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Pierre Maisonnat dit Baptiste (born in Bergerac, France 1663 in Bergerac, Died in Acadia after August 1714) was a French privateer famous for the success he had in defending Acadia against New England raids and privateers.^[1]

King William's War

Battle of Port Royale (1690)

During King William's War, Baptiste fought in the Battle of Port Royal. On May 9, 1690 Sir William Phipps attacked the capital of Acadia Port Royal, Nova Scotia with a fleet of seven vessels and 700 men. Baptiste was among only 85 men defending an unfinished fortfication at Port Royal. (p.28) After spending 12 days pillaging Port Royal, the forces of New England went on to wreck havoc on the rest of Acadia, including: Castine, La Harve, Chedabucto and the settlements at the head of the Bay of Fundy. Baptist was taken prisoner along with other Acadians but shortly after escaped. ^[2] After the battle, Acadian Governor Villebon moved the capital of Acadia was moved from Port Royal to Jemseg, New Brunswick at Fort Jemseg (1690) and then to Fort NaVillebon, who moved the seat of the Acadian government from Port Royal, first to Fort Jemseg in 1690, and then Fort Nashwaak in 1692. (near present day Fredericton, New Brunswick), where Fort St. Joseph was built.

The ship Bonne (1694-95)

Upon Baptiste return to Acadia, the Governor of Acadia Joseph Robineau de Villebon commissiioned him to protect Acadian interests as a privateer. Baptiste set off to prey on the busy and dangerous shipping lanes off Boston Harbour. On his first mission, he took eight ships, including a brigantine within site of Boston.(p.30) He received much praise from the Governor of New France Comte de Frontenac.

As a result of his success, Baptiste was given command of a fast warship named the Bonne. In early June 1694, Baptist arrived at Cape Sable, Nova Scotia and scattered the New England fishing fleet, taking five vessels into St. John River.(p.31) He followed up this initiative in July by returning to Boston and sank a few vessels that were too small to be worthwhile prizes, while capturing three that were. Six months later, Janary 1695, he returned to St. John River with more prizes he had captured. Fear of Baptiste is reported to have keep 400 New Englander fishing vessels tired up guarding their coasts. (p. 32)

On May 24, 1695, returning from Boston with more prizes, Baptiste ran into a English war ship. Baptiste ran his vessel agound and fought. Cannon fire raged throughout the da, the English ship was crippling Bonne. Having lost the ship Bonne, Baptiste went ashore and walked to Villebon. (p.32-33)

The d'Iberville Expedition (1696)

In the summer of 1696, Baptiste lead Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville's Expedition out of Acadia to create a land and sea attack against the frontier strong holds on the New England coast. After havig captured two frigates at the mouth of St. John River, the first target was the vitally important port at Pemaquid, Maine (present day Bristol, Maine). The port was protected by Fort William Henry. (p. 33) Baptiste and the Expedition soundly destroyed the Fort and dismantled it. Governor of Acadia Joseph Robineau de Villebon being and Fort St. Joseph (sometimes called Fort Nashwaak because it is located at the mouth of the Nashwaak River close to present day Fredericton, New Brunswick) became a source of torment for the settlers of New England.

In the first half of 1691, he had siezed eight vessels. IN 1694, over a three noh period he captured 10 vessels.

Siege of Fort St. Joseph (1696)

In 1696 an expedition under command of Colonel Hawthorne and Major Benjamin Church (military officer) set out to destroy the Capital of Acadia and Fort St. Joseph. Villebon had been alerted and prepared his defences. On October 18 the British troops arrived opposite the fort, landed three canons and assembled earthworks on the south bank of the Nashwaak River.^[3] Baptiste was there to defend the the Capital.^[4] Baptiste joined the Indians and put himself at their head for the duration of the siege. There was a fierce exchange of fire for two days, with the advantage going to the better sited French guns. The New Englanders were defeated, having suffered 8 killed and 17 wounded. The French lost one killed and two wounded.

until 1697, when, coming to cape Sable to trade there, he was taken by captain Baptiste, and brought to the fort of Naxoat, (Nachouac.) Villebon, having been ordered to collect experienced pilots, thought he ought to treat Basset gently.^[5]

Grand Pre Crew

By withdrawing from the Siege of Fort Nashwaak, the British gave up two small boats. Baptiste used them to head to Grand Pre, NS. While in Grand Pre he armed the vessels and recruited Acadian crew members to make a descent on the coast of Nova England.

March 1697 Baptiste had captured six fishing shallops (English) within three leagues from Casco Bay. Famine prevailing in New England, he found no provisions, except fish on board them.^[6]

He returned to Grand Pre for supplies and said the Wed, May 17

In 1867, Villebon sent Baptiste to raid the New England ports. Baptist was the first time Baptiste was imprisoned in Boston for six months. This time he was caught and brought to Boston where he was kept prisoner for some time even after they had received the news of the signing of the Treaty of Rijswijk. In a letter addressed to Count Bellomont, dated June 8, 1698, Frontenac requires the release of Baptist and June 21, Villebon posting it back to the St. John River. A few years later, Baptiste Martel and parted.

Port Royal

December 1698 Baptiste has come back to Port Royal from Boston, where he was a prisoner. Villebon suggests he should be made captain of a small coast guard' vessel. He would be a good land officer, and VillebOn has made him captain of the Militia at Port Royal.^[7]

Imprisonment in Boston

New Englanders had captured Baptiste for a third time in 1702. Queen Anne is reported to have ordered that no prisoners were to be exchanged and that Baptiste was to be hanged, because he was an officer of the garrison of Port Royal who had been made prisoner in the previous time of peace, and who had then failed to recover his freedom, on the ground of his being a pirate, (corsair.) On hearing this, Governor of Plaisance (Placentia), Newfoundland Jacques-François de Monbeton de Brouillan sent an express messenger to Boston, to declare to the governor that the he would retaliate if Baptiste was killed. This saved Baptiste's life.^[8]

It is kept in strict seclusion on Castle Island (Massachusetts) until 1706,^[9] when he was exchanged for the New England prisoner, the Rev. John Williams (Reverend), captured during the Deerfield Massacre (1704).

