the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第3章
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from Louisbourg。 This news was more disastrous to the French than the English shells。 The Acadians lost all heart and began to slip away into the woods and the settlements to the northward。
The next day； the 15th； larger shells were thrown； some falling into the fort。 One shell killed the English officer； Hay； who was a prisoner； and several French officers； while they were at breakfast。 This decided the matter。 Vergor sent an officer to Monckton asking for a suspension of hostilities。 That afternoon the following terms of surrender were agreed upon：
〃1st。 The commandant； officers； staff and others employed for the King and garrison of Beausejour； shall go out with arms and baggage； drums beating。 2nd。 The garrison shall be sent to Louisbourg at the expense of the King of Great Britain。 3rd。 The Governor shall have provisions sufficient to last them until they get to Louisbourg。 4th。 As to the Acadians； as they were forced to bear arms under pain of death； they shall be pardoned。 5th。 The garrison shall not bear arms in America for the space of six months。 6th。 The foregoing are granted on condition that the garrison shall surrender to the troops of Great Britain by 7 p。m。 this afternoon。 Signed； Robert Monckton。 At the camp before Beausejour； 16th June； 1755。〃
As soon as the British were in possession at Beausejour； Monckton sent a detachment of three hundred men； under Col。 Winslow； to demand the surrender of the fort at Bay Verte。 Capt。 Villeray accepted the same terms as Vergor； and on the 18th of June； 1755； the Isthmus passed for ever out of the possession of the King of France。 A large amount of supplies was found in both forts。
Monckton changed the name of Fort Beausejour to Fort Cumberland； in honor of the Royal Duke who won the victory at Culloden； and as it was a much better fort than the one on the south side of the Missiquash； the troops were ordered to remain at Fort Cumberland。
This fort stands in a commanding position on the south…west summit of the high ridge of upland that separates the Missiquash from the Aulac valley。 It was a fort of five bastions； with casemates； and was capable of accommodating eight hundred men。 It mounted thirty guns。 After it fell into the hands of the English it was great improved。 A stone magazine （a part of which is still standing） was built outside the southern embankment。 The moat was excavated to a much greater depth。 Of late years the place has been shamefully neglected。 On account of its historic associations many yearly visit the 〃Old Fort；〃 and efforts have been made to enclose the grounds and make them more presentable。
The Acadians were still to be dealt with。 Whether they should remain in the country and in the possession of their lands depended entirely on whether they would take the oath of allegiance to the Crown of Great Britain。 This one condition accepted； they would be guaranteed all the privileges and immunities of British subjects。 They refused； and the Expulsion followed。 It was a hard and cruel measure； but they had had forty years of grace； and those who had thus long borne with them now decided their day of grace had ended。
One hundred and fifty years have since passed； but we find the Acadians are still here and are exercising an influence in Canada that is felt in all its Provinces。 They are British subjects now； however； and while they have not lost their love for the country from which they sprang； nor for the flag for which their ancestors sacrificed so much； they are ready to stand by the Empire of Britain in war as well as in peace。
CHAPTER II
THE NEW ENGLAND IMMIGRATION 1755…1770。
The expulsion of 1755 left the population of old Acadia so depleted that the Governor and Council felt that something must be done at once to add to its numbers。 The first move in this direction was to offer exceptional advantages to the New England soldiers； who constituted the largest part of the force at the taking of Beausejour； if they would remain in the country。 Very few； however； accepted the offer； and as the unsettled state of the country between 1755 and 1760 was most unfavorable to immigration； but little progress was made till the next decade。
During these years wandering bands of Acadians and Indians harrassed （sic） the English； shooting and scalping whenever opportunity offered。 At Bay Verte； in the spring of 1755； nine soldiers belonging to a party under Lieutenant Bowan； were shot and scalped while out getting wood for the fort。 Colonel Scott； commandant at Cumberland； immediately sent two hundred of the New England men to Bay Verte with a sergeant and ten men of the regulars。 The sergeant replaced the men who were killed； and caused three weeks' supply of wood to be laid in。 Shortly after this one of the regulars was killed； and one of the New England men was taken prisoner。 These men had strayed in the woods down as far as the Tantramar with these unfortunate results。
In 1759； Governor Lawrence wrote from Halifax to the Board of Trade that 〃five soldiers had been killed and scalped near Fort Cumberland； and that a provision vessel had been boarded by French and Indians in the Bay of Fundy and carried up the River Petitcodiac。〃 The five men were ambushed and killed in Upper Point de Bute； near a bridge that crossed a ravine on the farm now owned by Amos Trueman。
