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they should abandon Halifax。 All this intrigue occurred in 1749
and the years following the treaty of peace。 If the English
suffered； so did the Acadians。 Le Loutre told them that if once
they became British subjects they would lose their priests and
find their religion suppressed。 Acadians who took the oath would；
he said； be denied the sacraments of the Church。 He would also
turn loose on the offenders the murderous savages whom he
controlled。 If pressed by the English； the Acadians； rather than
yield； must abandon their lands and remove into French territory。
At this point arises the question as to what were the limits of
this French territory。 In yielding Acadia in 1713； France had not
defined its boundaries。 The English claimed that it included the
whole region stretching northeastward to the Gulf of St。 Lawrence
from the frontier of New England。 The French； however； said that
Acadia meant only the peninsula of Nova Scotia ending at the
isthmus between Baie Verte and the Bay of Chignecto； and for
years a Canadian force stood there on guard； daring the British
to put a foot on the north side of the little river Missaguash；
which the French said was the international boundary。
There was much excitement among the Acadians in 1750； when an
English force landed on the isthmus and proceeded to throw up
defenses on the south side of the river。 This outpost； which in
due time became Fort Lawrence； was placed on what even the French
admitted to be British territory。 Forthwith on a hill two or
three miles away； on the other side of the supposed boundary； the
French built Fort Beausejour。 Le Loutre was on the spot；
blustering and menacing。 He told his Acadian parishioners of the
little village of Beaubassin； near Fort Lawrence and within the
British area； that rather than accept English rule they must now
abandon their lands and seek the protection of the French at Fort
Beausejour。 With his own hands he set fire to the village church。
The houses of the Acadians were also burned。 A whole district was
laid waste by fire。 Women and children suffered fearful
privationsbut what did such things matter in view of the high
politics of the priest and of France？
During four or five years the hostile forts confronted each
other。 In time of peace there was war。 The French made Beausejour
a solid fort； for it still stands； little altered； though it has
been abandoned for a century and a half。 It was chiefly the
Acadians； nominal British subjects； who built these thick walls。
The arrogant Micmacs demanded that the British should hand over
to them the best half of Nova Scotia； and they emphasized their
demand by treachery and massacre。 One day a man； in the uniform
of a French officer； followed by a small party； approached Fort
Lawrence； waving a white flag。 Captain Howe with a small force
went out to meet him。 As this party advanced； Indians concealed
behind a dike fired and killed Howe and eight or ten others。 Such
ruses were well fitted to cause among the English a resolve to
enforce severe measures。 The fire burned slowly but in the end it
flamed up in a cruel and relentless temper。 French policy； too；
showed no pity。 The Governor of Canada and the colonial minister
in France were alike insistent that the English should be given
no peace and cared nothing for the sufferings of the unhappy
Acadians between the upper and the nether millstone。
At last； in 1755； the English accomplished something decisive。
They sent an army to Fort Lawrence； attacked Fort Beausejour；
forced its timid commander Vergor to surrender； mastered the
whole surrounding country； and obliged Le Loutre himself to fly
to Quebec。 There he embarked for France。 The English captured him
on the sea； however； and the relentless and cruel priest spent
many years in an English prison。 His later years； when he reached
France； do him some credit。 By that time the Acadians had been
driven from their homes。 There were nearly a thousand exiles in
England。 Le Loutre tried to befriend these helpless people and
obtained homes for some of them in the parish of Belle…Isle…en…
Mer in France。
In the meantime the price of Le Loutre's intrigues and of the
outrages of the French and their Indian allies was now to be paid
by the unhappy Acadians。 During the spring and summer of 1755；
the British decided that the question of allegiance should be
settled at once； and that the Acadians must take the oath。 There
was need of urgency。 The army at Fort Lawrence which had captured
Fort Beausejour was largely composed of men from New England； and
these would wish to return to their homes for the winter。 If the
Acadians remained and were hostile； the country thus occupied at
laborious cost might quickly revert to the French。 Already many
Acadians had fought on the side of the French and some of them；
disguised as Indians； had joined in savage outrage。 A French
fleet and a French army were reported as likely to arrive before
the winter。 In fact； France's naval power with its base at
Louisbourg was still stronger than that of Britain with its base
at Halifax。 When the Acadians were told in plain terms that they
must take the oath of allegiance； they firmly declined to do so
without certain limitations involving guarantees that they should
not be arrayed against France。 The Governor at Halifax； Major
Charles Lawrence； was a stern； relentless man； without pity； and
his mind was made up。 Shirley； Governor of Massachusetts； was in
touch with Lawrence。 The Acadians should be deported if they
would not take the oath。 This step； however； the government at
London never ordered。 On the contrary； as late as on August 13；
1755； Lawrence was counseled to act with caution； prudence； and
tact in dealing with the 〃Neutrals；〃 as the Acadians are called
even in this official letter。 Meanwhile； without direct warrant
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 know