Northeast Coast Campaign (1756)

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Fort Halifax (Maine) FortHalifaxMaine.png
Fort Halifax (Maine)

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1756) occurred during the French and Indian War, in which the Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia raided the British communities along the former border of New England and Acadia in present-day Maine. [1]

Contents

Historical context

In response to Gorham's raid on the St. John River in 1748, the Governor of Canada threatened to support native raids along the northern New England border. [2] There were many previous raids from the Mi'kmaq militia and Maliseet Militias against British settlers on the border (1703, 1723, 1724, 1745, 1746, 1747). During the war, along the former border of Acadia, the Kennebec River, the British built Fort Halifax (Winslow), Fort Shirley (Dresden, formerly Frankfurt) and Fort Western (Augusta). [3] [4]

Fort Halifax was completed on 4 September 1754 and the raids on the fort began on 6 November. [5] Wabanaki killed and scalped one soldier and took four others captive. [6] In response, Governor Shirley sent 100 more troops to the fort. The following year, the natives conducted the Northeast Coast Campaign (1755) and then began the 1756 Campaign in the spring.

Campaign

Williamson reports that the natives had killed hundreds of British settlers in the Campaign. [7] On 24 March the natives raided present-day Cushing, killing two men and scalping a third who survived. Then they captured a man at North-Yarmouth and killed another man and captured a woman at Flying Point. [8] On 3 May they ambushed three men and managed to take one prisoner to Canada (who eventually made his way to Halifax, where he died of smallpox). On 14 May about 20 natives led by Chief Poland ambushed another two men, killing one and scalping another who survived. At Georgetown, natives killed two parents and took their three children captive, [7] The natives attacked the fort without success, however, they killed all the cattle on the Island. [7]

Four natives attacked and killed two soldiers at Fort Halifax. [7] They also plundered fishing vessels, killing their crew. On 26 September they burned a schooner at St. Georges, killing three men while three others went missing. On October 14, the natives attacked Captain Rouse’s ship, killing ten of his crew. [7]

As a result of the Campaign, numerous British settlers abandoned their farms and property. There were 260 soldiers at the garrisons who were divided into five ranging parties. The British had two vessels protecting the eastern seaboard. [9]

Aftermath

There was another campaign in 1757 and 1758. In 1757, the Anasunticooks fired on Captain Lithgow and a party of eight at Topsham. They wounded two of the soldiers and killed two others. Two natives were killed in the skirmish. [7] They then attacked a blockhouse at Pleasant Point, killing one [10] and, on 1 June, began the siege of a dwelling on Island Matinicus, where a family defended themselves and their five children and son-in-law for ten days. The father was killed, the rest taken into captivity and the house destroyed. [10]

On 13 August 1758, Boishebert left Miramichi, New Brunswick with 400 soldiers, including Acadians whom he led from Port Toulouse. They marched to Fort St George (Thomaston) and then Fort Western (present-day Augusta) and laid waste to farms but were unsuccessfully in taking the forts, and raided Munduncook (Friendship) where they wounded eight British settlers and killed others. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

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Nova Scotia is a Canadian province located in Canada's Maritimes. The region was initially occupied by Mi'kmaq. During the first 150 years of European settlement, the colony was primarily made up of Catholic Acadians, Maliseet and Mi'kmaq. During the latter seventy-five years of this time period, there were six colonial wars that took place in Nova Scotia. After agreeing to several peace treaties, this long period of warfare ended with the Halifax Treaties (1761) and two years later when the British defeated the French in North America (1763). During these wars, Acadians, Mi'kmaq and Maliseet from the region fought to protect the border of Acadia from New England. They fought the war on two fronts: the southern border of Acadia, which New France defined as the Kennebec River in southern Maine. The other front was in Nova Scotia and involved preventing New Englanders from taking the capital of Acadia, Port Royal, establishing themselves at Canso.

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Northeast Coast Campaign (1745)

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1745) occurred during King George's War from 19 July until 5 September 1745. Three weeks after the British Siege of Louisbourg (1745), the Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia retaliated by attacking New England settlements along the coast of present-day Maine below the Kennebec River, the former border of Acadia. They attacked English settlements on the coast of present-day Maine between Berwick and St. Georges, within two months there were 11 raids - every town on the frontier had been attacked. Casco was the principal settlement.

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1723) occurred during Father Rale's War from April 19, 1723 – January 28, 1724. In response to the previous year, in which New England attacked the Wabanaki Confederacy at Norridgewock and Penobscot, the Wabanaki Confederacy retaliated by attacking the coast of present-day Maine that was below the Kennebec River, the border of Acadia. They attacked English settlements on the coast of present-day Maine between Berwick and Mount Desert Island. Casco was the principal settlement. The 1723 campaign was so successful along the Maine frontier that Dummer ordered its evacuation to the blockhouses in the spring of 1724.

