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As the conquest continued, on October 14, a schooner arrived at Port-la-Joye from Pointe-Prime ([[Eldon, Prince Edward Island]]) carrying [[Noel Doiron]] and fifty other Acadians.<ref>Lockerby, p. 24</ref> On October 20, Noel Doiron and his family embarked on the famous ill-fated transport the [[Duke William]].<ref>Lockerby, p. 26</ref> By November 21, 3000 Acadians had been deported on sixteen transports back to France.<ref>Lockerby, p. 28. p.67</ref> About 1500 of these Acadians died enroute to France by disease or drowning.<ref>Lockerby, p. 70</ref>
As the conquest continued, on October 14, a schooner arrived at Port-la-Joye from Pointe-Prime ([[Eldon, Prince Edward Island]]) carrying [[Noel Doiron]] and fifty other Acadians.<ref>Lockerby, p. 24</ref> On October 20, Noel Doiron and his family embarked on the famous ill-fated transport the [[Duke William]].<ref>Lockerby, p. 26</ref> By November 21, 3000 Acadians had been deported on sixteen transports back to France.<ref>Lockerby, p. 28. p.67</ref> About 1500 of these Acadians died enroute to France by disease or drowning.<ref>Lockerby, p. 70</ref>


While many Acadians surrendered along with Villejouin, roughly 1500 Acadians (30%) did not.<ref>Lockerby, p. 68</ref> Many of these Acadians fled the Island. French military leader [[Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot]] led the resistance to the deportation throughout Acadia. Under the auspices of Boishébert, the French and Acadians arranged for four schooners, one mounted with six guns, stationed at Magpeck (present day Malpec) to transport Acadians fleeing the Island. <ref>Lockerby, p. 24-26</ref> Magpeck was out of reach of the British patrols.<ref>Lockerby, p. 27</ref> The Mi'kmaq assisted the Acadians escape.<ref>Lockerby, p.60, p,63</ref> Acadians manage to leave the island and to reach Boishébert's Acadian refugee "Camp de l’Espérance", on [[Beaubears Island]], [[Miramichi, New Brunswick|Miramichi]]. The Acadians also managed to reach [[Chaleur Bay|Baie des Chaleurs]] and [[Restigouche River]].<ref>Lockerby, p.17, p.24, p.26, p.56</ref> Acadians Joseph Leblanc dit Le Maigre and the brothers Pierre and Joseph Gautier played important roles in assiting these Acadians to escape.<ref>Faragher, p.403</ref>
While many Acadians surrendered along with Villejouin, roughly 1500 Acadians (30%) did not.<ref>Lockerby, p. 68</ref> Many of these Acadians fled the Island. French military leader [[Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot]] led the resistance to the deportation throughout Acadia. Under the auspices of Boishébert, the French and Acadians arranged for four schooners, one mounted with six guns, stationed at Magpeck (present day Malpec) to transport Acadians fleeing the Island. <ref>Lockerby, p. 24-26</ref> Magpeck was out of reach of the British patrols.<ref>Lockerby, p. 27</ref> The Mi'kmaq assisted the Acadians escape.<ref>Lockerby, p.60, p,63</ref> Acadians manage to leave the island and to reach Boishébert's Acadian refugee "Camp de l’Espérance", on [[Beaubears Island]], [[Miramichi, New Brunswick|Miramichi]]. The Acadians also managed to reach [[Chaleur Bay|Baie des Chaleurs]] and [[Restigouche River]].<ref>Lockerby, p.17, p.24, p.26, p.56</ref> On the Restigouche River, Boishebert also had a refugee camp at Petit-Rochelle (which was located across from present-day [[Campbellton, New Brunswick]]).<ref>Faragher, p. 414; also see History: Commodore Byron's Conquest. ''The Canadian Press''. July 19, 2008 http://www.acadian.org/La%20Petite-Rochelle.html</ref> Acadians Joseph Leblanc dit Le Maigre and the brothers Pierre and Joseph Gautier played important roles in assiting these Acadians to escape.<ref>Faragher, p.403</ref>


