, Québec Province, Canada (Quebec)
1660 - Adam Dollard des Ormeaux and about sixty others withstand an attack by over 500 Iroquois at Long Sault (May). It is traditionally said that the small party fights so well that the Iroquois decide not to attack Montréal.

In May 1660, Adam Dollard des Ormeaux and a small group of approximately sixty men mounted a remarkable defense against an attack by over 500 Iroquois warriors at Long Sault, along the Ottawa River. The encounter is celebrated in Canadian history as an extraordinary act of bravery and sacrifice, emblematic of the perilous conditions faced by the early settlers of New France.

Despite being heavily outnumbered, Dollard and his companions fought fiercely, using strategic positioning and firearms to hold off the much larger Iroquois force. Although most of the defenders were killed in the battle, tradition holds that their resistance delayed the Iroquois advance and prevented an immediate attack on Montréal, giving the colony time to prepare and fortify itself.

The Battle of Long Sault became a powerful symbol of courage, self-sacrifice, and the struggle of New France to maintain its settlements in the face of significant military threats. While the event’s exact historical details are sometimes debated, it is remembered as a defining moment that highlighted the dangers of frontier life, the importance of alliances with Indigenous nations, and the enduring spirit of the early French colonists.

fccs.ok.ubc.ca/ about/ links/ resources/ canadian-history/ prehistory-to-1800.html

Visit Québec Province, Canada (Quebec)
Discover the people who lived there, the places they visited and the stories they shared.