Madeleine Takes Command

by Ethel C. Brill, Bruce Adams (Illustrator)

Madeleine Verchère's story is based on a true account of colonial French Canada of the 1690's. Harassed by Iroquois, the Verchère family's fort must keep a continual guard. Fourteen-year-old Madeleine is left alone with two younger brothers and few others when the Indians attack. We follow the brave and determined stratagems of Madeleine and her small circle. Madeleine's youthful leadership, especially of her brothers, will win the reader's admiration.

Canada, 1692.
RL6
Of read-aloud interest ages 8-up

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, School, Canada, Young Adult, Historical

202 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1946

About the author

Ethel Claire Brill was educated at the University of Minnesota, and even then was a book reviewer for a local newspaper, a precursor of her lifelong interest in books and media.

Reviews

[booklady]

An incredible and TRUE story of a 14 y/o French Canadian girl, Madeleine de Verchères, who knows her duty when she sees it, and doesn’t hesitate to do it, no matter how difficult.

This is 1692, while hostilities with the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) were on-going and Madeleine’s parents had to be away from Fort de Verchères on business; they left Madeleine in charge of the family fort. She had already lost one brother in these wars and his death was always fresh in her mind. Warriors were seen in the area and then on 22 October, she outran one to get to the gate and shut it just in time. The men and soldiers were working outside the fort that day and not so fortunate; they were taken away prisoner. So begins this epic tale!

With only the help of her two younger brothers, an elderly caretaker and another man who showed up a day into the fight, Madeleine was in charge of the resistance which literally ‘held down the fort’ and kept safe the women and children for an exhausting week. To surrender was unthinkable, for many reasons. It typically meant death for the men, a life of capture for the woman and children, not to mention, the burning of the fort, as well as a signal to continue on to the next fort down river. The resistance offered by the brave volunteers consisted of making lots of noise to trick the enemy into thinking the fort was fully manned, occasional canon fire, shooting at (almost) anything that moved outside the fort, mind-numbing all-night vigils and praying for relief.

What an inspiring heroine Madeleine was and according to this The Canadian Encyclopedia article, she could take on the courts in later life as well as she took on raiding parties in her youth. Nail-biting adventure! I look forward to sharing this with my almost one-year-old granddaughter of the same name sometime in the future! Beautiful name; amazing story and lady!

[Angie Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing story, especially knowing that it's based in historical fact! The way Madeleine took charge of a nearly hopeless situation and held out against all odds was incredible and inspiring. And I loved the loyalty and support of her little band. There were some parts, especially at the beginning, that were heavy on the history and backstory, but once the action picked up, it really picked up! An excellent portrayal of courage and perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.

Content--mentions of Indian attacks and massacres (not graphic)

[Rebekah Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
An interesting story about a real event and real people. There were some times near the beginning when the story dragged a bit because of all the history being told, but I still enjoyed it since I don’t know much at all about Canada during this time. I did find myself trying to read faster during the night watches so the characters could have morning light sooner. The courage of Madeleine and her younger brothers is truly remarkable.
There are mentions of praying to Mary and for the dead, but those things are not a big part of the story. There is one time that God’s name is used as a swear word in French.

[The other John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hate child prodigies in fiction. When some snot nose punk saves the day while all the adults stand around drooling, I just want to close the book and toss it. This book, however, is the child prodigy done right. Maybe it's because the story is true. The Madeleine of the title is Madeleine de Vercères, who lived in Quebec--or New France, as they called it--back in the late 17th Century. Her family lived in and oversaw a manor house and fort on the St. Lawrence River. It was a time when there was frequent skirmishes between the French settlers and the Iroquois Indians. Things had been peaceful for a season in their area, and folks around the fort were pretty relaxed. One day when Madeleine's father was off with the army and her mother had gone to Montreal to conduct some business, a band of Iroquois attacked. There were ten soldiers assigned to the fort, but only two happened to be in the fort when it fell under siege. Madeleine was the eldest member of her family at home and, despite the fact that she was only fourteen, assumed the responsibility of protecting the families that were able to reach the safety of the fort. It was a heroic tale, with the victory won not by any particular genius of the child, but rather through her determination and honor. Y'all should definitely check this one out.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

With her mother and father away, 14-year-old Madeleine stepped into the commander’s role when a group of Iroquois attacked. Because of her bravery, a statue of her stands on the St. Lawrence River about 20 miles downriver from Montreal. Madeleine Takes Command is her story, based largely on her own written account of that week. The story is fascinating and impressive, though at times the narrative drags. I recommend it to people studying or interested in Canadian history.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worldview - Christian - See Review

Read Aloud - 8 yrs +
Independent Reader - 10 yrs +

Setting:
Location - New France, Verchères, St. Lawrence River
Time Period - 1692


Review

Left in charge of the family seigneury, fourteen-year-old Madeleine must ensure that the habitant farmers are safe and that the fort is guarded for the sake of her family and for king and country.