Acadians would have also escaped from the largest village Havre Saint-Pierre (St. Peter's Habour) in schooners.<ref>Lockerby, p. 59</ref> It's also possible that some Acadians left from other areas remote from Port-la-Joie, such as Bedec ([[Central Bedeque, Prince Edward Island|Bedeque]]), La Traverse (Cape Traverse), Riviere des Blonds (Tryon), and Riviere au Crapeau ([[Crapaud, Prince Edward Island|Crapaud]]), as well as other settlements in present day [[Kings County, Prince Edward Island]].<ref>Lockerby, p. 60</ref> Approximately, 100 Acadians remained on the Island by mid-1759.<ref>Lockerby, p. 68</ref>While the other military campaigns against the Acadians during the war included burning their villages, this order was not given in the case of the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign. Rollo was instructed to save the homes and livestock for the incoming protestant settlers.<ref>Lockerby,p. 79</ref>
Acadians would have also escaped from the largest village Havre Saint-Pierre (St. Peter's Habour) in schooners.<ref>Lockerby, p. 59</ref> It's also possible that some Acadians left from other areas remote from Port-la-Joie, such as Bedec ([[Central Bedeque, Prince Edward Island|Bedeque]]), La Traverse (Cape Traverse), Riviere des Blonds (Tryon), and Riviere au Crapeau ([[Crapaud, Prince Edward Island|Crapaud]]), as well as other settlements in present day [[Kings County, Prince Edward Island]].<ref>Lockerby, p. 60</ref> Approximately, 100 Acadians remained on the Island by mid-1759.<ref>Lockerby, p. 68</ref>While the other military campaigns against the Acadians during the war included burning their villages, this order was not given in the case of the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign. Rollo was instructed to save the homes and livestock for the incoming protestant settlers.<ref>Lockerby,p. 79</ref>

Revision as of 10:03, 27 August 2010

The Ile Saint-Jean Campaign occurred during the French and Indian War when Colonel Andrew Rollo led a force of 500 British soldiers to conquer French-occupied Ile Saint-Jean (present-day Prince Edward Island) and deport the Acadians residing there in the fall of 1758.[1]

The percentage of deported Acadians who died during this campaign, made the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign the deadliest of all the campaigns during the Expulsion (1755-1762). The total number of Acadians deported during this campaign was second only to the campaign against Grand Pre, Nova Scotia.[2]

Historical Context

Marquis de Boishébert - Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot (1753)

During the French and Indian War, the British sought both to neutralize any military threat Acadians posed and to interrupt the vital supply lines Acadians provided to Louisbourg by deporting Acadians from Acadia.[3]

The first wave of the Expulsion of the Acadians began in 1755 with the Acadians from present-day mainland Nova Scotia. To escape the Expulsion, many Acadians fled to French-occupied Ile Saint-Jean. During the first wave of the expulsion, Ile Saint-Jean's major and commandant was Gabriel Rousseau de Villejouin. On occassion Villejouin sent Mi'kmaq to Acadia to pillage and harass the English. In the summer of 1756, for example, Villejouin sent seven Mi'kmaq to Fort Edward (Nova Scotia) where they scalped two English people and returned to Villejouin with the scalps and a prisoner.[4]

After the Siege of Louisbourg (1758), the second wave of the Expulsion of the Acadians began from Ile St. Jean (Prince Edward Island), Ile Royale (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), and present-day New Brunswick. The second wave of the Expulsion was more brutal and considerably more devastating than the first.[5]

The Campaign

During the French and Indian War, the Expulsion of the Acadians from present-day Prince Edward Island began after the fall of Louisbourg (1758). Under the command of General Jeffery Amherst, Colonel Andrew Rollo was responsible for the Ile St. Jean Campaign. Rollo was to capture the Island, build Fort Amherst on the site of Port-la-Joye, and deport the Acadians.

Andrew Rollo, 5th Lord Rollo

On August 17, Rollo approached the harbour at Port-la-Joye on the war ship Hind with four transports and a schooner. The Island's major and commandant, Gabriel Rousseau de Villejouin surrendered immediately.[6] On August 18, Rollo's men travelled up present day Hillsborough River and brought back Acadian prisoners with their firearms and three canons, which probably had been installed at present-day Rams Island, near French Fort.[7]

As the conquest continued, on October 14, a schooner arrived at Port-la-Joye from Pointe-Prime (Eldon, Prince Edward Island) carrying Noel Doiron and fifty other Acadians.[8] On October 20, Noel Doiron and his family embarked on the famous ill-fated transport the Duke William.[9] By November 21, 3000 Acadians had been deported on sixteen transports back to France.[10] About 1500 of these Acadians died enroute to France by disease or drowning.[11]

