Edward Cornwallis: Difference between revisions

Edward Cornwallis
Edward Cornwallis
	Edward Cornwallis
Born	5 March 1713; London, England
Died	14 January 1776 (aged 62); Gibraltar
Buried	Culford, Suffolk
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Lieutenant General
Battles/wars	War of the Austrian Succession; Father Le Loutre's War; Seven Years' War;

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Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis (5 March 1713 – 14 January 1776) was a British military officer who founded Halifax, Nova Scotia with 2500 settlers and later served as the Governor of Gibraltar.^[1]

Early life

He was the sixth son of Charles, fourth Baron Cornwallis, and Lady Charlotte Butler, daughter of the Earl of Arran.^[2] The Cornwallis family possessed large estates at Culford in Suffolk and the Channel Islands.^[2] His grandfather, Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis, was First Lord of the Admiralty. (His nephew, Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis, would become a British general in the American War of Independence, and was later Governor-General of India.)

A twin brother to Frederick Cornwallis, both Edward and Frederick were made royal pages at the age of 12.^[2] They were enrolled at Eton school at 14, and at age 18, Edward was commissioned into the 47th Regiment of Foot in 1731.^[2]

Military career

War of the Austrian Succession

Cornwallis participated in the Battle of Fontenoy during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Jacobite Rising of 1745.^[2]

Father Le Loutre's War

Fort Edward (Nova Scotia), named after Edward Cornwallis

The British Government appointed Cornwallis as Governor of Nova Scotia and he arrived on 21 June 1749 at Chibouctou Harbour.^[2] Father Le Loutre's War began with the British unilaterally establishing Halifax, which was a violation of an earlier treaty with the Mi'kmaq people (1726) that was signed after Dummer's War.^[3] Cornwallis also established forts in the largest Acadian communities, which were located at Windsor (Fort Edward), Grand Pre (Fort Vieux Logis) and Chignecto (Fort Lawrence). As a result, during Cornwallis' three years in Nova Scotia, Acadians and Mi'kmaq people orchestrated attacks on the British at Chignecto, Grand Pre, Dartmouth, Canso, and Halifax. The French erected forts at present day Saint John, Chignecto and Port Elgin, New Brunswick. Cornwallis's forces responded by attacking the Mi'kmaq and Acadians at Mirligueche (later known as Lunenburg), Chignecto and St. Croix.

Cornwallis Statue by J. Massey Rhind, Halifax, Nova Scotia (1931)

Frontier warfare was the standard practice of warfare in North America during the colonial wars between New England and New France and their respective native allies.^[4] In Acadia and Nova Scotia, both the British and Mi'kmaq forces engaged in frontier warfare or total war, that is, both sides of the conflict repeatedly killed combatants and non-combatants (i.e., women, children and babies).^[5] While the British paid the New England Rangers for Mi'kmaq scalps, the French paid the Mi'kmaq for British scalps.^[6] At the same time the British were adopting an uncomplicated, racially based view of local politics, several leaders of the Micmac community were developing a similar stance.^[7] According to historian Geoffery Plank, both combatants understood their conflict as a "race war", and that the Mi’kmaq and British were “singlemindedly” determined to drive each other from the peninsula of Nova Scotia.^[8]

After eighteen months of inconclusive fighting since the outbreak of the war, uncertainties and second thoughts began to disturb both the Mi’kmaq and the British communities. By the summer of 1751 Governor Cornwallis began a more conciliatory policy. For more than a year, Cornwallis sought out Mi’kmaq leaders willing to negotiate a peace. He eventually gave up, resigned his commission and left the colony.^[9] (Shortly after Cornwallis' departure, Chief Jean-Baptiste Cope signed the only peace treaty of the war, which was ultimately rejected by most of the other Mi'kmaq leaders. Cope burned the treaty six months after he signed it.)^[10]

There has been much public attention in the twenty-first century on Cornwallis' use of frontier warfare, with little regard for both the historical context and the Mi'kmaq leaders use of this type of warfare against the British.^[11]

Cornwallis left Nova Scotia in 1752, three years before Father Le Loutre's War ended in 1755.

