Fur Trader Charles Langlade-Fighting for the British 1777. (Part 2)

May 15, 2026

The year is now 1777. Washington's continental army has taken a beating in the previous year but has recently had their spirits lifted from their victories at the Battle of Trenton in the famous crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Eve. While the east often gets the most attention the war on the frontier looked very different. Battles were fought with much smaller armies and natives often took the side of the British. Some battles include the attack on Fort Randolph followed by an attack in Greenbriar (now West Virginia) and Boonsborough where Daniel Boone famously escaped the capture of Shawnee War Chief Blackfish and made his way to the fort to warn them of impending attacks. Battles like these were common among frontier warfare during the Revolution and Charles Langlade was in the midst always eager to fight.

During the interim years between the French and Indian War and the Revolution, Langlade took up his usual occupation of trading furs. He settled in Green Bay and used the Fox River as his main route of travel. As a devout Catholic he would make the trip to Fort Michilimackac on occasion with his family for a Catholic service. When the war broke out he jumped into action by leading a band of native warriors to reinforce the General Burgoyne at Saratoga, but he was too little too late. The General surrendered to American General Horatio Gates and Langlade's band of Indians dissolved.

In 1778 another famous frontiersman, "Conqueror of the Old Northwest" Colonel George Rogers Clark captured the last two British strongholds in the Illinois Country. Rumors had it that George Rogers Clark was then headed to Detroit and Michilimackinac. To stop this Charles Langlade was then summoned to Michilimackinac and to bring a band of native warriors to defend the fort. Langlade had difficulty getting any support from the natives because of George Rogers Clark's reputation and his ability to win on the battlefield which disheartened the natives. When he finally did get support through appealing to their bravery they set out to oppose Colonel Clark but they soon learned that Colonel Clark was not on the move to Detroit and the native band of warriors dissolved yet again.

Attacking St. Louis.

Another movement led by Charles Langlade developed when his superior ordered him to meet up with another British Force mostly comprised of native warriors and attack the Spanish settlement of Pancor (modern day St. Louis) and the small settlement of Cahokia across the Mississippi River. British intelligence suggested the town was undefended however spies were unable to gain any more intelligence during the day prior to the attack due to activity by the settlers around the fort in the fields collecting crops because of the Feast of Corpus Christi. Not only this but the Americans had obtained intelligence of British movements and began to reinforce the area.

On May 26th, 1780 at 1pm the British forces attacked despite the lack of intelligence or with the aid of Langlade's forces who were once again, arriving late. When Langlade's forces did arrive they helped attack the Cahokia settlement but soon realized that the attack would not be fruitful because of George Clarks men who defended the town. The British retreated from St. Louis and Cahokia, destroying crops and livestock on the way. The Americans put together a force to pursue the British Forces but never caught up with them.

This was Langelade's last efforts in the war and upon the war ending he went back home to Green Bay and took up his position as Captain of the Indian Department for the region. He faithfully executed his position under the new American Government until his death. Publius Lawson in the book, "Bravest of the Brave, Captain Charles De Langlade" reports that he caught a cold that sapped the last of his energy and died on March 15th 1800. Other reports suggest that he lived until sometime after July of 1801. Whatever the case, he was buried with his father and his name lives on throughout Wisconsin.

Fur Trader: Alexander Henry (Part 1)

Further Reading:

Alexander Henry's Travels and Adventures in the Years (1760-1776)

"The Bravest of the Brave, Captain Charles De Langlade" by Publius D. Lawson

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