Jump to content

Duc d'Anville expedition: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Samuel Scott - Action Between Nottingham And Mars 1746.jpg|thumb|right|500px|[[Samuel Scott (painter)|Samuel Scott]]'s ''Action between [[HMS Nottingham (1703)|HMS Nottingham]] and the Mars.'' ''Le Mars'' was returning to France after the failed [[Duc d'Anville Expedition]], 11 October 1746 and was subsequently captured]]
[[Image:Samuel Scott - Action Between Nottingham And Mars 1746.jpg|thumb|right|500px|[[Samuel Scott (painter)|Samuel Scott]]'s ''Action between [[HMS Nottingham (1703)|HMS Nottingham]] and the Mars.'' ''Le Mars'' was returning to France after the failed [[Duc d'Anville Expedition]], 11 October 1746 and was subsequently captured]]
{{Campaignbox War Of Austrian Succession: King George's War}}
{{Campaignbox War Of Austrian Succession: King George's War}}
The '''Duc d'Anville Expedition''' (June-October 1746) was sent from France to recapture Acadia from the British by conquering the capital [[Annapolis Royal]]. The Expedition was the largest military force ever set sail for the New World prior to the [[American Revolution]].<ref>James Pritchard (1995). ''Anatomy of a Naval Disaster: The 1746 French Expedition to North America''. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal. p. 11</ref> The effort to take the capital was also supported on land by the formitable De Ramezay Expedition from Quebec.
The '''Duc d'Anville Expedition''' (June-October 1746) was sent from France to recapture [[Acadia]]/ [[Nova Scotia]] from the British by conquering the capital [[Annapolis Royal]]. The Expedition was the largest military force ever set sail for the New World prior to the [[American Revolution]].<ref>James Pritchard (1995). ''Anatomy of a Naval Disaster: The 1746 French Expedition to North America''. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal. p. 11</ref> The effort to take the capital was also supported on land by the formitable De Ramezay Expedition from Quebec.


Along with recapturing Acadia, D'Anville was ordered to "consign Boston to flames, ravage New England and waste the British West Indies." News of the expedition spread fear throughout [[New York]] and [[New England]]. [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]] immortalized the expedition with his famous poem ''A Ballad of the French Fleet.''
Along with recapturing Acadia, D'Anville was ordered to "consign Boston to flames, ravage New England and waste the British West Indies." News of the expedition spread fear throughout [[New York]] and [[New England]]. [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]] immortalized the expedition with his famous poem ''A Ballad of the French Fleet.''
Line 17: Line 17:
On September 10, lead elements of the Expedition had arrived at [[Sable Island, Nova Scotia|Sable Island]]. Three days later the vessels were scattered by a violent gale that seriously damaged some ships, which were consequently forced to return to France.<ref>John Grenier. (2008). ''The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760''. University of Oklahoma Press p. 130</ref> One of the French vessels was Le Mars (pictured above). She was heavily damaged and taking on water in the storm off Sable Island and decided to return to France with the ''Le Raphael''. Several weeks later another gale hit, damaging the ship further and separating her from ''Le Raphael''. Twenty leagues off Ireland the [[HMS Nottingham (1703)]] severely damaged her in an attack and took her as a prize.<ref>James Pritchard. Anatomy of a Naval Disaster. The 1746 French Expedition to North America. McGill-Queen's University Press, Kingston. 1995.</ref>
On September 10, lead elements of the Expedition had arrived at [[Sable Island, Nova Scotia|Sable Island]]. Three days later the vessels were scattered by a violent gale that seriously damaged some ships, which were consequently forced to return to France.<ref>John Grenier. (2008). ''The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760''. University of Oklahoma Press p. 130</ref> One of the French vessels was Le Mars (pictured above). She was heavily damaged and taking on water in the storm off Sable Island and decided to return to France with the ''Le Raphael''. Several weeks later another gale hit, damaging the ship further and separating her from ''Le Raphael''. Twenty leagues off Ireland the [[HMS Nottingham (1703)]] severely damaged her in an attack and took her as a prize.<ref>James Pritchard. Anatomy of a Naval Disaster. The 1746 French Expedition to North America. McGill-Queen's University Press, Kingston. 1995.</ref>


