Part 15 (1/2)
To the inhabitants of the districts above named, as well ancients as young men and lads.
Whereas His Excellency the Governor has instructed us of his last resolution respecting the matters proposed lately to the inhabitants, and has ordered us to communicate the same to the inhabitants in general in person, His Excellency being desirous that each of them should be fully satisfied of His Majesty's intentions, which he has also ordered us to communicate to you, such as they have been given him.
We therefore order and strictly enjoin by these presents to all the inhabitants, as well of the above-named districts as of all the other districts, both old men and young men, as well as all the lads of ten years of age, to attend at the church in Grand Pre on Friday, the fifth instant, at three of the clock in the afternoon, that we may impart what we are ordered to communicate to them; declaring that no excuse will be admitted on any pretence whatsoever, on pain of forfeiting goods and chattels in default.
Given at Grand Pre, the second of September, in the twenty-ninth year of His Majesty's reign, A.D. 1755.
A similar summons was drawn up in the name of Murray for the inhabitants of the district of Fort Edward.
Captain Adams made a reconnoissance of the rivers Canard and Des Habitants, and reported ”a fine country and full of inhabitants, a beautiful church, and abundance of the goods of the world.” Another reconnoissance by Captains Hobbs and Osgood among the settlements behind Grand Pre brought reports equally favorable. On the fourth, another letter came from Murray: ”All the people quiet, and very busy at their harvest; if this day keeps fair, all will be in here in their barns. I hope to-morrow will crown all our wishes.” The Acadians, like the bees, were to gather a harvest for others to enjoy. The summons was sent out that afternoon. Powder and ball were served to the men, and all were ordered to keep within the lines.
On the next day the inhabitants appeared at the hour appointed, to the number of four hundred and eighteen men. Winslow ordered a table to be set in the middle of the church, and placed on it his instructions and the address he had prepared. Here he took his stand in his laced uniform, with one or two subalterns from the regulars at Fort Edward, and such of the Ma.s.sachusetts officers as were not on guard duty; strong, sinewy figures, bearing, no doubt, more or less distinctly, the peculiar stamp with which toil, trade, and Puritanism had imprinted the features of New England. Their commander was not of the prevailing type.
He was fifty-three years of age, with double chin, smooth forehead, arched eyebrows, close powdered wig, and round, rubicund face, from which the weight of an odious duty had probably banished the smirk of self-satisfaction that dwelt there at other times.[276] Nevertheless, he had manly and estimable qualities. The congregation of peasants, clad in rough homespun, turned their sunburned faces upon him, anxious and intent; and Winslow ”delivered them by interpreters the King's orders in the following words,” which, retouched in orthography and syntax, ran thus:--
GENTLEMEN,--I have received from His Excellency, Governor Lawrence, the King's instructions, which I have in my hand. By his orders you are called together to hear His Majesty's final resolution concerning the French inhabitants of this his province of Nova Scotia, who for almost half a century have had more indulgence granted them than any of his subjects in any part of his dominions.
What use you have made of it you yourselves best know.
The duty I am now upon, though necessary, is very disagreeable to my natural make and temper, as I know it must be grievous to you, who are of the same species. But it is not my business to animadvert on the orders I have received, but to obey them; and therefore without hesitation I shall deliver to you His Majesty's instructions and commands, which are that your lands and tenements and cattle and live-stock of all kinds are forfeited to the Crown, with all your other effects, except money and household goods, and that you yourselves are to be removed from this his province.
The peremptory orders of His Majesty are that all the French inhabitants of these districts be removed; and through His Majesty's goodness I am directed to allow you the liberty of carrying with you your money and as many of your household goods as you can take without overloading the vessels you go in. I shall do everything in my power that all these goods be secured to you, and that you be not molested in carrying them away, and also that whole families shall go in the same vessel; so that this removal, which I am sensible must give you a great deal of trouble, may be made as easy as His Majesty's service will admit; and I hope that in whatever part of the world your lot may fall, you may be faithful subjects, and a peaceable and happy people.
I must also inform you that it is His Majesty's pleasure that you remain in security under the inspection and direction of the troops that I have the honor to command.
[Footnote 276: See his portrait, at the rooms of the Ma.s.sachusetts Historical Society.]
He then declared them prisoners of the King. ”They were greatly struck,”
he says, ”at this determination, though I believe they did not imagine that they were actually to be removed.” After delivering the address, he returned to his quarters at the priest's house, whither he was followed by some of the elder prisoners, who begged leave to tell their families what had happened, ”since they were fearful that the surprise of their detention would quite overcome them.” Winslow consulted with his officers, and it was arranged that the Acadians should choose twenty of their number each day to revisit their homes, the rest being held answerable for their return.
A letter, dated some days before, now came from Major Handfield at Annapolis, saying that he had tried to secure the men of that neighborhood, but that many of them had escaped to the woods. Murray's report from Fort Edward came soon after, and was more favorable: ”I have succeeded finely, and have got a hundred and eighty-three men into my possession.” To which Winslow replies: ”I have the favor of yours of this day, and rejoice at your success, and also for the smiles that have attended the party here.” But he adds mournfully: ”Things are now very heavy on my heart and hands.” The prisoners were lodged in the church, and notice was sent to their families to bring them food. ”Thus,” says the Diary of the commander, ”ended the memorable fifth of September, a day of great fatigue and trouble.”
