BEAUHARNAIS, Charles de la Boische de, soldier, born about 1670; died 12 June 1749. He entered the navy as a boy, and was rapidly promoted to the rank of commodore. He was made a marquis of France, governor and lieutenant-general of New France, 11 January 1726; commander of the order of St. Louis, 21 April 1732; chevalier, lieutenant-general des armies navales, 1 January 1748, at which time he was also governor of Quebec. He was thus for more than twenty years military commander of the French possessions in America. When war was declared against Great Britain by Louis XV. in 1744, he took efficient measures to fortify the approaches to Canada, and ordered the construction of the fort, afterward famous, at Crown Point.