The Expedition led by Jean Baptiste Nicholas Roch de Ramezay arrived in Nova Scotia from Quebec in July 1746. The De Ramezay Expedition had approximately seven hundred soldiers and twenty-one officers. He made camp at Beaubassin, where he was met by approximately three hundred Abenaki from St. John River and about three hundred Mi'kmaq from Nova Scotia. The total French-Aboriginal force numbered close to 1 300 men.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 162</ref> De Ramezay's soldiers spent the summer and the fall watiing for the arrival of the long over due D'Anville Expedition.
The De Ramezay Expedition was led by Jean Baptiste Nicholas Roch de Ramezay. The Expedition arrived in Nova Scotia from Quebec in July 1746. The De Ramezay Expedition had approximately seven hundred soldiers and twenty-one officers. He made camp at Beaubassin, where he was met by approximately three hundred Abenaki from St. John River and about three hundred Mi'kmaq from Nova Scotia. The total French-Aboriginal force numbered close to 1 300 men.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 162</ref> De Ramezay's soldiers spent the summer and the fall watiing for the arrival of the long over due D'Anville Expedition.


== Acadia ==
== Acadia ==
Line 23: Line 23:
The D'Anville Expedition reached Nova Scotia in late September, after enduring a three month voyage. Hundreds of sailors and soldier had died and hundreds more were gravely ill, suffering from disease. Forty-four vessels anchored in Chebucto (present day [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]), where the Expedition would spend the next five weeks.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163</ref>
The D'Anville Expedition reached Nova Scotia in late September, after enduring a three month voyage. Hundreds of sailors and soldier had died and hundreds more were gravely ill, suffering from disease. Forty-four vessels anchored in Chebucto (present day [[Halifax, Nova Scotia]]), where the Expedition would spend the next five weeks.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163</ref>
[[File:DucD'AnvilleMuralbyPeterBresnen Halifax,NS.jpg|thumb |left|Mural of Duc D'Anville Expedition in Halifax Harbour by Peter Bresnen]]
[[File:DucD'AnvilleMuralbyPeterBresnen Halifax,NS.jpg|thumb |left|Mural of Duc D'Anville Expedition in Halifax Harbour by Peter Bresnen]]
The sick were brought ashore near Birch Cove in the harbour's Bedford Basin. Some recovered from scurvy with the arrival of fresh supplies brought by the Acadians from Grand Pre and Pisiquid, but typhus and typhoid continued to ravage the men.

Within six days of his arrival, on September 27, d'Anville died of disease. (He was buried on [[Georges Island (Nova Scotia)|Georges Island]] in what is now Halifax Harbour. His remains remained there for three years before being taken to Louisbourg in September 1749 during the establishment of Halifax.)
Within six days of his arrival, on September 27, d'Anville died of disease. (He was buried on [[Georges Island (Nova Scotia)|Georges Island]] in what is now Halifax Harbour. His remains remained there for three years before being taken to Louisbourg in September 1749 during the establishment of Halifax.)


On September 29 a council of war led by dAnville's replacement, Constantin-Louis d'Estourmel, decided to send 1500 men from the d'Anville expedition and 300 from the Ramezay expedition to attack Annapolis royal. d'Estourmel became overwhelmed and discouraged and quickly resigned after a suicide attempt.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163</ref>
D'Estourmel entered Chebucto harbour on 27 September, only to learn that d'Anville had died at three o'clock that morning. D'Estourmel then took command, but on 30 September he tried to commit suicide and handed his powers over to [[Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière]].


The next to assume control of the Expedition was the Governor general desgniate of New France and passenger with the fleet [[Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière]]. The plan to attack the capital Annapolis Royal intensified, even while men continued to die of disease. By mid-October, forty-one percent of the men who reached Chebucto with the d'Anville fleet were dead or seriously ill - 2861 petty officers, seamen and soldeirs. The contagion spread to the Mi'kmaq and the men of the d'Ramezay Expedition.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163; also see John Grenier. ''The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760''. University of Oklahoma Press 2008. p. 131</ref>
The sick were brought ashore near Birch Cove in the harbour's Bedford Basin. Some recovered from scurvy with the arrival of fresh supplies brought by the Acadians from Grand Pre and Pisiquid, but typhus and typhoid continued to ravage the men. De la Jonquiere was still preparing to attack Annapolis Royal. Ramezay and Le Loutre therefore prepared to attack Annapolis Royal, which they reached on 11 October. But after waiting 23 days for La Jonquière, Ramezay, who for want of sufficient troops had established only a cordon around the fort to prevent communication between the garrison and the village, had to withdraw to Beaubassin. de la Jonquière planned to continue to conquer Annapolis Royal but was thwarted by more storms and the arrival of English reinforcements.

