Louis joseph de montcalm biography of alberta

French soldier

Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Gozon, Marquis de Montcalm de Saint-Veran (French pronunciation:[lwiʒozɛfdəmɔ̃kalmɡozɔ̃]; 28 February 1712 – 14 September 1759) was a French soldier best known as the commander of the forces in North America during the Seven Years' War (whose North American theatre is also referred to as the French and Indian War).

Montcalm was born in Candiac near Nîmes in France to a noble family, and entered military service early in life. He saw service in the War of the Polish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession, where his distinguished service led to promotion to brigadier general.

In 1756, King Louis XV sent him to New France to lead its defence against the British in the Seven Years' War. Montcalm met with notable successes in 1756, 1757 and 1758, but British mobilisation of large numbers of troops against New France led to military setbacks in 1758 and 1759 (when, in January, he was promoted