Joseph Marin de la Malgue

Who is Joseph Marin de la Malgue?

Joseph Marin de la Malgue, was the son of Charles-Paul Marin de la Malgue and continued on in the family military and exploration tradition, entering the colonial regular troops at the age of 13. He spent the next 13 years in the Michigan and Wisconsin areas including the Michilimackinac area, west of Baie-des-Puants. He was mostly based out of the Baie-des-Puants post, learned the fur trade and became fluent in a number of Indian dialects.

In 1745, after being engaged in the Siege of Annapolis Royal, Marin was recalled to fight the British at the Siege of Louisbourg. En route he was delayed by the Naval battle off Tatamagouche. During that period, he married the daughter of daughter of Joseph de Fleury de La Gorgendière. His remaining military career was illustrious ending only with his capture near Fort Niagara and deportation to France by way of England . He attempted to return to the fight aboard the François-Louis in 1762, but the ship was captured by the British and, again, he was returned to France.

After a number of unhappy years in France, Marin was appointed lieutenant-colonel as part of a force headed to Madagascar to start a French colony. He died of fever shortly after his arrival on the island in 1774.