By mid-October approximately three hundred of troops from the de Ramezay Expedition arrived at Annapolis Royal. The French and Aboriginal fighters spent twenty-one days camped in the Annapolis area waiting for the French ships to arrive with troops and siege artillary. They cut off British land communications with Minas and attempted to stop all contact between the fort and the Acadians.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 165</ref>

On October 24, forty-two vessels left Chebucto, with almost fifty Acadian pilots from Minas. Three hopital ships set sail for France with the most critically ill. Thirteen of the ships carried 94 officers and 1410 soldiers to conduct the siege. Two days later, as the fleet was off [[Cape Negro, Nova Scotia]] La Jonquiere changed his mind. He ordered his ships back to France and dispatched orders to Annapolis Royal for de Ramzay to withdraw.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 166</ref>


== Aftermath ==
== Aftermath ==
Line 36: Line 42:
</gallery>
</gallery>


⚫
In response to the threat posed by the Duc d'Anville Expedition and de Ramezay Expedition, [[Province of Massachusetts Bay|Massachusetts Bay]] Governor [[William Shirley]] sent Colonel [[Arthur Noble]] and hundreds of New England soldiers to secure control over Acadia and drive de Ramezay out. One of the most startling successes of De Ramezay's campaign was his defeat of Colonel Nobel in the [[Battle of Grand Pré]] (1747). De Ramezay attacked and defeated a superior force of Noble's militia who were billeted in houses in the Acadian settlement of [[Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia|Grand-Pré]], in the [[Minas Basin]] at the top of the [[Bay of Fundy]].
A return of losses as of 15 October listed 587 dead and 2,300 sick out of a total complement of 11,000 sailors and soldiers.<ref>John Grenier. (2008). ''The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760''. University of Oklahoma Press p. 131</ref> Four transport ships left for Canada on 10 October, escorted by the Renommée under the command of Guy-François de Coëtnempren de Kersaint; the others set sail for France two weeks later.

⚫
In response to the threat posed by the Duc d'Anville Expedition, [[Province of Massachusetts Bay|Massachusetts Bay]] Governor [[William Shirley]] sent Colonel [[Arthur Noble]] and hundreds of New England soldiers to secure control over Acadia. One of the most startling successes of De Ramezay's campaign was the [[Battle of Grand Pré]] (1747). De Ramezay attacked and defeated a superior force of Noble's militia who were billeted in houses in the Acadian settlement of [[Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia|Grand-Pré]], in the [[Minas Basin]] at the top of the [[Bay of Fundy]].


The tragedy of the Duc d'Anville Expedition early in the war likely had serious implications for Acadian participation in the rest of the war. Any confidence that Acadians may have had that France would be victorious was shaken. [[Paul Mascarene]] told Acadians to avoid all "deluding Hopes of Returning under the Dominion of France."<ref>John Grenier. (2008). The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760 University of Oklahoma Press, p. 133</ref> The lack of confidence that this tragedy created, may explain, in part, why many Acadians were reluctant to join militias in support the French military throughout the rest of the war.
The tragedy of the Duc d'Anville Expedition early in the war likely had serious implications for Acadian participation in the rest of the war. Any confidence that Acadians may have had that France would be victorious was shaken. [[Paul Mascarene]] told Acadians to avoid all "deluding Hopes of Returning under the Dominion of France."<ref>John Grenier. (2008). The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760 University of Oklahoma Press, p. 133</ref> One French officer of the de Ramezay Expedition noted the alarm and siappointment of the Acadians, who felt they were being abnadoned to British retribution.<ref>Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 166</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 18:56, 5 August 2010

Samuel Scott's Action between HMS Nottingham and the Mars. Le Mars was returning to France after the failed Duc d'Anville Expedition, 11 October 1746 and was subsequently captured

The Duc d'Anville Expedition (June-October 1746) was sent from France to recapture Acadia/ Nova Scotia from the British by conquering the capital Annapolis Royal. The Expedition was the largest military force ever set sail for the New World prior to the American Revolution.[1] The effort to take the capital was also supported on land by the formitable De Ramezay Expedition from Quebec.

