the conquest of new france-第20章

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from　London；　Lawrence　and　his　council　at　Halifax　had　taken

action。　His　reasoning　was　that　of　a　direct　soldier。　The　Acadians

would　not　take　the　full　oath　of　British　citizenship。　Very　well。

Quite　obviously　they　could　not　be　trusted。　Already　they　had　acted

in　a　traitorous　way。　Prolonged　war　with　France　was　imminent。

Since　Acadians　who　might　be　allied　with　the　savages　could　attack

British　posts；　they　must　be　removed。　To　replace　them；　British

settlers　could　in　time　be　brought　into　the　country。



The　thing　was　done　in　the　summer　and　autumn　of　1755。　Colonel

Robert　Monckton；　a　regular　officer；　son　of　an　Irish　peer；　who

always　showed　an　ineffable　superiority　to　provincial　officers

serving　under　him；　was　placed　in　charge　of　the　work。　He　ordered

the　male　inhabitants　of　the　neighborhood　of　Beausejour　to　meet

him　there　on　the　10th　of　August。　Only　about　one…third　of　them

camesome　four　hundred。　He　told　them　that　the　government　at

Halifax　now　declared　them　rebels。　Their　lands　and　all　other　goods

were　forfeited；　they　themselves　were　to　be　kept　in　prison。　Not

yet；　however；　was　made　known　to　them　the　decision　that　they　were

to　be　treated　as　traitors　of　whom　the　province　must　be　rid。　No

attempt　was　made　anywhere　to　distinguish　loyal　from　disloyal

Acadians。　Lawrence　gave　orders　to　the　military　officers　to　clear

the　country　of　all　Acadians；　to　get　them　by　any　necessary　means

on　board　the　transports　which　would　carry　them　away；　and　to　burn

their　houses　and　crops　so　that　those　not　caught　might　perish　or

be　forced　to　surrender　during　the　coming　winter。　At　the　moment；

the　harvest　had　just　been　reaped　or　was　ripening。



When　the　stern　work　was　done　at　Grand　Pre；　at　Pisiquid；　now

Windsor；　at　Annapolis；　there　were　harrowing　scenes。　In　command　of

the　work　at　Grand　Pre　was　Colonel　Winslow；　an　officer　from

Massachusettssome　of　whose　relatives　twenty…five　years　later

were　to　be　driven；　because　of　their　loyalty　to　the　British　King；

from　their　own　homes　in　Boston　to　this　very　land　of　Acadia。

Winslow　issued　a　summons　in　French　to　all　the　male　inhabitants；

down　to　lads　of　ten；　to　come　to　the　church　at　Grand　Pre　on

Friday；　the　5th　of　September；　to　learn　the　orders　he　had　to

communicate。　Those　who　did　not　appear　were　to　forfeit　their

goods。　No　doubt　many　Acadians　did　not　understand　the　summons。　Few

of　them　could　read　and　it　hardly　mattered　to　them　that　on　one

occasion　a　notice　on　the　church　door　was　posted　upside　down。　Some

four　hundred　anxious　peasants　appeared。　Winslow　read　to　them　a

proclamation　to　the　effect　that　their　houses　and　lands　were

forfeited　and　that　they　themselves　and　their　families　were　to　be

deported。　Five　vessels　from　Boston　lay　at　Grand　Pre。　In　time　more

ships　arrived；　but　chill　October　had　come　before　Winslow　was

finally　ready。



By　this　time　the　Acadians　realized　what　was　to　happen。　The　men

were　joined　by　their　families。　As　far　as　possible　the　people　of

the　same　village　were　kept　together。　They　were　forced　to　march　to

the　transports；　a　sorrow…laden　company；　women　carrying　babes　in

their　arms；　old　and　decrepit　people　borne　in　carts；　young　and

strong　men　dragging　what　belongings　they　could　gather。　Winslow's

task；　as　he　says；　lay　heavy　on　his　heart　and　hands：　〃It　hurts　me

to　hear　their　weeping　and　wailing　and　gnashing　of　teeth。〃　By　the

1st　of　November　he　had　embarked　fifteen　hundred　unhappy　people。

His　last　ship…load　he　sent　off　on　the　13th　of　December。　The

suffering　from　cold　must　have　been　terrible。



In　all；　from　Grand　Pre　and　other　places；　more　than　six　thousand

Acadians　were　deported。　They　were　scattered　in　the　English

