Halifax Sepf
N. B. The subjectjt should seem, was referred by the Council to Mr Morris, as best acquainted with the Country and the inhabitants. He wrote this report in conséquence, little honourable to his heart, as it is replète with unjustifiable strata^em, (cruel advice) and barbarous Counsel. His ideasare Sound, but was he mild or humane ? I found this puper among the Council aies relating to the Acadian removal. From it I corrected a less porfect copy put into my hands by his son, & from it got this transcript taken.
(Note écrite de la main du Dr Brown.)
138 LE CAKADA-FRAKÇAIS
Mode of desarming thb Acadians. ^
During the siège of Beausejour under the Command of General Monckton while many of the Neutrals of the distant districts of'Mines Canard Des Habitants Cobequid &c had taken up arms for annoying his Majestys Troops on that Expédition — ^it waa thought advisable to Draw the Teeth of ail the Neutrals in the Province by a seizure of their arms & amunition which in thèse Parts was Effected with great secrecy & Expédition — by a Detachment of 100 men from His Majestys Out-Garrison of Fort Edward-Pissiquid joined by another from Halifax consisting of 50 men — marched from Fort Edward undec the Command of Captain Alex»" Murray the Commanding officer of Fort Edward — reporting among the soldiers & men tha^ they were going to Annapolis Royal and as going thither marched about twenty five mile to a Bridge over w°^ they were to cross and take another course into Cornwallîs — calculating their time so as to get there about sun sett — leaying at this Bridge a Guard of men to prevent any of the Neutrals from passing or repassing & making ail Prisoners who came with Gnn Shot — dividing into saveral Parties the Remainder of the Detachment so as to proceed into Cornwallis by the several Roads that Led to Each Village even to the Remotest Part of those several Rivers where there was any settlements and as had been customary bejore lodged the men in the French House but with this différence instead of the whole Party lodging in a Barn — they separated and two or three men only in a house as tho they meant to lodge there that night and by this method every house in ail those settlements not only had two or three soldiers in it but also every place where they forded the River Centinels were place toStop & Seize ail whom might attempt to pass — the Instructions given to the several commissiond & non commissiond Officers was that at the hour of twelve in the dead of night was to foUow & do what the leader dit which was to take possesion of ail the arms they saw
1. Britiah Muséum. — Dr A. Brown's MS. — Papers relating to Nova Sootia, 1749-1790.— Add. MSS., vol. 19073, in-4% fol. 121.
En tête de ce manuscrit se trouve la note suivante de la main du Dr Brown.
'' I hâve the date of this from a Pétition. It occurred about the middleof June. — Mode of desarming the Acadians — Judge Deschamps présent. One of the partys prétend? a fishing frolic on the river.
DOCUMENTS SUR l'ACADIE 139
or could find in such Houses — this Instruction being strictly complyed with they were to march back the same road they went untill they ail met at the above mentioned Bridge — in like manner — was done at every House in ail the other districts — and the next morning the whole Detachment met together at the Landing Place where Fort Vieux Logis was Erected Each soldiers loaded with Fire armsPowderHorns &c and thèse arms put on board of a small vessel detaind there for the purpose of carrying the fire arms from thence to the Garrison of Fort Edward Pissiquid, thatin the course of two days four hundred ^ muskets was thus taken from those Neutrals <fe secured in Fort Edward — which being done the Governor & Council o»derd it to be Published among the Inhabitants and advertizement ^ wrote in French that any family or Person or Persons that had any fire arms remains^ among them who neglected to bring them into his majesty Garrison of Fort Edward within a limited time should be treated as Rebells to His Majesty — ^this ^ being done the Neutrals thinking themselves much Injured wrote a very Impudent letter or writing to the Governor & Council Purporting that while Government continued to allow them the Priviledges that the British Government neither had a Right or in their Power to deprive them of— they would behave as faithful neutrals to His Britanîck Majesty. This letter was signed by ail the Deputies of this Part of the Province and by most of the Inhabitants & in particular by ail the Leading men and a spirit of resentment appeared in the Countenance of Every Neutral French Inhabitant with threats that spoke the temper of their Rebellions minds — ^the Governor & Council (with the advice of Admirai Boscawen * who then had his Squadron at Halifax & was in Council) issued orders that the Deputies and other Signers âhould be sent to Halifax there to take the Oath of Alegiance to His Britanick Majesty ^. Some of them did go down in July 1755 but refused to take the Oath of Alegiance every man of
