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| "This Evangeline statue stands before the reconstructed chapel at the site of the historic church of St. Charles-des-Mines, where Acadians were incarcerated before they were sent into exile. Now managed by Parks Canada, the memorial is the most significant site of memory for the Acadian people." John Mack Faragher |
In late August 1755, 400 British soldiers marched into the village of Grand Pré. Their commander, Colonel John Winslow demanded provisions and bunked his troops in the church and took the priest house for his headquarters. The work of the harvest was allowed to continue. What could the population do? Their weapons had been confiscated and their leaders were in jail in Halifax.
On September 5th, all men over 16 were called to the church. Inside Winslow read a document from the British governer of Nova Scotia with the help of a translator to 400 assembled men. It included this: "... your Lands and Tenements, Cattle of all kinds, and Livestock of all sorts are forfeited to the Crown with all other of your Effects, saving your Money and Household Goods. And that you and yourselves are to be removed from this provence."
Winslow walked out of the church and the men were held, locked inside. Winslow doubled the guard and later that night he wrote in his journal:
"Thus ended the Memorable fifthe of September, a Day of great Fatigue & Trouble."
Trouble perhaps, but not nearly the trouble that the Acadians were headed for. After many days of delay the captured Acadians were herded onto Yankee transport ships. Their livestock was confiscated, their buildings destroyed, their records burned. Families were separated and after being kept as prisoners below decks on the ships for many weeks, many died during the voyages. Acadians were delivered in small groups to English colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusettes, Virginia, Carolina, Georgia. As French speaking, catholic beggars they were treated with suspicion and scorn. Charles Lawrence, the British governer of Nova Scotia who had concocted and executed the expulsion, had failed to inform the other colonial governers that these French speaking refugees would be arriving in their colonies.
Winslow walked out of the church and the men were held, locked inside. Winslow doubled the guard and later that night he wrote in his journal:
Trouble perhaps, but not nearly the trouble that the Acadians were headed for. After many days of delay the captured Acadians were herded onto Yankee transport ships. Their livestock was confiscated, their buildings destroyed, their records burned. Families were separated and after being kept as prisoners below decks on the ships for many weeks, many died during the voyages. Acadians were delivered in small groups to English colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusettes, Virginia, Carolina, Georgia. As French speaking, catholic beggars they were treated with suspicion and scorn. Charles Lawrence, the British governer of Nova Scotia who had concocted and executed the expulsion, had failed to inform the other colonial governers that these French speaking refugees would be arriving in their colonies.
In an moment Acadians were transformed from prosperous, self sufficient farmers to an enemy people in an enemy land.
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| Information panel from the Parks Canada exhibit at Grand Pré Visitor Center. |
A Great and Noble Scheme, The Tragic Story of the Expulsion of the French Acadians from Their American Homeland, John Mack Faragher, WW Norton & Co. 2005
note: To read details of the Expulsions at Gran Pre, Chapter 12, page 335
Wikipedia: Expulsion of the Acadians - Wikipedia
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