Daniel d'Auger de Subercase
Daniel d'Auger de Subercase Governor of Plaisance | |
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Born | Orthez, Béarn, France | 12 February 1661
Died | 20 November 1732 Cannes, France | (aged 71)
Allegiance | Kingdom of France |
Service/ | French Navy |
Years of service | 1674-1713 |
Rank | Governor of Placentia and Acadia |
Awards | Order of Saint Louis |
Daniel d'Auger de Subercase (February 12, 1661 – November 20, 1732) was a naval officer and the French governor of
Subercase was baptised a
He served about 10 years in the land forces and in 1684 was a captain in the Régiment de Bretagne, before he joined the navy and sailed for Quebec. No sooner had he landed in 1687 than he set off with his contingent on a campaign against the Senecas. In 1693 he was named lieutenant-commander, garrison adjutant and adjutant general.
On 1 April 1702 he succeeded Monic as governor of
Subercase made full use of the following lull in aggression to rebuild the fortifications at Plaisance, improve morale, and generally improve the living conditions of the residents. In 1705 he was made a knight of the Order of Saint Louis and became the governor of Acadia in April 1706. He successfully led the outnumbered defense of Port Royal against two failed sieges in 1707, leading several sallies himself and having his own horse killed under him in one skirmish. The governor of Boston was not prepared to accept defeat and on 5 October 1710 General Francis Nicholson's fleet appeared before Port-Royal and began the Siege of Port Royal. The fleet comprised a landing force of 2,000 men (3,400 according to Subercase), made up of one regiment of English regulars and four regiments of militiamen raised by Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, and carried in 36 vessels, seven of which were warships. Subercase had fewer than 300 men to oppose them. After a few days of defense, Subercase surrendered the partially ruined and under-provisioned Port-Royal to the British, expressing to the English commander his hope of returning to pay him a visit the following spring.
Subercase, accused of negligence by some officers and reprimanded by
Subercase retired and returned to France to live on his estates in Béarn. He continued to draw a captain's pension of 600 livres a year until he died on 20 November 1732 at Cannes. A ledger-stone marks his grave in the church of this village.
See also
- List of governors of Acadia
- Governors of Newfoundland
- List of people of Newfoundland and Labrador
References
Baudry, René (1979) [1969]. "Auger de Subercase, Daniel d'". In Hayne, David (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. II (1701–1740) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.