The Iroquois attack without warning, killing the habitant men in the fields. Under siege, with all but two soldiers captured or killed, Madeleine must take charge. With the help of her two young brothers she must hold the fort and ensure that the women and children are kept safe and fed inside the blockhouse.

Knowing that they cannot withstand a full assault should the Iroquois mount one, the children set out to deceive them into believing they are facing a fully garrisoned fort. Together the three children and an eighty-year-old retired soldier must protect the stockade day and night, ensuring constant activity and noise. They must keep the attackers at bay, ensuring no scouts come close enough to realize the fort is essentially undefended. Two soldiers, who may go AWOL at any moment, and Monsieur Fontaine are the last line of defense to protect the women and children in the blockhouse, should the stockade fall.

An exciting story based on real events that is sure to thrill children. The courage of Madeleine and her brothers in the face of overwhelming obstacles is quite wonderful. This book presents the idea that to win a battle one does not always need to be stronger. When we are smarter we can overcome things that at first seem impossible.

The Catholic faith of the family comes through clearly in the story. It is not overly preachy, but reflects the primary faith of the people of New France at the time. They pray, both for help and in thanksgiving, trusting God with their fate, should the fort fall.

The book contains some charming pen and ink drawings that children will enjoy.


Teacher Application

A seigneury was a large parcel of land that was under the care of a landlord called a seigneur. He cared for the land on behalf of the king, allowing tenant farmers, called habitants, to work the land and live there. They payed taxes to the seigneur. The seigneur in turn, maintained a garrisoned fort to which the habitants could retreat in times of trouble. Although they had the authority to require the habitants to work for them without pay, this authority was rarely enforced in New France.



The Mohawk, who are members of the Iroquois confederation, are presented in an interesting light in this story. In most works of Canadian historical fiction, set during time period, we see the Iroquois vilified. In this book, although Madeleine does portray a degree of racism in her statement “They are ignorant and wicked”, she balances this by going on to say that the Iroquois are “God’s creatures” and that much of their behavior was retaliatory, stemming from their treatment at the hands of the settlers. Later in the book it is stated that some of the mission Iroquois who were allied with the French helped to rescue some of the settlers taken captive in this story.

As the book was written in 1946 it is not surprising to see the sentiment that in order for an aboriginal person to be civilized and respectable he must first be “converted” or “westernized”. This is something that should be discussed with students, no matter what ones beliefs are.

From a Biblical standpoint, which is the stance this book has perhaps misrepresented, we must recognize that the great commission stated “go and preach the gospel” not to go and force others to become like you. Often in traditional missionary situations, such as the colonization of North America, we see this idea that “Western” and “Christian” are one and the same, but this is not so. Biblically God loves all people and created each person. He wants to see them come to know Him, but there is nothing in the New Testament that suggests he likes or dislikes one culture or language better than others. For a very interesting read on this subject Bruchko: The Astonishing True Story of a 19-Year-Old American, His Capture by the Motilone Indians and His Adventures in Christianizing the Stone Age Tribe by Bruce Olson is both fascinating and illuminating.



Field Trip Opportunity:

The Fort and house from Madeleine’s time do not remain, but there is a statue in her honor there.
http://ville.vercheres.qc.ca/visiteur...



Parental Warning
First Nations people are treated in a less than ideal light at times. See review above.

[Jessica Claxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a read-aloud with my boys. What a story! The heroine is a 14-year-old girl, and along with her two little brothers and a elderly servant, she held off an Iroquois attack for an entire week. The children in this true story endured sleeplessness and hunger while they demonstrated amazing courage and level-headedness. It was an honor to relay Madeleine's story to my boys.

[Emily M · Rating 4 out of 5]

My girls really loved the female protagonist of this frontier tale, and the fact that it takes place in Canada rather than the US makes it feel different. They gave it an enthusiastic 4 stars.

