Who commanded the French defenders at Fort Lévis in 1760?

Pierre Pouchot commanded the French defenders at Fort Lévis in 1760.

Pouchot was a French army officer and military engineer from Grenoble who served in the Régiment de Béarn. His engineering experience made him especially valuable in New France, where he worked on defenses at Fort Niagara, Fort Frontenac, and other strategic positions during the French and Indian War.

After the British conquest of Quebec and the fall of Fort Niagara, the French prepared Fort Lévis to delay Amherst's western advance toward Montreal. The Duc de Lévis ordered Pouchot to hold the position for as long as possible. Pouchot consolidated nearby resources at the island fort and directed a stubborn defense by a small garrison supported by sailors and voyageurs.

The fort endured bombardment and naval pressure for several days before Pouchot surrendered on August 24, 1760, after ammunition was exhausted. He was wounded during the battle. The fort's name can cause confusion: François Gaston de Lévis inspired its name, but he was not the officer commanding its defense; that role belonged to Pouchot.