Along with recapturing Acadia, D'Anville was ordered to "consign Boston to flames, ravage New England and waste the British West Indies." News of the expedition spread fear throughout New York and New England. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow immortalized the expedition with his famous poem A Ballad of the French Fleet.

Historic context

The British had conquered Acadia by defeating the capital in the Siege of Port Royal (1710). Over the next fifty years, the French and their allies made six unsuccessful military attempts to regain the capital. The Duc d'Anville Expedition, which was coordinated with Ramezay's expedition from Quebec, was the last French attempt to retake the capital of Acadia. After the stinging French defeat at the Siege of Louisbourg (1745) during King George's War, King Louis XV sent the Expedition to win back Acadia by conquering the capital Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia.

Preparation

The D'Anville Expedition included 11,000 men, a fleet of 64 ships.[2] The Expedition was led by French Admiral Jean Baptiste Louis Frederic de la Rochefoucauld, Duc d'Anville. The fitting-out of this fleet was slow and difficult, and it did not set sail from Île-d'Aix, France until 22 June 1746. A subsequent storm in the Bay of Biscay and adverse winds slowed the transatlantic crossing. Disease broke out on the ships – typhus and scurvy.

The fleet ran into a long, dead calm off the Azores. This ended in a storm, during which several vessels were struck by lightening, which, in one case, caused a magazine explosion that killed and wounded over thirty men. By August 24, the expedition had been at sea for over two months but was still three hundred leagues (nine hundred miles) from Nova Scotia.[3]

On September 10, lead elements of the Expedition had arrived at Sable Island. Three days later the vessels were scattered by a violent gale that seriously damaged some ships, which were consequently forced to return to France.[4] One of the French vessels was Le Mars (pictured above). She was heavily damaged and taking on water in the storm off Sable Island and decided to return to France with the Le Raphael. Several weeks later another gale hit, damaging the ship further and separating her from Le Raphael. Twenty leagues off Ireland the HMS Nottingham (1703) severely damaged her in an attack and took her as a prize.[5]

The De Ramezay Expedition was led by Jean Baptiste Nicholas Roch de Ramezay. The Expedition arrived in Nova Scotia from Quebec in July 1746. The De Ramezay Expedition had approximately seven hundred soldiers and twenty-one officers. He made camp at Beaubassin, where he was met by approximately three hundred Abenaki from St. John River and about three hundred Mi'kmaq from Nova Scotia. The total French-Aboriginal force numbered close to 1 300 men.[6] De Ramezay's soldiers spent the summer and the fall watiing for the arrival of the long over due D'Anville Expedition.

Acadia

Admiral Jean Baptiste Louis Frederic De La Rochefoucauld, Duc d'Anville

The D'Anville Expedition reached Nova Scotia in late September, after enduring a three month voyage. Hundreds of sailors and soldier had died and hundreds more were gravely ill, suffering from disease. Forty-four vessels anchored in Chebucto (present day Halifax, Nova Scotia), where the Expedition would spend the next five weeks.[7]

File:DucD'AnvilleMuralbyPeterBresnen Halifax,NS.jpg
Mural of Duc D'Anville Expedition in Halifax Harbour by Peter Bresnen

The sick were brought ashore near Birch Cove in the harbour's Bedford Basin. Some recovered from scurvy with the arrival of fresh supplies brought by the Acadians from Grand Pre and Pisiquid, but typhus and typhoid continued to ravage the men.

Within six days of his arrival, on September 27, d'Anville died of disease. (He was buried on Georges Island in what is now Halifax Harbour. His remains remained there for three years before being taken to Louisbourg in September 1749 during the establishment of Halifax.)

