May 17, 2012

Celoron Expedition

Located at the Municipal Boatlanding

In June of 1749, during the French and English struggle for American territory, the Marquis de La Galissonniere, Governor of Canada, dispatched Captain Celoron , a chevalier of the order of St. Louis, to the Allegheny to take formal possession of that territory in the name of France. Celoron began his journey with the following force: thirty-five French officers and soldiers, one hundred eighty Canadian militiamen, and fifty-five Indians. Coasting along the southern shore of Lake Erie, he landed at Barcelona July 16, cleared a passage to the head of Chautauqua Lake (now Mayville) and, embarking with his retinue, proceeded down the lake and its outlet - now the Chadakoin River - to the Allegheny, Ohio and Greater Miami Rivers (west of the site of Cincinnati). Celoron and his party camped on the outlet possibly within the present bounds of the City of Jamestown from the 23rd of June until the morning of June 24.

CELORON EXPEDITION
CAPTAIN PIERRE JOSEPH CELORON DE BLAINVILLE IN 1749 WITH A FORCE OF 213 SOLDIERS AND INDIANS TRAVELED DOWN CHAUTAUQUA LAKE AND THE CHADAKOIN RIVER TO THE ALLEGHENY AND OHIO RIVERS RENEWING THE FRENCH CLAIM TO THIS WATERSHED.