There was one quarter where fortune did not always smile. Major Jedediah Preble, of Winslow's battalion, wrote to him that Major Frye had just returned from Chipody, whither he had gone with a party of men to destroy the settlements and bring off the women and children. After burning two hundred and fifty-three buildings he had reimbarked, leaving fifty men on sh.o.r.e at a place called Peticodiac to give a finis.h.i.+ng stroke to the work by burning the ”Ma.s.s House,” or church. While thus engaged, they were set upon by three hundred Indians and Acadians, led by the partisan officer Boishebert. More than half their number were killed, wounded, or taken. The rest ensconced themselves behind the neighboring dikes, and Frye, hastily landing with the rest of his men, engaged the a.s.sailants for three hours, but was forced at last to reimbark.[277] Captain Speakman, who took part in the affair, also sent Winslow an account of it, and added: ”The people here are much concerned for fear your party should meet with the same fate (being in the heart of a numerous devilish crew), which I pray G.o.d avert.”
[Footnote 277: Also _Boishebert a Drucourt, 10 Oct. 1755_, an exaggerated account. _Vaudreuil au Ministre, 18 Oct. 1755_, sets Boishebert's force at one hundred and twenty-five men.]
Winslow had indeed some cause for anxiety. He had captured more Acadians since the fifth; and had now in charge nearly five hundred able-bodied men, with scarcely three hundred to guard them. As they were allowed daily exercise in the open air, they might by a sudden rush get possession of arms and make serious trouble. On the Wednesday after the scene in the church some unusual movements were observed among them, and Winslow and his officers became convinced that they could not safely be kept in one body. Five vessels, lately arrived from Boston, were lying within the mouth of the neighboring river. It was resolved to place fifty of the prisoners on board each of these, and keep them anch.o.r.ed in the Basin. The soldiers were all ordered under arms, and posted on an open s.p.a.ce beside the church and behind the priest's house. The prisoners were then drawn up before them, ranked six deep,--the young unmarried men, as the most dangerous, being told off and placed on the left, to the number of a hundred and forty-one. Captain Adams, with eighty men, was then ordered to guard them to the vessels. Though the object of the movement had been explained to them, they were possessed with the idea that they were to be torn from their families and sent away at once; and they all, in great excitement, refused to go. Winslow told them that there must be no parley or delay; and as they still refused, a squad of soldiers advanced towards them with fixed bayonets; while he himself, laying hold of the foremost young man, commanded him to move forward. ”He obeyed; and the rest followed, though slowly, and went off praying, singing, and crying, being met by the women and children all the way (which is a mile and a half) with great lamentation, upon their knees, praying.” When the escort returned, about a hundred of the married men were ordered to follow the first party; and, ”the ice being broken,” they readily complied. The vessels were anch.o.r.ed at a little distance from sh.o.r.e, and six soldiers were placed on board each of them as a guard. The prisoners were offered the King's rations, but preferred to be supplied by their families, who, it was arranged, should go in boats to visit them every day; ”and thus,” says Winslow, ”ended this troublesome job.” He was not given to effusions of feeling, but he wrote to Major Handfield: ”This affair is more grievous to me than any service I was ever employed in.”[278]
[Footnote 278: Haliburton, who knew Winslow's Journal only by imperfect extracts, erroneously states that the men put on board the vessels were sent away immediately. They remained at Grand Pre several weeks, and were then sent off at intervals with their families.]
Murray sent him a note of congratulation: ”I am extremely pleased that things are so clever at Grand Pre, and that the poor devils are so resigned. Here they are more patient than I could have expected for people in their circ.u.mstances; and what surprises me still more is the indifference of the women, who really are, or seem, quite unconcerned. I long much to see the poor wretches embarked and our affair a little settled; and then I will do myself the pleasure of meeting you and drinking their good voyage.”
This agreeable consummation was still distant. There was a long and painful delay. The provisions for the vessels which were to carry the prisoners did not come; nor did the vessels themselves, excepting the five already at Grand Pre. In vain Winslow wrote urgent letters to George Saul, the commissary, to bring the supplies at once. Murray, at Fort Edward, though with less feeling than his brother officer, was quite as impatient of the burden of suffering humanity on his hands. ”I am amazed what can keep the transports and Saul. Surely our friend at Chignecto is willing to give us as much of our neighbors' company as he well can.”[279] Saul came at last with a s.h.i.+pload of provisions; but the lagging transports did not appear. Winslow grew heart-sick at the daily sight of miseries which he himself had occasioned, and wrote to a friend at Halifax: ”I know they deserve all and more than they feel; yet it hurts me to hear their weeping and wailing and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth. I am in hopes our affairs will soon put on another face, and we get transports, and I rid of the worst piece of service that ever I was in.”
[Footnote 279: _Murray to Winslow, 26 Sept. 1755_.]
After weeks of delay, seven transports came from Annapolis; and Winslow sent three of them to Murray, who joyfully responded: ”Thank G.o.d, the transports are come at last. So soon as I have s.h.i.+pped off my rascals, I will come down and settle matters with you, and enjoy ourselves a little.”
Winslow prepared for the embarkation. The Acadian prisoners and their families were divided into groups answering to their several villages, in order that those of the same village might, as far as possible, go in the same vessel. It was also provided that the members of each family should remain together; and notice was given them to hold themselves in readiness. ”But even now,” he writes, ”I could not persuade the people I was in earnest.” Their doubts were soon ended. The first embarkation took place on the eighth of October, under which date the Diary contains this entry: ”Began to embark the inhabitants who went off very solentarily [_sic_] and unwillingly, the women in great distress, carrying off their children in their arms; others carrying their decrepit parents in their carts, with all their goods; moving in great confusion, and appeared a scene of woe and distress.”[280]