Francois Jerret de Vercheres was a Seigneur, or large landowner, in New France, what is now Quebec. He had come from France seeking adventure on the frontier and amassed large landholdings. He eventually married Marie Perrot, herself only 12 years old at the time, and the couple had twelve children. Marie-Madeleine was fourth in birth order. The family had built a fortified settlement, much like the blockhouses and stockades on the American frontier and had a great deal of experience fending off local Iroquois tribesmen. In 1690, Marie Perrot de Vercheres commanded the defense of her family's home against the Iroquois. Which tribe this was isn't stated. Her eldest son, Francois-Michel had been killed by Natives, as had two successive husbands of her elder daughter, Marie-Jeanne.
In late October, 1692, Francois and Marie left their remaining children at home while they went into town to purchase supplies. Madeleine was the eldest. Soon after the parents left, other Settlers at the fort went outside the walls to tend the fields, guarded by 8 soldiers. Madeleine was in a cabbage patch near the fort's gate. The Iroquois attacked, quickly subduing the adults in the fields beyond the fort. Madeleine made a run for the fort's gate. A warrior caught hold of her scarf or neckerchief and it tore away in his hand, giving her time to sprint to safety and close the gates. As she reached the fort, she began calling out, aux armes, to arms!, to warn any soldiers remaining to combat the danger. Madeleine encouraged the panicked people inside the fort to fire muskets and make noise, trying to convince the Natives outside that there were more soldiers on hand then there really were. She also ordered a cannon fired to warn nearby forts and possibly summon help.
The Iroquois were momentarily tricked by the ruse, knowing they'd lost the element of surprise but unaware that their adversary was a teenager with several smaller brothers and sisters, a few other women, and at best one or two men on hand to defend the fort. She noticed a canoe on the nearby river with a family inside, unaware of their danger. Overruling the soldiers left at the fort, Madeleine had the gate opened long enough for this family to come inside. As night fell, it was time to let the cattle into the fort. Madeleine was aware that the Natives might use this opportunity to sneak or force their way into the fort. With her brothers on the lookout for any Native wrapped in a freshly killed hide, she let the cattle inside.
Little did she know but help was on the way. A small body of soldiers from Montreal arrived, to be greeted by a young girl who greeted them in grand style, "Monsieur, I surrender my arms to you." As romantic as it sounded, the lieutenant in command understood that it was the physical weapons on hand she was surrendering, not herself. No romantic beginnings here. Her surprised parents returned and learned of Madeleine's Home Alone adventure. In 1700, her father died and it was Madeleine, not her brothers or her mother, who received his pension and control of his land claims or seigneury, on condition that she provide for her mother, which she did. In 1706, she married Thomas de Lanougiere, the son of a French family of noble birth who had also acquired a great deal of land in New France. Real estate legalities occupied much of her time, and Thomas trusted her enough that Madeleine sailed to France twice to represent both of them trying to iron out her ownership of Vercheres and his to various portions of land in her inheritance. She died at age 69, with her husband following 10 years later.
A statue of Madeleine stands near where her family's stockade stood, at Vercheres Point near Montreal. She was designated a Person of National Significance by Canada in 1923. By that time her story had been told and retold. Madeleine wrote two accounts of her story. Others added to what she wrote. Though the details have been rehashed and embellished over time, the basic facts remained the same.
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