Madeleine truly is an engaging heroine, and while the notion that she and her little brothers are braver and nobler than the working people, just because they're aristocrats, grates a bit in my adult sensibilities, my girls didn't find it odd. They're at the right ages (9-13) to take the heroism of the Vercheres children at face value. There isn't much nuance in the treatment of the Iroquois opponents, in keeping with the time in which this was written. While there are a few conversations where Madeleine challenges her brothers' black and white view of the "savages," it's not as spelled out for kids as in the Little House books. I did feel like I needed to have some discussions about European behavior to native peoples along the way. And we've now moved on to Calico Captive, which comes from the English side and has a more nuanced take on the politics of that era. These two novels are a good pairing, though I wish there was another classic book of this era written from an Iroquois perspective to round things out.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was the first book I've read about "New France," so I enjoyed learning a little bit about what that experience was like. It was also nice that this was based on a true story; it made it a little more interesting than the writing otherwise would have.

[Draper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I did not expect it to be so riveting. I also didn't expect it to be a true account of a minor military siege.

[Vicki DeLuzio · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book about something I had no idea about! more for kids (previewed for my children) but a good story..I felt it was a page turner.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading with my 11 year old grandson. Perfect for his age group.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this aloud to my 11 year old. Very good historical account. This book shows the bravery and courage of Madeleine and her brothers at such young ages (14, 12, & 10).

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story of heroism and courage from a 14 year old girl and her 10 and 12 year old brothers who held down a whole fort after an Iroquois attack. This took place in 1692 in Canada (which was called New France). A truly amazing story of strength, resilience, faith and incredible bravery!

I read this book to my daughter who is 11 and my son who is 10. They both rated this book 5 stars. This book starts off a little slow but soon the excitement makes you not want to put it down! This is a great book to read to your kids as the children true character!

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written story of a true account concerning a fourteen year old girl who holds off a indian attack in New France (Canada).
With her father in Montrial, her mother just left on a business trip, and all but two of the garrison captured or killed while on a hunting expedition, it is up to Madeline, her two younger brothers, a family servent, the two untrustworthy garrison men and a neighboring man to hold the fort together from the Iroque tribe.
Based off of the true tale, this was very interesting and well written.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better books that I've been required to read.

3.5 stars

[Rachel Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, historically accurate story of the girl who saved the French settlements in Canada.

[Pamela Bronson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an exciting account of how a 14-year-old girl in 17th century New France (Quebec) literally held the fort against fierce enemies for a week, aided in the defense mostly by her two younger brothers and an old man.

It's well written and is considered a novel, though the events are apparently true, at least in outline.

I found it interesting and moving. I can easily imagine a teen or tween reading the whole thing in three or four hours, particularly since it's rather suspenseful.

I was a bit frustrated by the lack of a map, especially in an early chapter which described the pattern of raids. I found an interactive map of Southern Quebec on Wikipedia which was helpful, I think in the Montreal article. The seigneury of Vercheres which Madeleine and her men defended is today a Montreal suburb.

Today the portrayal of the Mohawk Indians attacking the settlements might be considered racist and it did bother me somewhat. At least the word "savage" isn't used - they are sometimes called fierce and ferocious. But I think it's true to history. Various native groups did commit atrocities in that time and place. And the reader is given some perspective: in the beginning of the book, Madeleine reminds her little brother of terrible things the French have done to Indians. In the epilogue we read how Christian Indians were able to free French prisoners from their fellow tribesmen. I suspect the main problem was that the English and French settlers, squabbling over territory in North America, made allies of different tribes and used them as proxies against the settlers of the other nation, besides the natives' natural resentment against tribal hunting grounds being appropriated and turned into farms.

If I were reading this to a child or gave it to a child to read on their own, I would definitely want to put it in the context of European settlers' crimes against the natives and balance it with other books from a native point of view.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. I love this book because it tells of such a grand period in Canada’s history. My ancestors lived around this time, and it’s fascinating & inspiring to see what they fought & faced. I loved how natural this story is. The language is perfect; as a French-Canadian, I can vouch for the fact that though speaking in English, the characters sound perfectly French and perfectly from that era, too. The story is exciting, pulls you into it right away, and describes things so well you can see them. There is of course some praying to Mary & once for dead people; a mention of a guardian angel; a French blasphemy; a mention of witches; and a claim that “God is merciful to those who are brave & do their best.” Other than that, it’s an amazing book. I highly recommend it, especially for young children. They’ll probably love it all their lives. ;)

A Favourite Quote: “Death at the hands of the Mohawks, or captivity—could anything be worse than that? Yes, she told herself, to be a coward, to be untrue to her trust, would be worse. For her to seek safety in the blockhouse, to leave the fort to its fate before it had been actually attacked, would be to betray her trust, to betray her people, her home, her father and mother, her country. If the seigneury forts should fall, what would become of New France? Even the capture of one fort would increase the confidence and boldness of the enemy, They must hold Verchères if they could.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “Beneath the soft blue of the sky, the river flowed as peacefully as though its waters had never been lashed by sweeping winds or fretted by pelting hail. A blue-white haze softened the deep green of the spruce and pine, the winter brown of the oaks, and the black pencilling of bare-branched trees on the islands…. In the west the tender blue merged into pale green, low-lying clouds were tinted with rose and lavender and mauve.”