Beaubassin

Difficulties in obtaining Baptiste's release, also lead to the delay in the return to Acadian of Noel Doiron. Baptiste eventually returned to Acadia in 1706 and settled in Beaubassin. Subsequently he was appointed captain of the port and sailed along the coast between Port Royal and Plaisance (Placentia). In 1709 and 1711 he participated in the arming of privateers in Piacenza and in 1714 he gave his opinion on the site of a stronghold in the Isle Royale (Cape Breton).

References

Endnotes

^ Baptiste married an Acadian woman in Port Royal, Nova Scotia (c.1693). He seems to have already had a child with a woman in France, both of whom he brought from France to Acadia three years later (1696). His wife, Judith Soubiron, after giving birth in Acadia to two children, Pierre and Jean, died in Port Royal on Oct. 19, 1703, while Baptiste was imprisoned in Boston. Upon his return from Boston, on January 12, 1707, Baptiste remarried, this time a widow, Marguerite Bourgeois, born in Port Royal, the daughter of Jacques Bourgeois, first of the name in Acadia.
^ Clarence d'Entremont. Baptist the Rascal. Yarmouth Vanguard. March 7, 1989.
^ , near where the Fort Nashwaak Motel now stands
^ For details on the Siege see Beamish Murdoch, pp. 228-231
^ Beamish Murdoch, p. 241
^ Beamish Murdoch, p. 234
^ Murdoch, p. 243
^ Murdoch, p.255
^ Murdoch, p. 279

Primary Texts

W. Austin Squires. Pierre Maisonnat dit Baptiste, Dictionary of Canadian Biography. 2000 University of Toronto / Université Laval
Roger Marsters. 2004. A Corsiar on the Border. Bold Privateers: Terror, Plunder and Profit on Canada's Atlantic Coast. pp. 25-36
BAPTISTE WAS SAID TO HAVE A WIFE IN EVERY PORT Yarmouth Vanguard, March 14, 1989
Beamish Murdoch. A History of Nova Scotia or Acadia. Vol.1, 1865. p. 215

External links

Canadian Biography - Baptiste

[1] Baptiste married an Acadian woman in Port Royal, Nova Scotia (c.1693). He seems to have already had a child with a woman in France, both of whom he brought from France to Acadia three years later (1696). His wife, Judith Soubiron, after giving birth in Acadia to two children, Pierre and Jean, died in Port Royal on Oct. 19, 1703, while Baptiste was imprisoned in Boston. Upon his return from Boston, on January 12, 1707, Baptiste remarried, this time a widow, Marguerite Bourgeois, born in Port Royal, the daughter of Jacques Bourgeois, first of the name in Acadia.

[2] Clarence d'Entremont. Baptist the Rascal. Yarmouth Vanguard. March 7, 1989.

[3] , near where the Fort Nashwaak Motel now stands

[4] For details on the Siege see Beamish Murdoch, pp. 228-231

[5] Beamish Murdoch, p. 241

[6] Beamish Murdoch, p. 234

[7] Murdoch, p. 243

[8] Murdoch, p.255

[9] Murdoch, p. 279

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@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ===Battle of Port Royale (1690)===
-During [[King William's War]], Baptiste fought in the Battle of Port Royal. On May 9, 1690 [[Sir William Phipps]] attacked the capital of Acadia [[Port Royal, Nova Scotia]] with a fleet of seven vessels and 700 men. Baptiste was among only 85 men defending an unfinished fortfication at Port Royal. (p.28)   After spending 12 days pillaging Port Royal, the forces of New England went on to wreck havoc on the rest of Acadia, including: Castine, La Harve, Chedabucto and the settlements at the head of the Bay of Fundy.  Baptist was taken prisoner along with other Acadians but shortly after escaped.   <ref>Clarence d'Entremont. Baptist the Rascal. ''Yarmouth Vanguard.'' March 7, 1989.</ref> Two years after the battle, the capital of Acadia was moved from Port Royal to [[Jemseg, New Brunswick]] (near present day [[Fredericton, New Brunswick]]), where Fort St. Joseph was built.
+During [[King William's War]], Baptiste fought in the Battle of Port Royal. On May 9, 1690 [[Sir William Phipps]] attacked the capital of Acadia [[Port Royal, Nova Scotia]] with a fleet of seven vessels and 700 men. Baptiste was among only 85 men defending an unfinished fortfication at Port Royal. (p.28)   After spending 12 days pillaging Port Royal, the forces of New England went on to wreck havoc on the rest of Acadia, including: Castine, La Harve, Chedabucto and the settlements at the head of the Bay of Fundy.  Baptist was taken prisoner along with other Acadians but shortly after escaped.   <ref>Clarence d'Entremont. Baptist the Rascal. ''Yarmouth Vanguard.'' March 7, 1989.</ref> After the battle, Acadian Governor Villebon moved the capital of Acadia was moved from Port Royal to [[Jemseg, New Brunswick]] at Fort Jemseg (1690) and then to Fort NaVillebon, who moved the seat of the Acadian government from Port Royal, first to Fort Jemseg in 1690, and then Fort Nashwaak in 1692. (near present day [[Fredericton, New Brunswick]]), where Fort St. Joseph was built.
 ===The ship ''Bonne'' (1694-95)===