1. Judffe Deschamps examined. . . .2900 stand of artns ; too many by far. (Note de la main da Dr Brown.)
2. I Hâve ths advertisem^ a new outrage. (Note de la main du Dr Brown.)
3. Language of a Coun^ tho* poor Gray is not of that order. (Note de la main du Dr Brown.)
4. I am uncertain whether Admirai Boscawen was there that year or not but I think it was Admirai Boscawen who advised in Council to the measure of sending the Neutrals out of the Province & a^reed to take ail blâme on himself. (Note du manuscrit.)
5. The Oath of Neutrality Required of the French ia among the Records in Mr Bulkeleys Office. (Note du manuscrit.)
Pains taken
them Refused wîth a most contemptuous look of resentment Wherefore they were ail sent Prisoners the Calculation was two to a Ton averaged for 0 Id and young Including Infants as one. ^
Great pains was taken to collect familles and relations that they migh t betogether in oneShip — and not a day passed without fuUy informing them of this andof what vessel they were to go on board of and the day when they were to Embark — and the Commanding officers very Earnestly Entreating with them to dispose of such part of their moveables asthey had, and to Pack-up their appareil and such other matters as they wished to carry with them, but such was the Phrensy of thèse Defeated I ^®^P^® ^^^^ ^^® greater Part gave themselves no I trouble about the matter — conceiving that Government dare not sent them away — ^and instead of securing what AcADiAN money A apparel they had to take with them OBSTINARY (fec. — they fiUed their Chests with Linnen A other apparel and hid them in the woods — many of them buried considérable quantity of Dollars in the Earth — & other matters in Wells which were afterwards found by the English — no argument or persuasion would prevail with them to believe that Govern^ DARE send them away. On the day appointed for their Embarkation, many heads of familles were mlssing notwithstanding the great Gare to prevent any of the inpmon'd men from making their Escape — however great was the trouble and vexation which they gave the Commanding Officer yet every officer of the Garrison Commiserating their situation — perseverd with great Patience to collect and hâve family connections Embark together — but the utmost Efforts could not prevent their seperating for after they were Embarkd — seventeen of the men made their Escape in one night from on board of one vessel — and more or less from ail the vessels during the whole^ time between Embarking and sailing — some of them would corne on board agaln some days after of themselves & croud in where others had Embarked to fill up the vacancys of the deserted that it waa absolutely impossible to keep familys together, and being then late in the season that every days delay renderd it dangerous — ^and from the cause above mentioned— Such as was taken before the Sailing of the Transports were put on board of such vessels where désertion made Vacancies for them and was
1. Ml* Bulkely can furnish you ^tli an Exact List of ail the Transports wh carried thèse People away and the number of Neutrals as the Retuma was made to hiin. (Note du manuscrit.)
the cause and the only cause why families were seperated — or ^ny Branch of the Families seperated.
On the 29 Octr 1755 the Fleet saild from the Rendezvous in the Bason of Mines under the Convoy of His Majestys Ship the Nightingale Captain Diggs — ^the Snow Halifax Captain Taggart — the armd Schooner Warron Captain Adams — ^with the Transports as foUows —
Fromwhom embarked
Tons
Men
rSloop
Ranger
Capt PlERCY
Piasiqaid -
Sloop
Dolphin
Capt Farnam
j Schoonr
N^tune
Capt Davis
[Schoonr
Three Friénd
Capt Cabule
'Sloop
Seaflotoer
Capt DONNELL
Embarked
Sloop
Hannah
Capt Adams
Schoonei
• Léopard
Capt Church
au
Sloop
MiLBURY
Mines
Sloop
Midly <h Sarah Haslum
Mary
Denky
Prosperous
Bragdon
Canard
Endeavour
Jn Stonb
Indudry