Military history of the Miꞌkmaq Militias of Mikmaq

The military history of the Miꞌkmaq consisted primarily of Miꞌkmaw warriors (smáknisk) who participated in wars against the English independently as well as in coordination with the Acadian militia and French royal forces. The Miꞌkmaw militias remained an effective force for over 75 years before the Halifax Treaties were signed (1760–61). In the nineteenth century, the Miꞌkmaq "boasted" that, in their contest with the British, the Miꞌkmaq "killed more men than they lost". In 1753, Charles Morris stated that the Miꞌkmaq have the advantage of "no settlement or place of abode, but wandering from place to place in unknown and, therefore, inaccessible woods, is so great that it has hitherto rendered all attempts to surprise them ineffectual". Leadership on both sides of the conflict employed standard colonial warfare, which included scalping non-combatants. After some engagements against the British during the American Revolutionary War, the militias were dormant throughout the nineteenth century, while the Miꞌkmaw people used diplomatic efforts to have the local authorities honour the treaties. After confederation, Miꞌkmaw warriors eventually joined Canada's war efforts in World War I and World War II. The most well-known colonial leaders of these militias were Chief (Sakamaw) Jean-Baptiste Cope and Chief Étienne Bâtard.

Military history of the Acadians

The military history of the Acadians consisted primarily of militias made up of Acadian settlers who participated in wars against the English in coordination with the Wabanaki Confederacy and French royal forces. A number of Acadians provided military intelligence, sanctuary, and logistical support to the various resistance movements against British rule in Acadia, while other Acadians remained neutral in the contest between the Franco–Wabanaki Confederacy forces and the British. The Acadian militias managed to maintain an effective resistance movement for more than 75 years and through six wars before their eventual demise. According to Acadian historian Maurice Basque, the story of Evangeline continues to influence historic accounts of the expulsion, emphasising Acadians who remained neutral and de-emphasising those who joined resistance movements. While Acadian militias were briefly active during the American Revolutionary War, the militias were dormant throughout the nineteenth century. After confederation, Acadians eventually joined the Canadian War efforts in World War I and World War II. The most well-known colonial leaders of these militias were Joseph Broussard and Joseph-Nicolas Gautier.

Fort St. George was a British colonial fort built at present-day Thomaston, Maine during the lead up to Father Rale's War.

Northeast Coast Campaign (1746)

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1746) was conducted by the Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia against the New England settlements along the coast of present-day Maine below the Kennebec River, the former border of Acadia. during King George's War from July until September 1746. They attacked English settlements on the coast of present-day Maine between Berwick and St. Georges, within two months there were 9 raids - every town on the frontier had been attacked. Casco was the principal settlement.

Northeast Coast Campaign (1747)

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1747) was conducted by the Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia against the New England settlements along the coast of present-day Maine below the Kennebec River, the former border of Acadia. during King George's War from July until September 1747. They attacked English settlements on the coast of present-day Maine between Berwick and St. Georges, within two months there were 11 raids - every town on the frontier had been attacked. Casco was the principal settlement.

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1724) occurred during Father Rale's War from March 1724 – September 1724. The Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia attacked the coast of present-day Maine that was below the Kennebec River, the border of Acadia and New England. They attacked English settlements on the coast of present-day Maine between Berwick and Mount Desert Island. Casco was the principal settlement. The 1723 campaign was so successful along the Maine frontier that William Dummer ordered its evacuation to the blockhouses in the spring of 1724.

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1750) occurred during Father Le Loutre's War from 11 September to December 1750. The Norridgewock as well as the Abenaki from St. Francois and Trois-Rivières, Quebec raided British settlements along the Acadia/ New England border in present-day Maine.

Northeast Coast Campaign (1755)

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1755) occurred toward the end of Father Le Loutre's War and the beginning of the French and Indian War, in which the Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia raided the British communities along the former border of New England and Acadia in present-day Maine.

The Northeast Coast Campaign (1676) happened during King Philips War and involved the Wabanaki Confederacy raiding colonial American settlements along the New England Colonies/Acadia border in present-day Maine. In the first month, they laid waste to 15 leagues of the coast east of Casco. They killed and captured colonists and burned many farms, blunting the tide of colonial American expansion. The Campaign of 1676 led the colonists to abandon the region, retreating to Salem, Massachusetts. The Campaign is most notable for Richard Waldron entering the war, the death of Chief Mogg and the attack on the Mi’kmaq that initiated their involvement in the war.

References

  1. Scott, Tod (2016). "Mi'kmaw Armed Resistance to British Expansion in Northern New England (1676–1761)". Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society . 19: 1–18.
  2. https://archive.org/stream/selectionsfrompu00nova#page/n205/mode/1up
  3. Attacks on these forts continued through Father Le Loutre's War (See Maine Historical Society).
  4. Charles Morris had intelligence from Acadians that another Northeast Coast Campaign was planned for 1755 (See Charles Morris
  5. Williamson, William D. (1832). The History of the State of Maine: From Its First Discovery, 1602, to the Separation, A. D. 1820, Inclusive. Vol. II. Hallowell, Maine: Glazier, Masters & Company. p.  300.
  6. Williamson (1832), p. 302; (see shirley’s letters oct 30, p. 102.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Williamson (1832), p. 323.
  8. Williamson (1832), p. 320.
  9. Williamson (1832), p. 325.
  10. 1 2 Williamson (1832), p. 326.
  11. Leblanc, Phyllis E. (1979). "Deschamps de Boishébert et de Raffetot, Charles". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography . IV (1771–1800) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  12. Eaton, Cyrus (1865). History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their First Exploration, 1605; with Family Genealogies. Hallowell, Maine: Masters, Smith & Co. p.  77.
  13. Williamson (1832), p. 459.
  14. Continuation of the history of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, p. 41
  15. General Moncton in Halifax – he says Maliseet there as well to attack St. Georges ( Williamson 1832 , p. 333) 2 Minot p. 41