The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-06-05
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minds which might induce them TO
quit the province" And correspond
ence received from Sir Thomas Rob-
inson of the British ministry some
time after the expulsion of the Acad-
ians actually began, indicated that
it was not the policy of the home gov
eminent at that time to adopt ex-
IRENE measures.
By harvest time in 1855 the expul-
sion of the Acadians began when
Colonel Monckton, acting under Law
rence's instructions, gathered in 400
of the inhabitants of Chignecto. Colo
mel John Winslow will live in history
as the officer sent TO "the little vii
lage Of Grand Pre-, on the shore of the
Basin of Minas"
Winslow arrived at Grande Pre- on
August 10. September 2 Colonel Win
slow issued proclamation informing
the people that the lieutenant COVER
nor had a communication TO impart
TO them. The men were ordered, there
fore, to appear in the church at Grand
Pre- at O'Clock in the afternoon of
Friday, September ). No excuse would
be accepted for nonattendance; should
any fail to attend, their lands and
chattels would be forfeited to the
crown.
On that fateful Friday a strange
sight greeted the AS men as they
filed slowly into the church that had
been familiar to them from their
youth Stern-faced soldiers with gleam-
ing bayonets and red coats guarded
the door and in the middle of the
church a table had been placed and
around it other armed soldiers were
drawn up.
AS Colonel Winslow entered. at
tended by his staff, deep hush fell
upon the people. Without any pre-
liminaries, he proceeded to deliver his
address in English. Immediately aft
erward it was interpreted to the as
semblage in French.
With the pronouncement of the ter
rible words, "That your lands and
tenements, cattle of all kinds and
live stock of all sorts are forfeited to
the crown with all your other effects,
saving your money and household
goods, and that you yourselves are to
be removed from this. his majesty's
province" a murmur of anguish es-
capped the dumfounded Acadians. They
had expected some sort Of reprisal,
but not this.
Until aroused by the sharp COM
mand of an officer, the bewildered in
habitants sat mute and staring, as
though unable to comprehend the sig
nificance Of the fate they were con-
signed to. Recovering from the shock
of Winslow's words, the Acadians'
first thoughts were of their families,
with whom they had no means of COM
munication and who would not under
stand the reason for their detention.
A delegation Of the older men finally
asked leave to speak with the COM
mander.
After q lengthy conference Colonel
Winslow permitted the prisoners to
choose 20 Of their number to break
the news to the families and to bring
in food for the prisoners They were
to be held accountable for the be-
havior and safe return of the 20.
An effort was made to keep families
intact. But a lack Of transports; the
natural confusion and terror that nee
essarily followed; Winslow's fears
that his force, greatly outnumbered
by the Acadians, might be overpow-
cred, and the barrier of language all
contributed to the separations that
made the sufferings of the exiled
Acadians so tragic.
Three ships, the first to sail, left
the Basin of Minas October 13, bound
for Maryland, Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania- The last ship to leave Acadia
sailed southwark December 20. To
prevent any stragglers that escaped
to the forests from finding a place
Of refuge, squads of soldiers attend
ed to the work of burning every house,
barn or building that would in any
way furnish shelter.
In all from Grand Pre- and other