Brigadier General James Monroe Williams

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Events from the year 1744 in Canada.

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Governors

Events

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Deaths

Historical documents

Alerting Fort Albany to war with France, Hudson's Bay Company orders readying of men and arms and getting "Trading Indians" to patrol daily[3]

Louisbourg francophone man obtains Council warrant to capture chief and other "Chickinakady Indians" he says murdered crew of British ship[4]

Council meets with Saint John River Indigenous leaders who have heard rumours of British-French war and seek (and get) assurances of peace[5]

Duvivier's force of 900 regular troops and militia from Île-Royale takes Canso from its 80-man garrison on May 13 and burns settlement[6]

"Breaking the French measures;[...]timely Succours receiv'd [and] our French refusing to take up arms against us" halts Annapolis attack[7]

Nova Scotia Council reports that in June and August attacks, local Acadians helped enemy "while we were entirely Deserted by them"[8]

Word from Île-Royale is that 23 British fishing and commercial ships have been taken by large schooner and five other French privateers[9]

New York governor George Clinton tells Assembly he has increased defences (including Six Nations scouts) at Oswego, Saratoga and Albany[10]

In July and August, Boston privateer takes French ships on "great banks," plus other French fishers on northeast coast of Newfoundland[11]

Privateer brings in to Boston three French ships, including one carrying to Canada wine, brandy, iron and dry goods worth £8-9,000[12]

Under flag of truce, three vessels arrive at Boston from Île-Royale with 350 British prisoners taken from Canso and "sundry Vessels, &c."[13]

French abhor inhumanity of privateers who took New York ship by firing after it surrendered, including one "chew'd" musket ball[14]

New Hampshire privateer with Île-Royale prizes is attacked by "Indians on Cape Sables," and later by canoes (driven off by swivel guns)[15]

Report of arrival of 70-gun and three other French warships plus 18 armed merchant ships at Île-Royale with arms for Quebec-built warship[16]

Duvivier orders Minas Acadians to supply horses, handlers and gunpowder, and to pledge loyalty to French king (Note: "savages" used)[17]

Nova Scotia commander Mascarene reports skirmish and tactical issues (including Indigenous fighters' "sculking way of fighting")[18]

Acadians ask French not to take their meagre harvest and to withdraw, citing "mild" government they live under (Note: "savages" used)[19]

In October, captured French privateer's crew is found to include "Irish Roman-catholick soldiers formerly of" Canso regiment[20]

Nova Scotia Council allows commandeering of vessel and equipment to counter "great body of Indians" threatening from Minas and Chignecto[21]

Massachusetts declares war on French-allied Indigenous peoples in November, and sets bounties for scalps of men, women and children[22]

Mascarene says loyal as well as disloyal Acadians "must unavoidably share in the trouble that military people generally bring with them"[23]

Mascarene praises daughter of former seigneur for her loyalty, but will not defend property of her disloyal family (Note: "savages" used)[24]

Council hears of Cobequid Acadians' loyalty and non-participation "in the last troubles " (except when forced to assist)[25]

Annapolis River Acadians told loyalty includes supplying non-combatant personnel, no matter their fear of Indigenous people's "resentment"[26]

Map: lands surrounding Gulf of St. Lawrence and lower St. Lawrence River[27]

Dominique Nafréchoux of Montreal signs deed of emancipation for his slave Dominique-François Mentor to take effect on his death[28]

Joseph Robson wonders what keeps Hudson's Bay Company from competing with French upriver, and then finds it hard going up Nelson River[29]

Minister to Kanien’kéhà:ka reports having to calm them after "our restless Enemies the French" spread rumour of British attack[30]

New Hampshire proclamation summons volunteers for expedition against Cape Breton Island (Île-Royale)[31]

Soldier's widow and step-mother of his children has to ask Council's permission to sell his property, as "none Other would Accept of that Office"[32]

"There is a satisfaction even, in giving way to Grief" - On duty in Belgium, young James Wolfe writes home about his soldier brother's death[33]