Seven Years War

In November 1756 Cornwallis was one of three colonels who were ordered to proceed to Gibraltar and from there embark for Minorca, which was then under siege from the French.^[2] Admiral John Byng called a council of war, which involved Cornwallis, and advised the return of the fleet to Gibraltar leaving the garrison at Minorca to its fate.^[2] Cornwallis was also one of the senior officers in the September 1757 Raid on Rochefort which saw a failed amphibious descent on the French coastline.^[2]

Governor of Gilbraltar

Cornwallis served as the Governor of Gibraltar from June 14, 1761 to January 1776 when he died at the age of 63.^[2]

Legacy

A statue of Edward Cornwallis was erected in 1931 by J. Massey Rhind, an associate of the Royal Scottish Academy. The statue stands at the center of Cornwallis Park in downtown City of Halifax.
Cornwallis Junior High School in Halifax is named for him, but in June 2011, the Halifax regional school board voted unanimously to change the school's name because of Cornwallis' legacy of offering a bounty for the scalps of Mi'kmaq^[12]
Canadian Forces Base Cornwallis, a former Canadian Forces Base located in Deep Brook, Nova Scotia, was named in his honour.
He is also the namesake of Cornwallis River and Cornwallis Park, Nova Scotia

In popular culture

Edward Cornwallis is the subject of The Hampton Grease Band song entitled "Halifax" which appears on the double album Music to Eat.

References

Texts

John Grenier. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760. Oklahoma University Press.2008
John Grenier. The first way of war: American war making on the frontier, 1607-1814 Cambridge University Press. 2005
Geoffrey Plank, “The Two Majors Cope: the boundaries of Nationality in Mid-18th Century Nova Scotia”, Acadiensis, XXV, 2 (Spring 1996), pp. 18–40.
Geoffrey Plank. An Unsettled Conquest: The British Campaign Against the Peoples of Acadia. University of Pennsylvania Press. 2001
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. p. 405.

Endnotes

^ Charlotte Gray 'The Museum Called Canada: 25 Rooms of Wonder' Random House, 2004
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Mastermason.com profile of Edward Cornwallis
^ John Grenier. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760. Oklahoma University Press. 2008
^ John Grenier. The first way of war: American war making on the frontier, 1607-1814 Cambridge University Press. 2005.
^ Plank, 1996, p.33-34
^ The regiments of both the French and British militaries were not skilled at frontier warfare, while the Natives and Rangers were. British officers Cornwallis and Amherst both expressed dismay over the tactics of the rangers and the Mi'kmaq (See Grenier, 2008. p.152, Faragher, p. 405).
^ Plank, 1996, p.33
^ Plank, 1996, p.34
^ Plank, 1996, p.34
^ Plank, 1996, p.33-34
^ For example, see the work of amateur historian Daniel Paul on Cornwallis and the newspaper article Replace Cornwallis statue to honour Marshall: author; Halifax Weekly News, August 2009 and Paul on Cornwallis: You be the judge. In contrast, historian Geoffery Plank provides the historical context of Cornwallis' military decisions. According to Plank, both combatants - Mi'kmaq and British leadership - understood their conflict as a "race war" and both were “singlemindedly” determined to drive each other from the peninsula of Nova Scotia (Plank, 1996, pp.33-34). Historian John Grenier also provides the historical context for Cornwallis' decisions and cautions against minimizing the military strength of the Mi'kmaq during this time period (See National Post, July 5, 2011 "300 Year feud plays out in Halifax")
^ http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9021231.html

External links

Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
Centre Acadien (1996)

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Stephen Cornwallis John Cornwallis	Member of Parliament for Eye 1743–1749 With: John Cornwallis 1743–1747 Roger Townshend 1747–1748 Nicholas Hardinge 1748–1749	Succeeded by Nicholas Hardinge Courthorpe Clayton
Preceded by Viscount Trentham Sir Peter Warren	Member of Parliament for Westminster 1753–1762 With: Viscount Trentham 1753–1754 Sir John Crosse 1754–1761 Viscount Pulteney 1761–1762	Succeeded by Viscount Pulteney Hon. Edwin Sandys
Military offices
Preceded by Richard Philipps	Colonel of the 40th Regiment of Foot 1750–1752	Succeeded by Peregrine Hopson
Preceded by The Marquess of Lothian	Colonel of the 24th Regiment of Foot 1752–1776	Succeeded by William Taylor
Preceded by The Earl of Home	Governor of Gibraltar 1761–1776	Succeeded by Sir John Irwin

Template:Persondata

[1] Charlotte Gray 'The Museum Called Canada: 25 Rooms of Wonder' Random House, 2004

[mason-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Mastermason.com profile of Edward Cornwallis

[3] John Grenier. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760. Oklahoma University Press. 2008

[4] John Grenier. The first way of war: American war making on the frontier, 1607-1814 Cambridge University Press. 2005.

[5] Plank, 1996, p.33-34

[6] The regiments of both the French and British militaries were not skilled at frontier warfare, while the Natives and Rangers were. British officers Cornwallis and Amherst both expressed dismay over the tactics of the rangers and the Mi'kmaq (See Grenier, 2008. p.152, Faragher, p. 405).

