., Cincinnati, Ohio (1848) pp. 18–24.