Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-18


ed by his men, informed the unfortunate
Acadians that the King of England had
ordered s.that their land and tenements,
cattle of all kinds. and live stock. and all
fruits and grain were forfeited to the
Crown. and they were to be removed
from the province" The wretched peo-
pile. unconscious of any cause for such bru-
tality. receivedthis sentence with resigna-
ton and fortitude; but when the fatal mo-
mt Mt arrived in which they were to part
from their friends and relatives without q
hope of seeing them again in this world,
and to be dispersed among strangers
whose language, religion and customs
were opposed to their own. they were
crushed by full realization of their mis-
cry. The young men were first ordered
to go on board of one of the vessels this
they perenYptorily refused to do. unless
their families were allowed to accompany
them This very natural request was re-
fused, and the troops were ordered 10 adj
vance upon them with fixed bavonets,
which had the effect of making them COM
mence their march. The road from the
chapel to the shore was lined with women
and children. who greeted the procession
with tears and blessings as the prisoners
walk slowly along, praying and weeping
and singing hymns. The old men next
followed through the same scene of sor-
row, and thus the whole male portion OF
Grand Pre- was forced on board the trans
ports which were to convey them away
from their homes forever. They having
been thus secured. the women and chill
dren were distributed indiscriminately
rated from their wives, and children from
their parents, whom-in many cases they
never met again. As these wretched peO-
pie sailed away from the land where they
had lived so happily and innocently, the
sight OF their burning homes was the lat
that met their eyes Altogether
seven thousand OF these poor exiles were
thus dragged from their homes and seat
tered along the Atlantic coast. from Maine
to Georgia. Five hundred landed in Phil
adelphia, e.half of whom died in a short
time owing to the haTd>hips they had en-.
dured. Seven hundred reached Maryland
so destitute that they must have died from
starvation had not some humane persons
provided for their immediate necessities
The largest portion of the exlles were
taken TO Massachusetts,, where, claiming
to be prisoners OF war, they refused &c
work. and were distributed as paupers
among the cities and towns of the colony
A pathetic appeal was made to George
ii in behalf of these unhappy people, bu
without effect: they were lett in their exile
and misery. their enemies hoping that, in
the course of time. their language. Gus
toms, etc., would be lost in the midst o
| Al. t.. xx,ho ,bo,
were scattered. The removal of the
Acadians recalls the tender lines ofVirgi
which expresses the lament of the Man
tuan shepherd when driven from his HON,
! by the victorious soldies of Augustus. com
mencing:
80 Lycian, riri perrepimus" etc.
! The merciless measures adopted toward:
the Acadians, and the wanton destruction
of their possessions. form one of the dark
est spots in American history. and is only
paralleled BY the massacre OF the Wyoming
by the English and Indians twenty-five
years afterwards. All that could throw
light on this dark transaction was careful
ly suppressed by the English authorities
But later investigation has discovered that
the iniquitous sentence of Punishment was
carried out with brutal violence. Old men
and delicate women were torn from their
homes and left all night on the shore, eX.
posed to the cold autumn air. and no ROOT
to shelter. no covering to protect them.
And, although Colonel Winslow had
pledged his honor that families should 90
on the same vessel, The aged husband was
separated from her who had been the part.
ner of his JOYS and sorrows for fittv years,
the young bride of a few weeks was torn
from The protecting arms of her husband
widows were separated from their only
sons, never to meet again,
Colonel Winslow received eight hundred
pounds sterling from the British Govern.
ment for driving the Acadians into exile
His portrait in the rooms of the Massachu.
setts Historical Society represents n man
of full face. fair complexion. blue eyes and
smiling mouth. lie died in 1913. aged
seventy-three years. His family were
Tories during the American Revolution,
and were obliged to seek refuge in Nova
Scotia when the British evacuated Boston
in 1875.
Only mournful tradition remains of
the beautiful village of Grand Pre-; few
weeping willows mark the spot where once
stood the happy home OF Evangeli:,e, and
forever sing the requiem of her doomed
people while
''Under the shade of their branches
Dwell another race. with other customs and Ian
guage."
The american.