Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont stands as a significant figure in the early 18th-century exploration of North America. This French explorer meticulously documented his travels along the Missouri and Platte Rivers, creating the first European maps of these crucial waterways. His adventurous life, marked by both controversy and remarkable achievements, played a pivotal role in the expansion of French influence in the American interior. From a fugitive poacher to a celebrated commandant, Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont‘s journey through the wilderness and the courts of Europe is a compelling tale of ambition and survival.
Early Life, Fugitive Years, and Native American Alliances
Born in 1679 in Cerisy Belle-Etolie, Central Normandy, France, Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont’s early life took an unexpected turn when, at 19, he was convicted of poaching in 1698. To escape imprisonment for unpaid fines, he fled to North America, beginning a new chapter far from his homeland. In 1702, he enlisted as a soldier in the Ohio Valley, demonstrating an early inclination towards military life and frontier existence. By 1706, he had risen to the command of Fort Ponchartrain in Detroit, Michigan. However, his command was short-lived; he faced censure for his handling of a conflict with the Ottawa tribe and subsequently fled before authorities could apprehend him.
From 1706 to 1709, Bourgmont lived as an illegal fur trader alongside other deserters in the vast North American wilderness. This period of living outside formal French authority deepened his understanding of the land and its indigenous inhabitants. He eventually made his way to the Missouri River, where he spent several years living among various Native American tribes, including the Missouria. This immersion in Native American culture was transformative, leading to a profound understanding of their languages, customs, and political landscapes.
In 1712, Bourgmont solidified his ties with the Missouria by marrying the daughter of a prominent chief. This alliance proved strategically important for his future endeavors. By 1713, his activities as a trader and his unconventional lifestyle had drawn considerable attention. During a visit to Illinois with two other traders, he reportedly “scandalized the missionaries, rattled the authorities, and even angered certain exalted personages at the court of Louis XIV.” An order for his arrest was issued, prompting him to flee again, this time to Mobile, Alabama.
During his time in Mobile, Bourgmont penned a significant work entitled “Exact Description of Louisiana, Its Harbors, Lands, and Rivers, and Names of Indian Tribes That Occupy It, and the Commerce and Advantages to Be Derived From the Establishment of a Colony.” This detailed report showcased his extensive knowledge of the region and its potential, ironically while he remained a fugitive. In 1714, his Missouria wife bore him a son, named “le Petit Missouria,” further cementing his personal connection to the native peoples of the Missouri River valley.
Explorations and Diplomatic Missions
While traveling back to the Missouria tribe along the Missouri River, Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont continued to document his observations, compiling them into “The Route to Be Taken to Ascend the Missouri River.” His explorations took him further up the Missouri River than any previous European explorer, providing invaluable geographical knowledge to the French crown. In 1719, he was tasked with a critical diplomatic mission: to forge alliances with various American Indian tribes and escort their leaders to Isle Dauphine in Alabama. However, the journey proved arduous, and tragically, all but one of the chiefs perished along the way. After successfully escorting the sole surviving chief back to his village, Bourgmont proceeded to New Orleans, Louisiana.
In a remarkable turnaround, Bourgmont and his Missouria son traveled to Paris in June 1720, where they were unexpectedly greeted as heroes. His extensive knowledge and detailed reports on Louisiana’s interior were highly valued by the French court. While in Paris, Bourgmont was commissioned as a captain in the French army, and in August, he was officially appointed “Commandant of the Missouri River.” This prestigious title marked his formal reintegration into French society and recognized his unique qualifications for managing relations in the vast western territories of New France.
May 1721 saw Bourgmont returning to France, where he was further honored for his explorations and reports. During this period, he married Jacqueline Bouvet des Bordeaux in his home village in Normandy. By June, he was en route back to New Orleans, ready to assume his new responsibilities.
Building Fort Orleans and Western Expeditions
In 1723, owing to his unparalleled familiarity with the North American interior and his established rapport with numerous Native American tribes, Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont was chosen by the French government to lead a significant expedition up the Missouri River. His primary objective was to strengthen French claims and influence in the region. His first major undertaking was the construction of Fort Orleans, the inaugural European fort on the Missouri River. Located near the mouth of the Grand River, close to present-day Brunswick, Missouri, this strategic outpost served multiple purposes: securing the allegiance of local Indian tribes to the French crown and acting as a bulwark against potential Spanish encroachment or interference. Fort Orleans became Bourgmont’s headquarters for his ambitious western initiatives.
In July 1724, Bourgmont embarked on a pivotal expedition into the Great Plains of Kansas, aiming to establish trading relations with the formidable Apache Indians. His journey led him to a large Kanza village near Doniphan, Kansas, where he initiated diplomatic overtures with gifts. Several young Kanza warriors agreed to join his party. However, Bourgmont soon fell ill, necessitating the party’s return to the Kanza village. Undeterred, he dispatched an emissary to contact the Apache, conveying his imminent arrival and a goodwill gesture: the return of two Apache slaves. By October, Bourgmont had recovered and resumed his trek to meet the Apache.
Meeting the Apache and Diplomatic Success
The expedition proceeded southwest. On October 11, at a crossing of the Kansas River near present-day Rossville, Bourgmont recorded seeing vast herds of buffalo, a testament to the rich wildlife of the plains. On October 18, the group finally encountered the Apache, who rode out on horseback to greet the French. Bourgmont received an honored welcome; seated on a buffalo robe, he and his son, along with two other French explorers, were treated to a grand feast.
The following day, Bourgmont displayed his array of trade goods, which included guns, knives, tools, cloth, mirrors, and clothing. The Padouca Apache had never before seen such a variety of European merchandise, and initially, the guns caused alarm. Bourgmont assembled 200 Apache chiefs and skillfully negotiated a peace agreement. He implored them to permit French traders safe passage through their lands en route to Spanish settlements in New Mexico. Following this, he invited the chiefs to select whatever they desired from the merchandise. Bourgmont and his party then commenced their eastward journey, reaching the Kanza village on October 22 and returning to Fort Orleans by November 5.
Bourgmont considered his expedition a resounding success in establishing French influence and trade routes. However, its long-term impact on the Apache proved limited. Within approximately a decade, the Apache tribes he had encountered in Kansas were gradually displaced southward by the aggressive expansion of Comanche tribes migrating from the Rocky Mountains.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1725, Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont accompanied a delegation of four influential Native American leaders—from the Illinois, Missouria, Osage, and Otoe tribes—on a visit to France. His Missouria wife also traveled with him on this momentous journey. While in France, she was baptized and subsequently married to Bourgmont’s close associate, Sergeant Dubois. Dubois, along with the Indian chiefs and his new wife, later returned to America. Bourgmont, however, chose to remain in France, reuniting with his French wife, Jacqueline, in Normandy.
The subsequent fate of Sergeant Dubois was tragic; he was killed by Native Americans. Bourgmont’s former Missouria wife later married a militia captain and was reportedly still alive, residing in Kaskaskia, Illinois, as late as 1752. The ultimate fate of Bourgmont’s Missouria son remains unknown, with his last recorded mention being in 1724. Etienne Veniard de Bourgmont spent the remainder of his life in France, where he passed away in 1734. His legacy as a daring explorer, astute diplomat, and insightful documentarian of the North American interior, particularly the vast Missouri River region, endures as a testament to his profound impact on the early mapping and understanding of the continent.
