Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre (October 24, 1701 - September 8, 1755) was a Canadian colonial military commander and explorer who held posts throughout North America in the 18th century, just before and during the French and Indian War.

[1] It is believed that Jacques spent a number of years there with his father where he obtained an excellent knowledge of the Indian languages and the business conducted in the trading posts.

Because of his skills as an interpreter, his early active duty involved building loyalty and support among the Ojibwa, Cree, and Sioux to assist the French in future campaigns against other Indian tribes.

From 1734 to 1737, he was commandant at Fort Beauharnois (on Lake Pepin, along the present day Wisconsin-Minnesota border) and caught in the middle of tribal rivalries.

From 1745–1747 he was stationed at Montreal and carried out many military assignments, including a raid on the British colonial settlement of Saratoga, New York.

[4] Returning from the western forts in 1753, Saint-Pierre was assigned to the Ohio Country, where the French and Canadians were building a strong presence in order to deal with the economic threat posed by British fur traders.

In 1755 Jacques led a large contingent of militia and Indians from Montreal into a battle at Lac du Saint-Sacrement (as Lake George, New York was then known) and was immediately killed.