References

  1. ^ Guéganic (2008), p. 13.
  2. ^ "George I". Official web site of the British monarchy. 30 December 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  3. ^ Letter to Fort Albany (May 10, 1744), Report [on] the State and Condition of the Countries adjoining to Hudson's Bay[....] (1749), pgs. 266-7. Accessed 1 October 2021
  4. ^ Nova Scotia Council meeting (May 4, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 44-6. Accessed 5 October 2021
  5. ^ "A Conference Held at Annapolis Royal" (May 5, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 46-8. Accessed 5 October 2021
  6. ^ William Douglass, "War was declared" A Summary, Historical and Political, of the[...]British Settlements in North-America (1755), pg. 318. Accessed 1 October 2021 (For details of Canso attack, see "By a Person who was Master of a Vessel lately taken by the French at Canso")
  7. ^ Mascarene's long, detailed account of war at Annapolis (in two parts; December 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pgs. 140-50. Accessed 6 October 2021
  8. ^ "Representation of the State of His Majesties Province of Nova Scotia(...) (November 8, 1745), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 80, 81-2. (See detailed report of this fighting and appeal for help) Accessed 5 October 2021
  9. ^ "Boston" The New-York Gazette (July 2, 1744), image 2. Accessed 6 October 2021
  10. ^ "Speech of His Excellency" The New-York Gazette (July 23, 1744), pg. 1. Accessed 6 October 2021
  11. ^ "End of July" A Summary, Historical and Political, of the[...]British Settlements in North-America (1755), pg. 339. Accessed 1 October 2021
  12. ^ "Boston" The New-York Gazette (August 20, 1744), image 3. Accessed 6 October 2021
  13. ^ "Boston September 20th" The New-York Gazette (October 1, 1744), image 2. Accessed 6 October 2021
  14. ^ "Capt. Samuel Richards in a Sloop from New-York" The New-York Gazette (October 1, 1744), image 3. Accessed 6 October 2021
  15. ^ "Boston" The New-York Gazette (October 29, 1744), image 3. Accessed 6 October 2021
  16. ^ "letter from Philadelphia" (September 8, 1744), Considerations on the State of the British Fisheries in America;[...]with Proposals for their Security, by the Reduction of Cape-Breton[....], pgs. 7 (bottom) - 8. Accessed 1 October 2021
  17. ^ "M. Du Vivier's order to the inhabitants of Mines, Piziquid, River Canard, and Cobequid" (translation; August 27, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pgs. 134-5. Accessed 6 October 2021
  18. ^ "Gov. Mascarene to Lords of Trade" (excerpt; September 25, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pgs. 133-4. Accessed 6 October 2021
  19. ^ "To M. De Ganne, Knight, Captain of infantry commanding(....)" (translation; October 10, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pg. 135. (De Ganne complies) Accessed 6 October 2021
  20. ^ "In October" A Summary, Historical and Political, of the[...]British Settlements in North-America (1755), pg. 340. Accessed 1 October 2021
  21. ^ Council meeting (December 8, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 51-2. Accessed 5 October 2021
  22. ^ "As the Cape-Sable and St. John's Indians" A Summary, Historical and Political, of the[...]British Settlements in North-America (1755), pgs. 320-1. Accessed 1 October 2021 (See Gov. Shirley's letter linking war declaration with Saint John River leaders' alleged treachery)
  23. ^ "Governor Mascarene to Deputies of Mines, Piziquid, and River Canard" (translation; October 13, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pg. 137. (See warning to disloyal Chignecto and rejection of their promised neutrality) Accessed 6 October 2021
  24. ^ "Govr. Mascarene to Frances Belleisle Robishau" (translation; October 13, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pg. 136. Accessed 6 October 2021
  25. ^ Council meeting (December 11, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pg. 52. Accessed 5 October 2021
  26. ^ Council meetings (December 21 and 28, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 53-4. Accessed 5 October 2021
  27. ^ Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, "A New Chart of the Coast of New England, Nova Scotia, New France or Canada, with the Islands of Newfoundland Cape Breton St. John's Etc." (1744-1775), McCord Museum. Accessed 6 October 2021
  28. ^ "Deed of Emancipation of a Black Slave, 1744" (in French with English transcript; September 30, 1744), Canadian Museum of History. Accessed 17 April 2022
  29. ^ Joseph Robson, "The French settlements" An Account of Six Years Residence in Hudson's-Bay (1752), pgs. 18-19, 21-2. Accessed 1 October 2021
  30. ^ "While the Tribe of the Mohock Indians" (March 12, 1744), "New-York," A Sermon Preached before the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreigh Parts (1745), pgs. 45 (bottom) - 46. Accessed 1 October 2021
  31. ^ "By His Excellency Benning Wentworth[...]A Proclamation" (1744?) https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.60314/1?r=0&s=1 (this document is reproduced in segments, beginning here)
  32. ^ "Copy Minute of Council on Wednesday March 7th, 1743/4" Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 41-2. Accessed 5 October 2021
  33. ^ Letter of James Wolfe (October 29, 1744), General Wolfe's Letters to His Parents. Accessed 7 October 2021 https://collections.library.utoronto.ca/view/wolfe:F7025 (swipe to F7025_0069_L014_01)
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1744_in_Canada