French marching tunes of the Troops de Terre & Colonial French forces
The French like many other armies of the time marched to the beat of a drum to help keep the cadence at a fixed pace. As a supplument to the drum many songs have a definitive rhythm that can be marched to. Some of the songs based on mainly oral tradition are:
malbrough s'en va t-en guerre (Malbrough goes to war)
a la claire fontaine (By the clear fountain)
Isabeau s'y promene (Different names but one which comes up as 'du canada')
Aupres de ma blonde (Close to m gal)
en passant par Lorraine (Passing through Lorraine)
From the records of Fort de Chartres in Illinois the following songs are listed in the book
Petit rocher de la haute montagne (Little rock atop the mountain crest)
Courrier, Courrier qu'y a-t-il de nouveau? (Courier, Courier, say what news hast there?
La Guillannee
Other music that dates from the time period that ma or may not be appropriate, check the date if possible. Remember though many songs have a long lineage where the tune sounds/stays the same but the words change. E.G. 'Malbrough' circa Charles IX probably around 1704, became 'The bear went over the mountian', and then 'For he's a jollly good fellow'.
je suis t'un pauvre conscriti (I am a poor conscript)
gironfla, gare a gare
la lettre de Pelot de Betton
la Tempete
Coin du Ciel
Les Chevaliers du Guet
Supplumental information
From correspondence with Louis Valiquette of Le Détachement de la colonie during the summer of 2003
One has to be carefull because lots of French songs have been written in the 1770-1780 for the French Revolution or even in the early 19th century (one of them I hear to much is "Le 31 du mois d'août" (with the famous "A la sante du roi de France et merde pour le roi d'angleterre qui nous a déclaré la guerre - Cheers to the king of France and damn the King of England who declares war on us).
Playing them with a fifer and a drummer would be unappropriated because the only thing that these guys are supposed to play during marches is "Aux Champs".
After they played it over and over, drummers would put the tambour on their shoulder and only one of them will play the beat.
As for fife player, it would be the worst job ever since:
1 - They were only a few (probably none in detachements outside Quebec, Montreal and Louisbourg)
2 - When they played, drummers would make more noise than them and finally
3 - They were only playing the melody for some of the drummer's call.
Seeing fife player playing during marches is, according to my researches, not appropriate.
Use the search engine with "chansons" or "songs" and you will find a lot a early books from the 19th century with old french songs.
References:
Canadian Microfilm ArchivesArchives of Canada and France
Email correspondence between Brian Smith and Louis Valiquette
All the songs above are available from the webmaster in sheet music form. Please email smithbj@nga.mil for copies.