colonies　from　Maine　to　Georgia　and　in　both　France　and　England。

Many　died；　many；　helpless　in　new　surroundings；　sank　into　decrepit

pauperism。　Some　reached　people　of　their　own　blood　in　the　French

colony　of　Louisiana　and　in　Canada。　A　good　many　returned　from

their　exile　in　the　colonies　to　their　former　home　after　the　Seven

Years'　War　had　ended。　Today　their　descendants　form　an　appreciable

part　of　the　population　of　Nova　Scotia；　New　Brunswick；　and　Prince

Edward　Island。　The　cruel　act　did　one　thing　effectively：　it　made

Nova　Scotia　safe　for　the　British　cause　in　the　attack　that　was

about　to　be　directed　against　Canada。







CHAPTER　VIII。　The　Victories　Of　Montcalm



In　France's　last；　most　determined；　and　most　tragic　struggle　for

North　America；　the　noblest　aspect　is　typified　in　the　figure　of

Montcalm。



The　circle　of　the　King　and　his　mistress　at　Versailles　does　not

tell　the　whole　story　of　France　at　this　time。　No　doubt　Madame　de

Pompadour　made　and　unmade　ministers；　but　behind　the　ministers　was

the　great　administrative　system　of　France；　with　servants　alert

and　efficient；　and　now　chiefly　occupied　with　military　plans　to

defeat　the　great　Frederick　of　Prussia。　At　the　same　time　the

intellect　of　France　was　busy　with　problems　of　science　and　was

soon　to　express　itself　in　the　massive　volumes　of　Diderot's

Encyclopaedia。　The　soldiers　of　France　were　preparing　to　fight　on

many　battlefields。　The　best　of　them　took　little　part　in　the

debilitating　pleasures　of　Versailles。



Louis　Joseph；　Marquis　de　Montcalm；　was　a　member　of　the　ancient

nobility　of　Languedoc；　in　the　south　of　France。　He　was　a　scholar；

a　soldier；　and　a　landowner。　He　could　write　a　Latin　inscription；

fight　a　battle；　and　manage　a　farmall　with　excellence。　His　was　a

fruitful　race。　His　wife　had　borne　him　ten　children；　of　whom　six

had　survived。　He　was　sincerely　religious；　a　family　man；　enjoying

quiet　evenings　at　home。　In　his　career；　as　no　doubt　in　that　of

many　other　French　leaders　of　the　time；　we　find　no　lurid　lights；

no　gay　scenes　at　courtnothing　but　simple　and　laborious　devotion

to　duty。　Though　a　grand　seigneur；　Montcalm　was　poor。　His　letters

show　that　his　mind　was　always　much　occupied　with　family　affairs；

the　need　of　economy；　the　careers　of　his　sons；　his　mill；　his

plantations。　He　showed　the　minute　care　in　management　which　the

French　practise　better　than　the　English。　In　1756　he　was

forty…four　years　of　age；　a　soldier　who　had　campaigned　in　Germany；

Bohemia；　and　Italy；　had　known　victory　and　defeat；　had　been　a

prisoner　in　the　hands　of　the　Austrians；　and　had　made　a　reputation

as　a　man　fit　to　lead。　He　lived　far　from　court　and　went　to　Paris

only　rarely。　It　was　this　quiet　man　who；　on　January　31；　1756；　was

summoned　to　Paris　to　head　the　military　force　about　to　be　sent　to

Canada。　Dieskau　was　a　captive　in　English　hands；　and　Montcalm　was

to　replace　Dieskau。



Thus　began　that　connection　of　Montcalm　with　Canada　which　was

destined　three　or　four　years　later　to　bring　to　him　first　victory

and　then　defeat；　death；　and　undying　fame。　On　receiving　his

appointment　he　went　to　Paris；　thanked　the　King　in　person　for　the

honor　done　him；　and　was　delighted　that　his　son；　a　mere　boy；　was

given　the　rank　and　pay　of　a　colonel；　one　of　the　few　abuses　of

court　favor　which　we　find　in　his　career。　On　March　26；　1756；

Montcalm　embarked　at　Brest　with　his　staff。　War　had　not　yet　been

declared；　but　already　Britain　had　captured　some　three　hundred

French　merchant　ships；　had　taken　prisoner　nearly　ten　thousand

French　sailors；　and　was　sweeping　from　the　sea　the　fleets　of

France。



Owing　to　the　fear　of　British　cruisers；　the　voyage　of　Montcalm　had