[7] Plank, 1996, p.33

[8] Plank, 1996, p.34

[9] Plank, 1996, p.34

[10] Plank, 1996, p.33-34

[11] For example, see the work of amateur historian Daniel Paul on Cornwallis and the newspaper article Replace Cornwallis statue to honour Marshall: author; Halifax Weekly News, August 2009 and Paul on Cornwallis: You be the judge. In contrast, historian Geoffery Plank provides the historical context of Cornwallis' military decisions. According to Plank, both combatants - Mi'kmaq and British leadership - understood their conflict as a "race war" and both were “singlemindedly” determined to drive each other from the peninsula of Nova Scotia (Plank, 1996, pp.33-34). Historian John Grenier also provides the historical context for Cornwallis' decisions and cautions against minimizing the military strength of the Mi'kmaq during this time period (See National Post, July 5, 2011 "300 Year feud plays out in Halifax")

[12] ttp://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9021231.html

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@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 The [[British Government]] appointed Cornwallis as [[Viceroys of Nova Scotia|Governor of Nova Scotia]] and he arrived on 21 June 1749 at Chibouctou Harbour.<ref name=mason/> [[Father Le Loutre's War]] began with the British unilaterally establishing [[City of Halifax|Halifax]], which was a violation of an earlier treaty with the [[Mi'kmaq people]] (1726) that was signed after [[Dummer's War]].<ref>John Grenier. The Far Reaches of Empire: War in Nova Scotia, 1710-1760. Oklahoma University Press. 2008</ref> Cornwallis also established forts in the largest Acadian communities, which were located at [[Windsor, Nova Scotia|Windsor]] ([[Fort Edward (Nova Scotia)|Fort Edward]]), [[Grand Pre, Nova Scotia|Grand Pre]] ([[Fort Vieux Logis]]) and [[Isthmus of Chignecto|Chignecto]] ([[Fort Lawrence]]). As a result, during Cornwallis' three years in Nova Scotia, [[Acadians]] and [[Mi'kmaq people]] orchestrated attacks on the British at [[Isthmus of Chignecto|Chignecto]], [[Siege of Grand Pre|Grand Pre]], [[Raid on Dartmouth (1751)|Dartmouth]], [[Canso, Nova Scotia|Canso]], and Halifax. The French erected forts at present day [[Saint John, New Brunswick|Saint John]], Chignecto and [[Fort Gaspareaux|Port Elgin, New Brunswick]].  Cornwallis's forces responded by attacking the Mi'kmaq and Acadians at Mirligueche (later known as [[Lunenburg, Nova Scotia|Lunenburg]]), [[Battle at Chignecto|Chignecto]] and [[Battle at St. Croix|St. Croix]].
 [[File:CornwallisStatueHalifaxNovaScotia.jpg|thumb|right| Cornwallis Statue by [[J. Massey Rhind]], Halifax, Nova Scotia (1931)]]
-[[Scalping|Frontier warfare]] was the standard practice of warfare in North America during the [[French and Indian Wars|colonial wars]] between [[New England]] and [[New France]] and their respective native allies.<ref>John Grenier. The first way of war: American war making on the frontier, 1607-1814 Cambridge University Press. 2005.</ref> In Acadia and Nova Scotia, both the British and Mi'kmaq forces engaged in frontier warfare or [[total war]], that is, both sides of the conflict repeatedly killed combatants and non-combatants (i.e., women, children and babies).<ref>Plank, 1996, p.33-34</ref> While the British paid the New England Rangers for Mi'kmaq scalps, the French paid the Mi'kmaq for British scalps.<ref>The regiments of both the French and British militaries were not skilled at frontier warfare, while the Natives and Rangers were. British officers Cornwallis and Amherst both expressed dismay over the tactics of the rangers and the Mi'kmaq (See Grenier, 2008. p.152, Faragher, p. 405).</ref>  After eighteen months of inconclusive fighting since the outbreak of the war, uncertainties and second thoughts began to disturb both the Mi’kmaq and the British communities. By the summer of 1751 Governor Cornwallis began a more conciliatory policy. For more than a year, Cornwallis sought out Mi’kmaq leaders willing to negotiate a peace.  He eventually gave up, resigned his commission and left the colony.<ref>Plank, 1996, p.34</ref> (Shortly after Cornwallis' departure, Chief [[Jean-Baptiste Cope]] signed the only peace treaty of the war, which was ultimately rejected by most of the other Mi'kmaq leaders. Cope burned the treaty six months after he signed it.)<ref>Plank, 1996, p.33-34</ref>
+[[Scalping|Frontier warfare]] was the standard practice of warfare in North America during the [[French and Indian Wars|colonial wars]] between [[New England]] and [[New France]] and their respective native allies.<ref>John Grenier. The first way of war: American war making on the frontier, 1607-1814 Cambridge University Press. 2005.</ref> In Acadia and Nova Scotia, both the British and Mi'kmaq forces engaged in frontier warfare or [[total war]], that is, both sides of the conflict repeatedly killed combatants and non-combatants (i.e., women, children and babies).<ref>Plank, 1996, p.33-34</ref> While the British paid the New England Rangers for Mi'kmaq scalps, the French paid the Mi'kmaq for British scalps.<ref>The regiments of both the French and British militaries were not skilled at frontier warfare, while the Natives and Rangers were. British officers Cornwallis and Amherst both expressed dismay over the tactics of the rangers and the Mi'kmaq (See Grenier, 2008. p.152, Faragher, p. 405).</ref>  At the same time the British were adopting an uncomplicated, racially based view of local politics, several leaders of the Micmac community were developing a similar stance.<ref>Plank, 1996, p.33</ref> According to historian Geoffery Plank, both combatants understood their conflict as a "race war", and that the Mi’kmaq and British were “singlemindedly” determined to drive each other from the peninsula of Nova Scotia.<ref>Plank, 1996, p.34</ref>
+After eighteen months of inconclusive fighting since the outbreak of the war, uncertainties and second thoughts began to disturb both the Mi’kmaq and the British communities. By the summer of 1751 Governor Cornwallis began a more conciliatory policy. For more than a year, Cornwallis sought out Mi’kmaq leaders willing to negotiate a peace.  He eventually gave up, resigned his commission and left the colony.<ref>Plank, 1996, p.34</ref> (Shortly after Cornwallis' departure, Chief [[Jean-Baptiste Cope]] signed the only peace treaty of the war, which was ultimately rejected by most of the other Mi'kmaq leaders. Cope burned the treaty six months after he signed it.)<ref>Plank, 1996, p.33-34</ref>
 There has been much public attention in the twenty-first century on Cornwallis' use of frontier warfare, with little regard for both the historical context and the Mi'kmaq leaders use of this type of warfare against the British.<ref>  For example, see the work of amateur historian [http://www.danielnpaul.com/BritishScalpProclamation-1749.html Daniel Paul on Cornwallis] and the newspaper article [http://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/index.cfm?sid=277176&sc=608 Replace Cornwallis statue to honour Marshall: author]; Halifax Weekly News, August 2009 and [http://www.danielnpaul.com/Col/1995/GovernorEdwardCornwallis.html Paul on Cornwallis: You be the judge].  In contrast, historian Geoffery Plank provides the historical context of Cornwallis' military decisions.  According to Plank, both combatants - Mi'kmaq and British leadership - understood their conflict as a "race war" and both were “singlemindedly” determined to drive each other from the peninsula of Nova Scotia (Plank, 1996, pp.33-34).  Historian John Grenier also provides the historical context for Cornwallis' decisions and cautions against minimizing the military strength of the Mi'kmaq during this time period (See    [http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/year+feud+plays+Halifax/5049901/story.html National Post, July 5, 2011 "300 Year feud plays out in Halifax"]) </ref>

