A Blupete Biography Page


Louis du Port Chambon, Sieur de Vergor
(1713-1775+).

Louis du Port Chambon, Sieur de Vergor, was the son1 of Louis De Pont du Chambon. Vergor was born at Sérignac (department of Charente) while his family was sojourning in France. The family had been at Port Royal when Nicholson took the place for the English in 1710; his father was an officer of the garrison. By one of the terms of the capitulation, the French soldiers (and their families) were shipped by the English back to France. Apparently, Vergor was but a babe in arms when the family came out once again to New France, this time to Louisbourg as part of the founding group.

Thus, Verger was a child of the army, and, like so many of his brothers and nephews, Vergor joined the army at Louisbourg and would have been found there, in the 1730s, as a junior Ensign. During these early years of his career he was to see duty at both Ile St Jean (Prince Edward Island) where his father was in command, and at Port Dauphin (Englishtown, N.S.). Vergor was with his cousin, Duvivier who led the raids on both Canso and Annapolis Royal in 1744, the details of which I have set forth as part of our larger story.

In 1747, Vergor was posted to Quebec, and, in quick order was promoted; first to lieutenant, in 1749; then to captain, in 1750. His quick appointments and general boost to his career was likely due to the Intendant at Quebec, the notorious Bigot. Bigot knew the Du Pont family when he was at Louisbourg during the years 1739 to 1745, as its chief commissary; and, it was during these years, apparently, that Bigot took a shine to the young Vergor. In 1754, Vergor was sent to Fort Beauséjour at the Isthmus of Chignecto, and, as its Commandant, he was to be in complete charge of the place including its supplies and finances. This arrangement was to bring Vergor into an intimate relationship with Bigot, and he profited accordingly. Indeed, prior to de Vergor's departure, Bigot had written to him, saying "Profit, my dear Vergor, by your opportunity; trim, - cut - you have the power - in order that you may very soon join me in France and purchase an estate near me."2

We deal with the loss Fort Beauséjour as part of our larger story. Sufficient to say hear that Vergor was much criticized for its loss. During his command he neglected the defences, though he knew full well of the danger of an English attack. In any event, the consensus of the historians, is, that, while Vergor was a brave enough soldier he was generally unsuitable to command. Sieur de Courville, who, as the royal notary, was at Beauséjour during the time in question, and who in later years wrote Memoires Sur Le Canada, recorded that Vergor lacked ability and education, and was excessively avaricious.3 (It is interesting to note that Vergor's father, Duchambon, was generally charged in the same manner: an officer who was promoted to a position [the commander at Louisbourg] that was beyond his capabilities to manage: the result, of course was that Louisbourg was lost to the English forces when it was put under siege in 1745.)

As if Vergor's record in Acadia was not bad enough, we see where his service to his country was to be problematic in that critical year of 1759. When Wolfe's forces were before Quebec, de Vergor was in command of 100 men at a post overlooking the Anse au Foulon. When the British climbed the heights in the early morning of Sept. 13th, only about thirty men were in position, de Vergor having allowed the rest of his troops to go to their homes. The post was easily captured and the Plains of Abraham were thus to be open to the British.

With the loss of New France, Vergor sailed from Quebec in 1761. He retired from the army in 1764, receiving a pension. The date of his death is not exactly known though it was after 1775.

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FOOTNOTES:

[1] According to the DCB, Vergor was the second son of seven which were born to Louis De Pont du Chambon and his Acadian wife, Jeanne Mius d'Entremont. Louis was one of three brothers that came out to New France as military officers; and they all seem to have sons. Therefore, early on, one sees in the records numerous Duponts, as the DCB writes (vol. iv, p. 248) "By 1758 one tenth of the Louisbourg regular officer corps present during the siege, including five company captains, were Du Ponts."

[2] As quoted by Webster, "The Forts of Chignecto" (Shediac, N.B.: Privately printed, 1930) p. 37.

[3] Webster sets out part of Courville's history in his, "The Forts of Chignecto," op. cit. The DCB also refers to Courville; and, it is plain that Courville was very much down on his old boss at Fort Beauséjour. Pichon, the "Spy of Beauséjour" was also very unkind; "Virgor served as Bigot's pimp."

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Peter Landry
2012 (2020)