Bronze Statue of Madeleine de Verchères, Quebec

Madeleine de Verchères

A work by Louis Philippe Hébert, created in 1913, situated at the end of Madeleine Street. A tribute to the valor of Madeleine de Verchères

Madeleine de Verchères is one of New France’s most celebrated heroines. Her remarkable adventure showcased the extraordinary fortitude of colonial women.

At just fourteen years old, she found herself at Fort Verchères in 1692, a time when Iroquois raids were commonplace. While approximately 400 paces from the fort, a band of Indigenous warriors emerged from the bushes and launched an attack. They captured some twenty individuals, attempting to add young Madeleine to their number. An Iroquois warrior nearly seized her, managing only to grasp her scarf. She raced to the fort, poorly defended at best—a scattering of weapons, her younger brothers, elderly individuals, and a single soldier! Donning a soldier’s hat, she assumed command of the bastion’s defense. She ordered the creation of a commotion, urging everyone to move about and create the illusion of a much larger garrison. She personally loaded and fired a cannon to alert neighboring settlements, resolute in her determination to hold the fort until reinforcements arrived!

Upon their arrival, she declared to the troop captain, “Welcome, sir, I return your weapons!”

The officer refused the weapons, replying, “Evidently, Mademoiselle, they are in capable hands.”

Unconvinced and never hesitant to retort, she responded, “More capable than you might imagine!”

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This feat might seem extraordinary for such a young girl. However, it is important to note that Madeleine was the daughter of a heroine herself. Her mother, Marie Perrot, had once held a fort against the Iroquois for two days, successfully deceiving them into believing they faced a far larger defending force!

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Regarding the image: The Iroquois' hands grasping her scarf are visible. In the background, a crest of cannons alludes to the one she fired to summon reinforcements. The colors surrounding her eyes symbolize the highly legendary nature of her persona, while simultaneously acknowledging the numerous embellishments and alterations her story has undergone over time.

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References:

Myths and Realities in Quebec History, Marcel Trudel, Bibliothèque Québécoise

We Were the New World: The Serial of Origins, Jean-Claude Germain, Édition Hurtubise

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The bronze statue of Madeleine de Verchères, found in her hometown