[Megan Myrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read with my daughter for history. It really is an amazing story and I enjoy anecdotal history so I am glad that we read it. There was a lot of discuss after we read it: bravery, perseverance, existing on meager food and protection, relations between the Native Americans and the colonists. I think I learned a lot alongside of Olivia. The writing style and content is appropriate for children. However, I think the story could have been told in half of the chapters. We found ourselves sighing and eyerolling toward the end when several successive chapters detailed night patrols and threat of Indian raids in grueling repetitive detail. If you take this on with your kiddo be prepared to fight through some boredom.

[Elkaza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this Middle Aged, living book based on the true account of a very brave 14-year-old Madeleine Verchère, living in New France, left with only her 2 younger brothers, and a few other Men to defend their seigneury – small fort from the native Indians - Mohawks, who were attacking the front.

I learnt so much from this book, not knowing much about the history of New France, which would become Canada, who at this time was at war with England. Madeleine was a very young brave little girl, who stood up when needed, having to become the leader. She is a very good role models for all children, who used her faith to get her through the very hard and stressful challenge, she was facing.

[Elisabeth Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my kids as a read aloud. We all loved it so much. It’s historical fiction based on a true story and real people. All the events actually happened which made it so much better for the kids. It’s a story of the strength and courage of a big sister to keep her brothers safe. And of her two little brothers who work along side her to accomplish the mission of protecting their home. They had an old man to help and a neighbor but it was the courage and determination of the girl that made it happen.

**It would make a great audiobook if your kids love audio stories**

[Heather-Keith Huighe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction book that was originally published in 1946. So with that said, it was definitely a window into 1692 with a 1946 perspective. Young Madeline (a real historical person) was left to defend her family's fort while her father was in the military and her mother was away on business. Native Americans are referred to as Indians and savages in this book. However, it helped open the conversation for me and my children about why Native Americans were called Indians and savages back then and how it was not accurate and very hurtful to them. Overall, while dated, this book offered an interesting and eye opening look into that period of history.

[Dogeared Wanderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction is based on the French Canadians in the late 1600s, the true story of Madeleine de Vercheres.

Madeleine was only 14 years old when she and her younger brothers defended her family's fort for an entire week against the Mohawks while her parents were away getting supplies. Her character was proven by the way she took responsibility and made decisions even though she was afraid. Mistakes were made simply because of her youth, but her quick-thinking and improvisation was often the difference between life and death.

[Amy Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book from Bethlehem Books. It did get bogged down sometimes in descriptions of setting, and I think it could have gotten to the Indian attack as well as through it a bit quicker, but overall it was good and very exciting in many places. Went great with studying the colonial era of history in N. America, especially if you're using SOTW3.

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thought it was good. for me personally, sometimes it was a bit boring... however the more you read it the more interesting it gets. i think it’s a good book though, and i especially like Madeleine!!!! i don’t really think there was a point of Antione... maybe if he was Madeleine’s love interest or contributed more to the story i would have given it a 5 stars

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1692 the French Canadian frontier was just settled. This is the compelling story of the survival of 14-year-old Madeleine, left at the family fort to watch over her smaller siblings. Suddenly an Indian attack is upon them. A great work of historical fiction. Candace read 3/09....excellent, astounding!

[Bumbleonwardbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly engaging-great for boys! My 11 year old has ripped through this!! I think he is going to finish it in 2 maybe 3 days. “Mom may I just finish this chapter? Then I’ll sleep.” Story is very interesting-“Mom, is this Really true??” Great way to actually learn history and actually understand how leaders think and act. Better than any So called leadership class…

[Abigail Westbrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible true story of courage and endurance! I am only giving it 4 stars because it seemed to drag a little now and then, and because I struggled with the French names and words - a pronunciation guide would have been a great help. It was not our top favorite read aloud for the year, but still very good.

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction based on the true story of a 14 year old girl, who, along with her 10 and 12 year old brothers and a couple of soldiers, defended their home in Canada against the Mohawk for nearly a week before reinforcements arrived.