Etienne Venyard, sieur de Bourgmont: (abt.1680 -
abt.1730)
As an Ensign Etienne left Quebec on 29 Sept.1705 arriving at Detroit
on 29 Jan.1706, taking the command of the Fort from Tonty. Later Etienne
deserted his post at Detroit with other deserters and according to Sieur
d'Aigremont lived "in the woods like as savage", with a woman named La
Chenette (Tichenet). Cadillac sent soldiers after the deserters, but Bourgmont
escaped, going farther west. By August of 1723 de Boisbriant was writting
Bienville of sending Etienne
to the Upper Missouri with 20 soldiers which Etienne
accomplished, establishing Fort Orleans on the Missouri. In Jan. of 1724
Etienne wrote to the Council of Louisiana that he was waiting for the opening
of navigation to go to the Padoucahs(Comanches)
and was surprised that the Otoes & Iowas had made an alliance with
"our enemies" the Sioux & Fox. In June of 1724 Etienne was visiting
with the Kansas
& Comanches
with his two detachments of men including; Ensign St.Ange, Sgt.Dubois,
Cpl.Rotisseur, Cpl.Gentil, Lajeunesse, J.Bonneau, St.Lazare, Ferret, Derbet,
Avignon, Sanschagrin, Poupard, Gaspard, Challons, Brassieur, Henri de Chateauneuf,
de la Chenaie & Jeanty (along were 5 Canadians; Mercier, Quesnal de
Pichard, Rivet, Rolet & Lespine). On 3 July 1724 Bourgmont was being
accompied by sieur Larenaudiere, de Bellerive, d'Estinne, Roulot, Derbet,
Hamelin, Gaillard 100 Missouri (and 9 Chiefs) & 64 Osage (and 4 Chiefs).
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