v t e Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
List of lieutenant governors of Nova Scotia
Governors at Annapolis Royal (1710–1749)	Vetch Hobby Caulfeild Nicholson Caulfeild Vetch Caulfeild Philipps Doucett Armstrong Cosby Mascarene
Governors at Halifax (1749–1786)	Cornwallis Hopson Lawrence Ellis Belcher Wilmot W. Campbell Green Francklin Legge Francklin Arbuthnot Hughes Hamond Parr Fanning
Lieutenant-governors of Cape Breton Island (1784–1820)	Desbarres Macarmick Mathews Ogilvie Murray Despard Nepean Swayne Ainslie
Lieutenant-governors of Nova Scotia before responsible government (1786–1848)	Parr Bulkeley Wentworth Prévost (Croke) Sherbrooke Smyth Dalhousie Kempt Jeffrey Maitland Jeffrey C. Campbell Falkland Dickson Harvey
Lieutenant-governors between responsible government and Confederation (1848–1867)	Harvey Bazalgette Le Marchant Phipps Doyle MacDonnell Doyle Williams
Post-Confederation (1867–present)	Williams Doyle Howe Archibald Richey McLelan Daly Jones D. Fraser McGregor MacKeen M. Grant Douglas Tory Stanfield Covert Irwin Mathers Kendall McCurdy A. Fraser Plow MacKeen Oland Gosse Shaffner Abraham Crouse Kinley Freeman Francis J. Grant LeBlanc
Lieutenant-governors who served in the absence of governors are listed in parentheses. Acting administrators are listed in italics.