Les Tactiques de la Milice

La milice were the laborers, bateau men, wagoners and fortification builders of the French Army. They were peasant farmers living in a feudal society; they came to do their service without pay, only bringing the bare necessities, in hope the crown would provide them with what they needed.

At first, the European generals saw no place for the milice in their armies. They were viewed as undisciplined and cowardly. However once these generals realized that by allowing the milice to fight in their own way, (Petite Guerre) they were an effective force that terrified their enemy.

At the battle of Oswego, while Bougainville was proposing the term of capitulation to the British commander “the cries, threat, and hideous howlings of our Canadians and Indians” says Vaudreuil, “made them decide Quickly.”

Milicien were not expected to directly confront the enemy. Their purpose was to harass and then disapear, to stall the enemy's advaces to give time for the professional army - "troupes de la marine" and "les troupes de terre" to arrive and engage. This was, after all, what they were paid to do, whereas milicien were unpaid conscrpts. The milicien would hide in ambush, strike at the Anglais and, as the Redcoat troops would form to engage, disappear into the landscape to strike again from another direction.

The milicien, taking a page from the Sauvage, some of whose tactics he adopted, were masters of the ambush, remaining hidden until the trap could be effectively sprung.

The Milice method of fighting relied
on the concept of "La Petite Guerre" -
Little War. Small bands would
venture out against the enemy to
harass and probe. Parties of two
"fire partners" would fight together,
one firing as the other loaded
his fusil. They, therefore, could
not be rushed by the enemy
as they were loading and vulnerable.
These "fire partners" were the core of "La Petite Guerre"