Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Levis

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General Lévis encouraging his French army at the battle of Sainte-Foy

Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Levis, was a French general during the Seven Years War. He served with distinction in the War of the Austrian Succession, and served as a capable second in command to Louis Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm. Pierre Francois de Rigaud, Marquis de Vaudreuil-Cavagnal, the Governor General of New France, after a series of militia victories in America, told the king that he did not want any more soldiers. The governor general disliked the tactics of most metropolitan Franch generals. Born in Canada, Vaudreuil was very fond of Canadian militia and seasoned French frontier soldiers.

King Louis XV did not listen to Vaudreuil. Instead, he sent the Marquis de Montcalm, a French brigadier, over to America. Montcalm brought Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Levis, with him. The fact that Levis was an able commander in rugged terrain pleased Vaudreuil, so Levis managed to stay on good terms with both men.

Vaudreuil's orders for Montcalm were for him to march his men down to Lake George, and then they were to establish defenses. Levis stayed behind with about 500 French metropolitan troops and then a large force of seasoned French-Canadian militia. When the defenses were half done, Montcalm sent a messenger to Vaudreuil, telling him to send Levis. Levis marched his army of about 2,000 soldiers down to Lake George. When they arrived at Fort Carillon, Montcalm had just learned of an English attack on the fort.

When the British ran in to some Canadian militia, a small clash ensued. Major Lord Howe, the beloved British second in command, died in the skirmish. The Canadians ran back to the fort. By now the British were in plain sight, and they attacked. Charge after charge, the French beat back the British. Finally, the British retreated. The Battle of Carillon was one of the most decisive French victories in the war.

In 1759, Montcalm was ordered to defend Quebec from a British attack. The young British commander, James Wolfe, attempted to trick the French into letting them pass. When the British rowboats rowed on to the beach, a young French guard shouted "Qui vive?" (who's there) and the British commander shouted "la Francais" (the French). The French officer was not tricked by this, and sounded the alarm. By the time the soldiers came, the British were gone. But this foiled the British surprise plan.

When the British attacked Quebec, Montcalm was not ready for the attack, but he got his army ready and charged. In the fierce battle that followed, both Montcalm and Wolfe died. Levis took over the French army. He marched his army away. Now he wanted to recapture Quebec from the British. He marched his army around and started marching back to Quebec. The French arrived in Sainte-Foy at the same time as the British. At the Battle of Sainte-Foy, the French defeated the British, but it was indecisive because as the French neared Quebec, the British struck and defeated them.

Levis returned to France, and King Louis XV made him the Duc de Levis. Francis de Gaston, Chevalier de Levis, lived the rest of his life quietly in retirement. He died in 1787 in Arras, France.