Up to this time the government of Nova Scotia was vested in a governor and council。 This year； 1758； it was decided by the Home Government to allow the Province a Legislative Assembly。 The Assembly was to consist of twenty…two members； twelve to be elected by the Province at large； four for the township of Halifax； four for the township of Lunenburg； one for Dartmouth； one for Lawrencetown； one for Annapolis； and one for Cumberland。 Fifty qualified electors would constitute a township。 The township elections were to continue during two days； and those for the Province four days。
The Assembly met for the first time on October 2nd； 1758。 Nineteen members were present。 This makes the Legislature of Halifax the oldest in the Dominion of Canada。 This year； also； Governor Lawrence issued his first proclamation inviting the New Englanders to come to Nova Scotia and settle on the vacated Acadian farms。
This proclamation created a great deal of interest and inquiry； and finally led to a considerable number of New England farmers settling in different parts of the Province； Chignecto getting a good share of them。 The first proclamation had； however； to be supplemented by a second； in which full liberty of conscience and the right to worship as they pleased was secured to Protestants of all denominations。 This guarantee was not included in Lawrence's first invitation to the New Englanders； and the descendants of the Puritans had not read in vain the history of the sacrifices made by their forefathers to worship in their own way。
In July； 1759； Edward Mott； representing a committee of agents from Connecticut； arrived at Halifax and was given a schooner to proceed to Chignecto； to examine that part of the Province with a view to settlement。 Mr。 Mott and his party returned some months later and suggested some changes in the proposed grants； which were conceded by the Government。
It was estimated at this time that two thousand families could be comfortably settled in the districts of Chignecto； Cobequid； Pisquid； Minas and Annapolis。 This year （1759） persons in Connecticut and Rhode Island sent Major Dennison； Jonathan Harris； James Otis； James Fuller； and John Hicks； to Halifax to look out for desirable locations for settlement in the Province。 Messrs。 Hicks and Fuller decided to take up lands at Pisquid or Windsor。
From this time till 1766 the desire shown by residents of New England to settle in Nova Scotia was very marked； and resulted in adding considerably to the population of the Province。
In May； 1761； Captain Dogget was directed to bring twenty families and sixty head of cattle。 The cattle were to be brought from the eastern part of New England to Liverpool； N。S。； at the expense of the Government。 Thirty…five pounds also was granted to transport twenty families with seventy…nine head of cattle to the township of Amherst。 In 1763； a number of families came to Sackville and were given grants of land by the Government。 These Sackville emigrants were adherents of the Baptist Church and brought their minister with them。 The denomination is still strong in that locality。 A number of these emigrants； however； returned at the beginning of the Revolutionary War； and others after the war was over。
The townships of Cumberland； Amherst； and Sackville were established in 1763。 The township of Cumberland had an area of 100；800 acres。 It included all the territory between the La Planche and Aulac Rivers； and extended east to Bay Verte and southwest to the Cumberland Basin。 Old Beausejour； now Fort Cumberland； was within the township of Cumberland。
Amherst township is said to have had a population at this time of thirty families； and Cumberland of thirty…five families。 The township of Cumberland of （sic） was given 18；800 acres of marsh； and Sackville had 1；200 cres of marsh and 8；700 acres of woodland。
In 1763； a number of the leading men in Cumberland met together and appointed a committee to draft a memorial to the Governor； asking the privilege of sending a representative to the Assembly at Halifax。 The request was granted； and Joshua Winslow was chosen as the first representative of the township。 Colonel Fry had previous to this time represented Cumberland in the Assembly； but he was not elected by the people。 The following is the text of the memorial：
〃To the Honourable Montague Wilmot； Esquire； Lieutenant…Governor and Commander…in…Chief of His Majesty's Province of Nova Scotia； and Colonel of one of His Majesty's regiments of foot； etc。； etc。； etc。
〃The inhabitants of the town of Cumberland； in Nova Scotia； beg leave to congratulate Your Honour on your appointment by His Majesty to the chief command of this Province and in your safe arrival therein。 Although remote from the Capital； and perhaps last in our addresses； yet we flatter ourselves not the least sincere in assuring Your Honour of the happiness we feel in finding ourselves under your government。
〃It would give us particular satisfaction was it in your power to look upon ourselves in the same light with the other towns in the Province。 But as we are yet destitute of that sanction which would put us on the same footing with our neighbours； we cannot help presuming upon the liberty of signifying to Your Honour our regret thereat； and praying that you will be pleased to permit the solution of our affairs to be laid before you； not doubting but upon a just representation thereof you will be pleased to think we are deserving in common with the other settlements of Your Honour's countenance and protection。 We beg to rely on your goodness therein。
〃By desire of the inhabitants；
〃（Signers）；
John Huston （Ch。）。 Elijah Ayer。 Wm。 Allen Josiah Throop。 J。 Winslow。 Jos。 Morse。 Abel Richardson。
〃CUMBERLAND； Nov。 1st； 1763。〃
Although thirty…five families had settled in Cumberland at this time； and six hundred acres of land
