Belestre was a Gascon?
"Gascon" --- We had one here in town.
We had a French prisoner at Fort Loudoun. We actually had more than that come through Winchester VA. But for now? Let's just look at this one prisoner. Before we get to his rank and name, let us say what Colonel George Washington said of him. GW said he's probably a Gascon.
Gascon?
D'Artagnan was a Gascon. He was the 4th musketeer to the 3 musketeers.
What is a Gascon?
Merely a citizen from the old southwestern French province of Gascony?
No, a Gascon is much more.
A Gascon is a boaster, a liar, a teller of tall tales.
To this day the region sports an annual Festival of Liars !
Where exactly is this Festival Liars held?
Moncrabeau the gates of the Gers, is located halfway between Nerac and Condom, in the heart of Gascony. Its tradition of the 18th century is the world capital of liars.
Source:
A Letter from George Washington
to John Stanwix, 15 June 1757
[Fort Loudoun] June 15th 1757:
This is the intelligence GW gains from this prisoner. But GW thinks this man is Gasconian.
Start of Excerpt from letter:
"The name of the Officer, taken, according to his own account, is Velistre [Belestre] ; and of those killed, Lasosais and St Oure, all Ensigns.
The Commandant at Du Que[s]ne and its Dependances, is Delignery; a Knight of the Military Order of St Louis; and Captain of a company of detached troops from the marine.3 This Officer likewise says, that the Garrison at Fort Du Quesne consists of 600 French and 200 Indians.
I believe he is a Gasconian.
We sustained on our side the loss of the brave swallow warrior, & one other Indian wounded; whom the party brought in on a Bier, with no other sustenance for the four last days, than such as they derived from wild onions. Mr Atkin (who is now here) and I, shall use our endeavours to have the prisoner brought to this place."
End of excerpt.
Source:
But is this man from Gascon?
No.
Not according to this article.
His father was born in Lachine Quebec.
His father did not go to France until 1761 where Gascony is one of its old regions.
Source:
More on this French prisoner?
This story happened in June to July 1757. We are not ready to go into August of 1757 yet.
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