1744 in Canada

←


1744
in
Canada

→

Decades:
See also:
Part of a series on the
History of Canada
Benjamin West's The Death of General Wolfe
Timeline (list)
Significant
Topics
Provinces
Cities
Research

Events from the year 1744 in Canada.

Incumbents

Governors

Events

Births

Full date unknown

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Historical documents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[4]

Louisbourg francophone man obtains Council warrant to capture chief and other "Chickinakady Indians" he says murdered crew of British ship[5]

Council meets with Saint John River Indigenous leaders who have heard rumours of British-French war and seek (and get) assurances of peace[6]

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[7]

"Breaking the French measures;[...]timely Succours receiv'd [and] our French refusing to take up arms against us" halts Annapolis attack[8]

Nova Scotia Council reports that in June and August attacks, local Acadians helped enemy "while we were entirely Deserted by them"[9]

Word from Île-Royale is that 23 British fishing and commercial ships have been taken by large schooner and five other French privateers[10]

New York governor George Clinton tells Assembly he has increased defences (including Six Nations scouts) at Oswego, Saratoga and Albany[11]

In July and August, Boston privateer takes French ships on "great banks," plus other French fishers on northeast coast of Newfoundland[12]

Privateer brings in to Boston three French ships, including one carrying to Canada wine, brandy, iron and dry goods worth £8-9,000[13]

Under flag of truce, three vessels arrive at Boston from Île-Royale with 350 British prisoners taken from Canso and "sundry Vessels, &c."[14]

French abhor inhumanity of privateers who took New York ship by firing after it surrendered, including one "chew'd" musket ball[15]

New Hampshire privateer with Île-Royale prizes is attacked by "Indians on Cape Sables," and later by canoes (driven off by swivel guns)[16]

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[17]

Duvivier orders Minas Acadians to supply horses, handlers and gunpowder, and to pledge loyalty to French king (Note: "savages" used)[18]

Nova Scotia commander Mascarene reports skirmish and tactical issues (including Indigenous fighters' "sculking way of fighting")[19]

Acadians ask French not to take their meagre harvest and to withdraw, citing "mild" government they live under (Note: "savages" used)[20]

In October, captured French privateer's crew is found to include "Irish Roman-catholick soldiers formerly of" Canso regiment[21]

Nova Scotia Council allows commandeering of vessel and equipment to counter "great body of Indians" threatening from Minas and Chignecto[22]

Massachusetts declares war on French-allied Indigenous peoples in November, and sets bounties for scalps of men, women and children[23]

Mascarene says loyal as well as disloyal Acadians "must unavoidably share in the trouble that military people generally bring with them"[24]

Mascarene praises daughter of former seigneur for her loyalty, but will not defend property of her disloyal family (Note: "savages" used)[25]

Council hears of Cobequid Acadians' loyalty and non-participation "in the last troubles " (except when forced to assist)[26]

Annapolis River Acadians told loyalty includes supplying non-combatant personnel, no matter their fear of Indigenous people's "resentment"[27]

Map: lands surrounding Gulf of St. Lawrence and lower St. Lawrence River[28]

Dominique Nafréchoux of Montreal signs deed of emancipation for his slave Dominique-François Mentor to take effect on his death[29]

Joseph Robson wonders what keeps Hudson's Bay Company from competing with French upriver, and then finds it hard going up Nelson River[30]

Minister to Kanien’kéhà:ka reports having to calm them after "our restless Enemies the French" spread rumour of British attack[31]

New Hampshire proclamation summons volunteers for expedition against Cape Breton Island (Île-Royale)[32]

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"[33]

"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[34]

References

  1. ^ Guéganic (2008), p. 13.
  2. ^ "George I". Official web site of the British monarchy. 30 December 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  3. ^ Brooks, Rebecca Beatrice. "History of King George's War". History of Massachusetts Blog. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ Nova Scotia Council meeting (May 4, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 44-6. Accessed 5 October 2021
  6. ^ "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
  7. ^ 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")
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ "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
  10. ^ "Boston" The New-York Gazette (July 2, 1744), image 2. Accessed 6 October 2021
  11. ^ "Speech of His Excellency" The New-York Gazette (July 23, 1744), pg. 1. Accessed 6 October 2021
  12. ^ "End of July" A Summary, Historical and Political, of the[...]British Settlements in North-America (1755), pg. 339. Accessed 1 October 2021
  13. ^ "Boston" The New-York Gazette (August 20, 1744), image 3. Accessed 6 October 2021
  14. ^ "Boston September 20th" The New-York Gazette (October 1, 1744), image 2. Accessed 6 October 2021
  15. ^ "Capt. Samuel Richards in a Sloop from New-York" The New-York Gazette (October 1, 1744), image 3. Accessed 6 October 2021
  16. ^ "Boston" The New-York Gazette (October 29, 1744), image 3. Accessed 6 October 2021
  17. ^ "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
  18. ^ "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
  19. ^ "Gov. Mascarene to Lords of Trade" (excerpt; September 25, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pgs. 133-4. Accessed 6 October 2021
  20. ^ "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
  21. ^ "In October" A Summary, Historical and Political, of the[...]British Settlements in North-America (1755), pg. 340. Accessed 1 October 2021
  22. ^ Council meeting (December 8, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 51-2. Accessed 5 October 2021
  23. ^ "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)
  24. ^ "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
  25. ^ "Govr. Mascarene to Frances Belleisle Robishau" (translation; October 13, 1744), Nova Scotia Documents; Acadian French, pg. 136. Accessed 6 October 2021
  26. ^ Council meeting (December 11, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pg. 52. Accessed 5 October 2021
  27. ^ Council meetings (December 21 and 28, 1744), Nova Scotia Archives; Minutes of H.M. Council, 1736-1749, pgs. 53-4. Accessed 5 October 2021
  28. ^ 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
  29. ^ "Deed of Emancipation of a Black Slave, 1744" (in French with English transcript; September 30, 1744), Canadian Museum of History. Accessed 17 April 2022
  30. ^ 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
  31. ^ "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 Foreign Parts (1745), pgs. 45 (bottom) - 46. Accessed 1 October 2021
  32. ^ "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)
  33. ^ "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
  34. ^ 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)