There may have been a few Acadians hiding
out in Nova Scotia through the Seven Years War. But generally, Acadians
were rounded up and deported or escaped to French Canada.
As late as 1762
they were still trying to ship them to the American colonies.
The Nov. 6, 1762 issue of the South Carolina Gazette notes that "cargoes of Acadians (vulgarly called French neutrals)"
had been sent to New England, but after several weeks they were sent back to Halifax.
A Sept. 8, 1763 letter from Halifax printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette noted ""One of the neutral French was apprehended a few Days ago; he came from France Via London, and arrived here in one of the last Ships; he has been tampering with the Indians, and has, in the Name of Duke d'Auvergne, given Assurances to the French , that they shall be soon in Possession of their Estates again: His Name is Beau Soleil." |
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Some were kept
“imprisoned” at Halifax and Ft. Edward. There were 706 Acadiana in 140 families listed there in 1763. Of those, about half of them made their way to Louisiana. The first group, led by Joseph BROUSSARD (the aforementioned "Beau Soleil"), hired a British ship that brought them to St. Domingue and then Louisiana. About 25 families
settled nearby at Chezzetcook and Prospect. About 13 more families made their way to St. Pierre & Miquelon.
There were also Acadians held at Ft. Edward (200-300, the number fluctuated), Ft. Cumberland, and Annapolis Royal (91 in 1763). Many of these also headed to Louisiana in 1765.
Soon after the Treaty was made,
some of the exiled Acadians made their way back to Nova Scotia. Upon their
arrival, they found English settlers on the land they had developed for
over a century. The governement did offer them some 40 acre lots in the
northern and western areas of Nova Scotia. Over the next few years, Acadian
settlements developed at the mouth of Baie St. Marie, on the southwestern
shore around Church Point, at Tousquet and Pobomcoup, and along the Straight
of Canso. In 1767, Acadians from St. Pierre and Miquelon arrived at Cape
Breton Island and settled at Cheticamp and Margaree. In the 1780’s, more
Acadians arrived from Prince Edward Island.
For more information on Acadians and Cape Breton
/ Ile Royale, go to the Ile Royale page. |