Pierre D'Artaguiette

Who was Pierre D'Artaguiette?

Pierre d'Artaguiette or d'Artaguette, said to be a Canadian, was the younger brother of Diron d'Artaguette. As an officer in the French Army in 1730, Pierre was mentioned in dispatches for 'brilliant valor' during the Natchez war, after which Périer appointed him to rebuild Fort Rosalie. In 1734 Bienville sent him to Fort de Chartres with the rank of Major to command the Illinois District of the Province of Louisiana. In 1736 d'Artaguiette led a force of French and Illini against the formidable Chickasaw during the Chickasaw Wars. His impetuous attack at Ogoula Tchetoka on 25 March 1736 was crushed. Some accounts say d'Artaguiette died on the battlefield; others state D'Artaguiette was captured with eighteen other Frenchmen, and burned alive in the Indian fashion.