its　excitements。　As　usual；　however；　France　was　earlier　in　the

field　than　Britain；　who　had　in　April　no　force　ready　for　America

which　could　intercept　Montcalm。　The　storms　were　heavy；　and　on

Easter　Day；　when　Mass　was　celebrated；　a　sailor　firm　on　his　feet

had　to　hold　the　chalice　for　the　officiating　priest。　On　board

there　were　daily　prayers；　and　always　the　service　ended　with　cries

of　〃God　save　the　King！〃　Some　of　the　officers　on　board　were

destined　to　survive　to　a　new　era　in　France　when　there　should　be

no　more　a　king。



Montcalm　had　with　him　a　capable　staff　and　a　goodly　number　of

young　officers；　gay；　debonair；　thinking　not　of　great　political

designs　about　America　but　chiefly　of　their　own　future　careers　in

France；　and　facing　death　lightheartedly　enough。　Next　to　Montcalm

in　command　was　the　Chevalier　de　Uvis；　a　member　of　a　great　French

family　and　himself　destined　to　attain　the　high　rank　of　Marshal　of

France；　and　a　capable　though　not　a　brilliant　soldier；　whose　chief

gift　was　tact　and　the　art　of　managing　men。　Third　in　command　was

the　Chevalier　de　Bourlamaque；　a　quiet；　reserved　man；　with　no

striking　social　gifts　and　in　consequence　not　likely　at　first　to

make　a　good　impression；　though　Montcalm；　who　was　at　the　beginning

a　little　doubtful　of　his　quality；　came　in　the　end　to　rely　upon

him　fully。　The　most　brilliant　man　in　that　company　was　the　young

Colonel　de　Bougainville；　Montcalm's　chief　aide…de…camp。　Though

only　twenty…seven　years　old　he　was　already　famous　in　the　world　of

science　and　was　destined　to　be　still　more　famous　as　a　great

navigator；　to　live　through　the　whole　period　of　the　French

Revolution；　and　to　die　only　on　the　eve　of　the　fall　of　Napoleon。

In　1756　he　was　too　young　and　clever　to　be　always　prudent　in

speech。　It　is　from　his　quick　eye　and　eager　pen　that　we　learn　much

of　the　inner　story　of　these　last　days　of　New　France。　Montcalm

discusses　frankly　in　his　letters　these　and　other　officers；　with

whom　he　was　on　the　whole　well　pleased。　In　his　heart　he　could　echo

the　words　of　Bougainville　as　he　watched　the　brilliant　spectacle

of　the　embarkation　at　Brest：　〃What　a　nation　is　ours！　Happy　is　he

who　leads　and　is　worthy　of　it。〃



It　was　in　this　spirit　of　confidence　that　Montcalm　faced　the

struggle　in　America。　For　him　sad　days　were　to　come　and　his　sunny；

vivacious；　southern　temperament　caused　him　to　suffer　keenly。　At

first；　however；　all　was　full　of　brilliant　promise。　So　eager　was

he　that；　when　his　ships　lay　becalmed　in　the　St。　Lawrence　some

thirty　miles　below　Quebec；　he　landed　and　drove　to　the　city。　It　is

the　most　beautiful　country　in　the　world；　he　writes；　highly

cultivated；　with　many　houses；　the　peasants　living　more　like　the

lesser　gentry　of　France　than　like　peasants；　and　speaking

excellent　French。　He　found　the　hospitality　in　Quebec　such　that　a

Parisian　would　be　surprised　at　the　profusion　of　good　things　of

every　kind。　The　city　was；　he　thought；　like　the　best　type　of　the

cities　of　France。　The　Canadian　climate　was　health…giving；　the　sky

clear；　the　summer　not　unlike　that　of　Languedoc；　but　the　winter

trying；　since　the　severe　weather　caused　the　inhabitants　to　remain

too　much　indoors。　He　described　the　Canadian　ladies　as　witty；

lively；　devout；　those　of　Quebec　amusing　themselves　at　play；

sometimes　for　high　stakes；　those　of　Montreal；　with　conversation

and　dancing。　He　confessed　that　one　of　them　proved　a　little　too

fascinating　for　his　own　peace　of　mind。　The　intolerable　thing　was

the　need　to　meet　and　pay　court　to　the　Indians　whom　the　Governor；

the　Marquis　de　Vaudreuil；　regarded　as　valuable　allies。　These

savages；　brutal；　changeable；　exacting；　Montcalm　from　the　first

despised。　It　filled　him　with　disgust　to　see　them　swarming