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A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

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1745,1747.] THE ACADIANS. 175not surpris<strong>in</strong>g, s<strong>in</strong>ce the only <strong>in</strong>struments for enforc<strong>in</strong>git over a population wholly French were sometwo hundred disorderly soldiers <strong>in</strong> the crumbl<strong>in</strong>glittle fort <strong>of</strong> Annapolis; <strong>and</strong> the prov<strong>in</strong>ce was left,perforce, to take care <strong>of</strong> itself.The appearance <strong>of</strong> D'Anville's fleet caused greatexcitement among the Acadians, who thought thatthey were about to pass aga<strong>in</strong> under the Crown <strong>of</strong><strong>France</strong>. Fifty <strong>of</strong> them went on board the Frenchships at Chibucto to pilot them to the attack <strong>of</strong>Annapolis, <strong>and</strong> to their dismay found that no attackwas to be made. When Ramesay, with his Canadians<strong>and</strong> Indians, took post at Chignecto <strong>and</strong> built a fortat Baye Verte, on the neck <strong>of</strong> the pen<strong>in</strong>sula <strong>of</strong>Scotia, theNovaEnglish power <strong>in</strong> that part <strong>of</strong> the colonyseemed at an end. The <strong>in</strong>habitants cut <strong>of</strong>f all communicationwith Annapolis, <strong>and</strong> deta<strong>in</strong>ed the <strong>of</strong>ficerswhom Mascarene sent for <strong>in</strong>telligence.From the first outbreak <strong>of</strong> the war it was evidentthat the French built their hopes <strong>of</strong> recover<strong>in</strong>gAcadia largely on a ris<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the Acadians aga<strong>in</strong>stthe English rule, <strong>and</strong> that they spared no efforts toexcite such a ris<strong>in</strong>g. Early <strong>in</strong> 1745 a violent <strong>and</strong>cruel precaution aga<strong>in</strong>st this danger was suggested.William Shirreff, prov<strong>in</strong>cial secretary, gave it ashisop<strong>in</strong>ion that the Acadians ought to be removed,be<strong>in</strong>g a st<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g menace to the colony. ^ This is thefirst proposal <strong>of</strong> such a nature that I f<strong>in</strong>d. Somemonths later, Shirley writes that, on a false report^ Shirreff to K. Gould, agent <strong>of</strong> Philips's Regiment, March, 1745.

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