On September 29 a council of war led by dAnville's replacement, Constantin-Louis d'Estourmel, decided to send 1500 men from the d'Anville expedition and 300 from the Ramezay expedition to attack Annapolis royal. d'Estourmel became overwhelmed and discouraged and quickly resigned after a suicide attempt.[8]

The next to assume control of the Expedition was the Governor general desgniate of New France and passenger with the fleet Jacques-Pierre de Taffanel de la Jonquière, Marquis de la Jonquière. The plan to attack the capital Annapolis Royal intensified, even while men continued to die of disease. By mid-October, forty-one percent of the men who reached Chebucto with the d'Anville fleet were dead or seriously ill - 2861 petty officers, seamen and soldeirs. The contagion spread to the Mi'kmaq and the men of the d'Ramezay Expedition.[9]

By mid-October approximately three hundred of troops from the de Ramezay Expedition arrived at Annapolis Royal. The French and Aboriginal fighters spent twenty-one days camped in the Annapolis area waiting for the French ships to arrive with troops and siege artillary. They cut off British land communications with Minas and attempted to stop all contact between the fort and the Acadians.[10]

On October 24, forty-two vessels left Chebucto, with almost fifty Acadian pilots from Minas. Three hopital ships set sail for France with the most critically ill. Thirteen of the ships carried 94 officers and 1410 soldiers to conduct the siege. Two days later, as the fleet was off Cape Negro, Nova Scotia La Jonquiere changed his mind. He ordered his ships back to France and dispatched orders to Annapolis Royal for de Ramzay to withdraw.[11]

Aftermath

  • Duc d'Anville Encampment Monument, Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Duc d'Anville Encampment Monument, Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • Duc d'Anville Plaque
    Duc d'Anville Plaque

In response to the threat posed by the Duc d'Anville Expedition and de Ramezay Expedition, Massachusetts Bay Governor William Shirley sent Colonel Arthur Noble and hundreds of New England soldiers to secure control over Acadia and drive de Ramezay out. One of the most startling successes of De Ramezay's campaign was his defeat of Colonel Nobel in the Battle of Grand Pré (1747). De Ramezay attacked and defeated a superior force of Noble's militia who were billeted in houses in the Acadian settlement of Grand-Pré, in the Minas Basin at the top of the Bay of Fundy.

The tragedy of the Duc d'Anville Expedition early in the war likely had serious implications for Acadian participation in the rest of the war. Any confidence that Acadians may have had that France would be victorious was shaken. Paul Mascarene told Acadians to avoid all "deluding Hopes of Returning under the Dominion of France."[12] One French officer of the de Ramezay Expedition noted the alarm and siappointment of the Acadians, who felt they were being abnadoned to British retribution.[13]

References

Primary Texts

  • James Pritchard (1995). Anatomy of a Naval Disaster: The 1746 French Expedition to North America. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal
  • John Grenier. (2008). The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760 University of Oklahoma Press
  • John Faragher (2005). A Great and Noble Scheme.
  • Hannay, James. The History of Acadia (1605-1763)
  • Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online - Jean-Baptiste-Louis-Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld de Roye, Marquis de Roucy, Duc d'Anville
  • Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences in February 1980.

Footnotes

  1. ^ James Pritchard (1995). Anatomy of a Naval Disaster: The 1746 French Expedition to North America. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal. p. 11
  2. ^ James Pritchard. (1995). Anatomy of a Naval Disaster: The 1746 French Expedition to North America. McGill-Queen's University Press, Montreal. pp. 232-233.
  3. ^ John Grenier. (2008). The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760 University of Oklahoma Press p. 130
  4. ^ John Grenier. (2008). The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760. University of Oklahoma Press p. 130
  5. ^ James Pritchard. Anatomy of a Naval Disaster. The 1746 French Expedition to North America. McGill-Queen's University Press, Kingston. 1995.
  6. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 162
  7. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163
  8. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163
  9. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 163; also see John Grenier. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760. University of Oklahoma Press 2008. p. 131
  10. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 165
  11. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 166
  12. ^ John Grenier. (2008). The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia 1710-1760 University of Oklahoma Press, p. 133
  13. ^ Brenda Dunn. Port Royal-Annapolis Royal. Nimbus Press. 2004. p. 166

Links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Duc_d%27Anville_expedition&oldid=377346998"