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NOVA SCOTIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY. |
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CAMP AT GRAND PRE, SEPT. 17TH 1755.
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I have before me your Excellencys favor of the 11th Inst, and Greatly Pleasd that the Measures taken by Capt Murray and my Self Meets with your approbation. Take the Freedome to lay before your Excellency from the fifth past to this Day vizt that on that Day having Convened the Male Inhabitants I Delivered them your Excellencys Orders to this Effect, that their Lands & Tennements, Lieve Stock of all Kinds, and all Other their Estates were Forfitted to the Crown. Excepting Only their Money and Household Goods which they were at Liberty to take with them So as Not to Discomode the Vessels that they were to go in, and that they them Selves were the Kings Prisoners.
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They were Greatly Struck at this Determination, thoh I believe they did not then Nor to this Day do Imagine that they are Actually to be removed. where Verry Disierous to have a Small number to remain as Hostages for the rest, which I informed them I Could Not Grante, but Considering their Scituations, and the Necesity of Providing for them Selves and Families, permitted Twenty of them vizt Ten of the Districkt of Grand Pre & Ten of Cannard &c to be absent at a time and to return at the End of Every 24 Houers & Others to go out in their room — the French them Selves to Chose these People, and to be answerable for their return, and their Buissness to Sea their Bretherin Provided for &c, and this Method I have Continued in to this Day and have found no Ilconveniency in it, as also have Inlarged the Millers to Grinde Meal for the People, and in this State we Continued till ye tenth, at which time the French Seamd to Grow uneasey upon whch I advised with my officers who were Fully of Opinion, that it was best to divide the Prisoners, and as we had Five Transportes arived from Boston lying Idle, Concluded it would be best to put fifty men on Board Each, Sending of their young men First who amounted to 141 & then Determined to Send of 109 Marryed men, but by mistake only 89 were Sent on Board So that their number amounted to 230 Embarked who lye all a Float at the Mouth of the Creek under the Protection of Capt Adams in the Warren, and a Gaurd of Six men of our party in Each Vessel, the others Confined within my Picketts in ye Day time, and in the Church at Night & things remain Quiate, thus Much as to the French.
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as to our own affairs & Scituation would Inform your Excellency that we have been all around the Villages here to ye remotest parts of Cannard by parties and Cant Finde but what we have Got the whole in Our Possession Excepting about Thirty Very old & Infirm whome I am Loth to Incumber our Selves with til their Departure. as to Provissions I have Exspended None to the French, but one Day being the First of their Detention, before a Method was Found for their Subsistance, which is now Settled in this Form vizt that the women & Boys bring Provissions for those in Custody at this Place, and for those on
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