These troupes constituted the principal military force of France capable of intervening in actions and holding garrisons in outre-mer (overseas) from 1690 to 1761.

The Naval Department of France began using the Compagnies to defend their control of the fur trade in North America with certain tribes and the safety of local civilians from raiding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, especially the powerful Mohawk and Seneca.

The French colonial forces are believed to date to the establishment in 1622 by Cardinal Richelieu of the hundred Compagnies Ordinaires de la Mer.

This change was required to meet the successive military war demands of the reign of Louis XIV, who wanted the Crown to control all French units.

Owing to the presence of "levées" on the war or commercial sea ports, similar to the "marine press", the officers garrisoned their naval ships with defenders.

In 1683, three companies of Troupes de la Marine were sent to Québec to contain the nations of the Iroquois Confederacy from south of the Great Lakes, who were constantly raiding French settlements.

[9] These bad relations led to the Colbert family sending significantly more naval officers to serve on land than officers from the Troupe de Terre [10] To render the limited access of proper naval experiences more operationally effective, the royal power decided to create new colonial troupes, with the initiative of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay, succeeding to the secretariat of the Navy.

The successor of de Seignelay, Louis Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain, signed the royal ordinance of April 15, 1689 which reinforced the ensemble of existing by supplementations of a company of 100 "apprentis-canonniers" (artillery-apprentices) at Brest, Rochefort and Toulon, one company of 50 "bombardiers" and six sections of 50 supplementary guardian soldiers at Brest, Rochefort, Toulon and le Havre.

However their service orientation function at the corps of the three ordinances mounting the defensive of sea ports differentiated them from the troupe de terre of the French Army.

Within the first half of the 18th century, the ministère de la marine sent, to Canada and l'Île Royale, less than 200 recruits per year to replace lost men.

The troupes de la Marine reaffirmed the importance of the French homeland and protected all territories against the nearby English colonies, in an area stuck between the Atlantic and the Appalachians.

Even the attempts of the knight Alexis Magallon de la Morlière to recruit deserters and refugees in foreign lands were seen as successful.

[17] The Compagnies de la Marine, eventually consisting of over 6,000 soldiers and 500 officers, greatly contributed to the defense of Canada and Louisbourg.

[11] The main bases of the Companies in France remained the largest military ports: Brest, Rochefort, Toulon, which was added Port-Louis, in the Morbihan .

[19] In the early seventeenth century, Cardinal Richelieu ordered the creation of the Troupes de la Marine to serve aboard French naval vessels.

[28] As a result of their extra training and duties, the cannoniers were paid an additional six livres per month in compensation for their inability to earn money in the construction of forts or elsewhere, and were offered cash prizes for good marksmanship.

[30] Officers would often exploit the selective nature of admittance to the corps by enrolling their boys sometimes as early as age 5 in order to receive more rations and an extra salary.

[32] Due to a chronic labor shortage, the colonial regulars were also permitted to increase their pay by rendering their services on local farms.

In the 1750s, private soldiers were issued a long collarless single-breasted coat or justaucorps of greyish white, with lining and deep cuffs of blue.

Accompanying this, a black felt tricorn decorated with a cockade and button, was worn very low over the eyes; its brim was edged with false-gold lace.

That of sergeants was quite similar, but made of higher quality material, having an inch-wide stripe of gold lace edging the cuffs and pocket flaps.

Although similar to the uniform of a private soldier, it was heavily ornamented along the seams and buttonholes with the King's livery lace, featuring white chain on a crimson ground.

The standard French cartouchière of the mid-eighteenth century held thirty musket cartridges instead of nine, contrasting with its predecessor, though it can be assumed that there were many different stylistic variations.

[39] Although the exact designs of the muskets used by a unit such as the Compagnies franches de la marine can no longer be found, it is accepted that they were all of the flintlock type.

Other rules were very specific; for instance, in order to leave their designated living area, the soldier must have necessary engagement, permission from the commander, and be away no longer than 8 days.

[2] Once the commissioner's inspection was complete, he would fill out a certificate, asserting that the soldiers had taken care of their duties, and captains could allow only those who had done so to conduct paid work.

[2] In addition, Sergeants were required to visit the soldiers of their squad twice per week to keep track of their activities and behaviour in order to keep the captain up to date and to root out potential deserters.

[1] Although the strength of the force varied widely over time, by the French and Indian War, there were some forty companies serving in the St. Lawrence Valley and the Pays d'en Haut, about twenty at Louisbourg,[1] and more in Louisiana and Acadia.

Large garrisons were maintained at Quebec, Montreal, and New Orleans, with smaller forces guarding posts to secure the frontiers and supply routes throughout France's vast territories in North America by the eighteenth century.

During the site's operating season, they perform daily musket firings and military demonstrations and stand guard at various locations in the reconstructed eighteenth-century town.