From high above the gun deck, chaos roars beneath storm-darkened skies. British sailors—some grizzled veterans, others civilian volunteers—heave ropes and haul shot, sweat mixing with seawater and smoke. Cannons bellow flame into the void, their barrels recoiling as fire and thunder leap from the muzzles. The French frigate looms in the misty distance, barely visible through the cannon smoke and violent sea spray. Every man moves with frantic resolve—death is in the water, in the wind, in the timbers trembling beneath their feet. In this crucible of salt and fire, valor is forged broadside by broadside, under the empire’s flag. (Jeffrey Campbell, Thunder Beneath the Red Ensign, 2025)
Le Machault: The French Frigate That Fought to Save New France
In 1760, at the twilight of French Canada, one ship symbolized France's desperate struggle to maintain its North American empire—Le Machault.
In the closing years of the Seven Years' War, as New France teetered on collapse, the French Navy launched one final effort to resupply its Canadian strongholds. At the heart of this desperate mission was Le Machault, a 32-gun frigate whose fate would be sealed in the muddy waters of the Restigouche River.
Overview:
- Name: Le Machault
- Type: Frigate
- Launched: 1757 (constructed in Bayonne, France)
- Tonnage: Approx. 550 tons
- Armament: Typically outfitted with around 32–36 guns
- Owner: Built for private commercial use but requisitioned by the French Navy for wartime service
- Named After: Jean-Baptiste Machault d'Arnouville, a French statesman and Minister of the Marine under Louis XV
By 1760, the loss of Quebec to British forces had left New France in crisis. Le Machault was assigned to a French convoy under Captain François Chenard de la Giraudais, tasked with delivering reinforcements, munitions, and desperately needed funds to the colony.
Departing France that spring, the frigate joined a small flotilla bound for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the gateway to Canada. But British naval intelligence had foreseen the move.
The Gaspé Raid and Fraser's Petition
In 1760, Le Machault was part of a small French flotilla commanded by Captain François Chenard de la Giraudais. This squadron departed from France and sailed to the Gulf of St. Lawrence with the objective of resupplying French forces following the fall of Québec in 1759. However, British intelligence had anticipated the mission, and the flotilla was intercepted in what became known as the Battle of Restigouche on July 8, 1760.
Two months prior, Le Machault had been involved in an act of maritime piracy, seizing merchant goods and British Army regimental clothing off the coast of Gaspé—an annual issue intended for troops operating in the theatre. These captured supplies were transported to Restigouche. In response, Colonel Simon Fraser later petitioned the House of Commons in London for compensation, and on March 29, 1766, a formal claim was submitted for reimbursement:
Battle of Restigouche:
- The confrontation occurred in the Restigouche River, near present-day New Brunswick.
- Facing a larger British force under Captain John Byron, Le Machault and allied vessels attempted to defend the area and offload their cargo to local French and Mi'kmaq allies.
- Despite valiant resistance and scuttling operations to prevent capture, the French fleet, including Le Machault, was ultimately destroyed or abandoned.
- Le Machault was deliberately scuttled to block the river and prevent British pursuit.
Aftermath and Legacy:
- The loss of Le Machault marked a significant blow to French hopes of reinforcing Canada.
- The ship’s remains were discovered in the 1960s and partially excavated in the 1970s.
- Artifacts recovered, including coins and armaments, are preserved and displayed at the Battle of the Restigouche National Historic Site in Quebec.
Le Machault's story embodies the last naval attempt by France to support its North American colonies during the war — an effort ultimately undone by British naval supremacy and the fall of Montréal later in 1760.
To learn more, visit the Battle of Restigouche National Historical Site of Canada.
Chartrand, René. The French Navy and the Seven Years' War in North America. Osprey Publishing, 2006. Provides a detailed account of French naval operations during the Seven Years' War, including Le Machault and the 1760 expedition.
National Historic Sites Directorate. Battle of the Restigouche National Historic Site of Canada: Management Plan. Parks Canada, 2007. Describes the historical significance of the site where Le Machault was scuttled and artifacts later recovered.
Trudel, Marcel. The Beginnings of New France, 1524–1663. Translated by Patricia Claxton, McClelland and Stewart, 1973. Though broader in scope, Trudel’s work gives context to the importance of French maritime supply lines and their strategic collapse during the Seven Years’ War.
Dull, Jonathan R. The French Navy and the Seven Years' War. University of Nebraska Press, 2005. A comprehensive scholarly source on the operational history of the French Navy, including key missions like Le Machault’s.
Journals of the House of Commons. Vol. 31, H.M. Stationery Office, 1803, p. 128.
© Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2025.