While many Acadians surrendered along with Villejouin, roughly 1500 Acadians (30%) did not.[12] Many of these Acadians fled the Island. French military leader Charles Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot led the resistance to the deportation throughout Acadia. Under the auspices of Boishébert, the French and Acadians arranged for four schooners, one mounted with six guns, stationed at Magpeck (present day Malpec) to transport Acadians fleeing the Island. [13] Magpeck was out of reach of the British patrols.[14] The Mi'kmaq assisted the Acadians escape.[15] Acadians manage to leave the island and to reach Boishébert's Acadian refugee "Camp de l’Espérance", on Beaubears Island, Miramichi. The Acadians also managed to reach Baie des Chaleurs and Restigouche River.[16] On the Restigouche River, Boishebert also had a refugee camp at Petit-Rochelle (which was located across from present-day Campbellton, New Brunswick).[17] Acadians Joseph Leblanc dit Le Maigre and the brothers Pierre and Joseph Gautier played important roles in assiting these Acadians to escape.[18]

Acadians would have also escaped from the largest village Havre Saint-Pierre (St. Peter's Habour) in schooners.[19] It's also possible that some Acadians left from other areas remote from Port-la-Joie, such as Bedec (Bedeque), La Traverse (Cape Traverse), Riviere des Blonds (Tryon), and Riviere au Crapeau (Crapaud), as well as other settlements in present day Kings County, Prince Edward Island.[20] Approximately, 100 Acadians remained on the Island by mid-1759.[21]While the other military campaigns against the Acadians during the war included burning their villages, this order was not given in the case of the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign. Rollo was instructed to save the homes and livestock for the incoming protestant settlers.[22]

Aftermath

After the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign began, Major General Amherst dispatched Bridgadier James Wolfe northward along the coast in campaigns against the Acadians at Miramischi Bay, the Bay of Chaleur, and the Gaspé Peninsula.[23] The British also went along the northern side of the Bay Francais (present day Bay of Fundy). In November, Major George Scott and several hundred men from Fort Cumberland sailed up the Petitcodiac River in a number of armed vessels destroying the villages as they went, including Beausoleil, home to the Broussards. Simultaneously, Colonel Monckton, in command of 2000 troops engaged in the in the St. John River Campaign.[24]

References

Secondary Sources

  • Earle Lockerby. The Deportation of the Prince Edward Island Acadians. Nimbus Press. 2008.
  • Earle Lockerby, "The Deportation of the Acadians from Ile St.-Jean, 1758". Acadiensis. XXVII, 2 (Spring 1998), pp. 45-94.
  • John Grenier. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760. Oklahoma University Press.
  • Geoffrey Plank. "New England Soldiers in the Saint John River Valley: 1758-1760" in New England and the Maritime provinces: connections and comparisons By Stephen Hornsby, John G. Reid. McGill-Queen's University Press. 2005. pp. 59–73
  • John Faragher. A Great and Nobel Scheme. Norton. 2005.

Endnotes

  1. ^ John Faragher. p. 403
  2. ^ Lockerby, p. 85
  3. ^ Stephen E. Patterson. "Indian-White Relations in Nova Scotia, 1749-61: A Study in Political Interaction." Buckner, P, Campbell, G. and Frank, D. (eds). The Acadiensis Reader Vol 1: Atlantic Canada Before Confederation. 1998. pp.105-106.; Also see Stephen Patterson, Colonial Wars and Aboriginal Peoples, p. 144.
  4. ^ Lockerby, p. 62
  5. ^ John Faragher. p. 403
  6. ^ Lockerby, p. 13
  7. ^ Lockerby, p. 15
  8. ^ Lockerby, p. 24
  9. ^ Lockerby, p. 26
  10. ^ Lockerby, p. 28. p.67
  11. ^ Lockerby, p. 70
  12. ^ Lockerby, p. 68
  13. ^ Lockerby, p. 24-26
  14. ^ Lockerby, p. 27
  15. ^ Lockerby, p.60, p,63
  16. ^ Lockerby, p.17, p.24, p.26, p.56
  17. ^ Faragher, p. 414; also see History: Commodore Byron's Conquest. The Canadian Press. July 19, 2008 http://www.acadian.org/La%20Petite-Rochelle.html
  18. ^ Faragher, p.403
  19. ^ Lockerby, p. 59
  20. ^ Lockerby, p. 60
  21. ^ Lockerby, p. 68
  22. ^ Lockerby,p. 79
  23. ^ Lockerby, p. 55
  24. ^ John Faragher, p.405
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