Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-08-14
Acadia.
SCENES or LoxGrrLLow's ryAxGt1lxr.
rnr EVICTION Ar GRAND rnr IN 1875.

THE EVICTION At GRAND PRE IN l13j
Just beyond the apple region Of Anuapo-
liz lies the country made famous BY the
poem Of "Eyangeline." The nearest settle
ment to the site Of Grand Pre- is Horton.
but the tram pulls up opposite cump Of
sad looking willow trees, standing in an en-
closure near the track, and here the con
ductor shouts Grand Pre- Here an old
Acadian pump remains. and stumps of will
lows grow upon slight hollows that were
once the cellars of the Acadian cottages.
There are barely discernible traces in the
field on the right of some old village streets
but nothing more. lowlands. almost marsh
es in places, stretch away toward the
broad Basin Of Minas, beyond which 10
the northward. the eve catches BlnmLon's
blue outline. The scene is not exactly what
Lnngtellow pictures il in his poem The
meadows that stretch away to the eastward
are not by any means vast. and Benedict
Belletontane must have had a fiat instead of
hillside farm, If he lived much nearer the
basin than Grand Pre-. The dikes are still
there, all the old ones with some additions
anu between their ridges a few sleepy ed
cattle Craze.
The burning Of Grand Pre- and the exile
Of ~ people occurred in September 1875
The Encish mad possession Of Nova Scotia.
and as the Acadians would not swear allegi-
ance 10 the English King, GOV. Lawrence
decided on their complete removal from the
province and dispersal among the other
colonies. This undertaking was inlrus,ed
principally to Colonel John Winslow, com
mander Of the New England forces, and he
vas assisted bv Capt. MURRAY. The two
leaders issued a proclamation, calling the
men and boys Of Grand Pre-. Minas. River
Canard, etc, 10 assemble at the church Of
Grand Pre-. Friday. September ), "that We
may imp2ri to them what We are ordered to
communicate 10 them"
In response t. this summons Ils able
bodied ,nen gathered in the church, and
were locked in. Then Colonel Winslow adj
dressed them:
Gentlemen have received from his
excellency Governor Lawrence, the kings
commission. which have in my hand. and
BY his orders you are convened together to
manifest to YOU his majestys final resolution
TO the French inhabitants of this, his prov
ince OF Nova Scotia, who. for almost half
NtttAi s4hNt iidNA mutt IllL ant
ed them than any of his subjects in auv
part OF his domin,ons. What use YOU have
made Of II YOU Yourselves best know TIC
part Of duty an nov upon, though neces-
sary, i very disagree able 10 my natural
make and temper, as | know II must be
grlevous TO you. who are Of the same spec
les but il is not my business 10 animad
vert, but ID obey such orders as ! receive,
and therefore, without hesitation. shall de-
liver YOU his Msiestys order, and instfuc-
tions, namely, that your lands and tene-
mcnl>, cattle stock of all sorts, are forfeited
to the crown, with all YOUR other effects
saving your money and household goods,
and you Yourselves to be removed from this,
his province.
Thus II is peremptnriiy his maJest,s Or
ders tnat the whole French inhabitants Of
these districts be removed; and am,
through his maje,tys goodness. directed to
allow YOU liberty 70 carry of YOUR money
and household goods. as many as YOU can.
without dl>commndins the vessels YOU 20 III.
shall do everything in my power that all
those goods be secured 10 YOU, and that YOU
are not mole>ied In carving them off also.
that whole families shall 20 i'll the same ve>-
sci! and make this remove, which am sen
sIb.e must give YOU great Gea! of trouble,
as easy as hIs maJestv's service will admit,
and hope that, in whatever part Of the
world you may fall, ,ou may be faithful
subjects, and a peaceful and happy people.
must also inform YOU that il is his majestSs
pleasure that YOU remain in security under
the inspection and direction Of the troops
that haze the honor to command"
Then the assemblage was declared the
kings prisoners. The population of Grand
Pre- at the time Of this eviction consisted Of
4S3 men, 331 women, j21 boys and j26
girls. When the village was burned 2jj
houses, 276 barns, ljj out-hulldings, IL
mills, and one church vent down in the
flames On the 10th of September, the
prisoners were drawn up six deep, and lGl
Young men were forced to separate from
their families and 20 on board the ships in
a body. Then followed the elder men, and
so the whole male population of the district
of Minas was put on board five transports.
The women and children were embarked in
other vessels, and so it will be seen that
Winslow's promises in regard to keeping
families together amounted to nothing.
Thus were the Acadians of Minas exiled
while over 5000 others followed soon from
other districts, and scattered from Canada
to the Gulf. 1t has never been pretended
that many of the Acadians were not the
simple, harmless people that Longfellow
represents them. but there were, undoubted-
ly, few who violated the conditions Of
neutrality, and all suffered alike.