they should attempt to enter Louisbourg Harbour with their Ships; and I am the more inclin'd to this Opinion from the Accounts I have receiv'd lately from Mr Mascarene, and the officers of the Garrison at Annapolis Royal which inform me that the French Inhabitants at Menis and Schiegneto (in Nova Scotia) have cut off all communication with the garrison for these last five Weeks, and have stop'd the Messengers sent from thence by Mr Mascarene for Intelligences; being in Expectation of an Armament from France. And indeed it seems probable that this will for ever be the Case; and that the Province of Nova Scotia will never be out of Danger, whilst the French Inhabitants are suffer'd to remain in Nova Scotia upon their present Foot of Subjection. I have the Honour to be with the most Dutiful Regard Your Grace's most Devoted and His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. W. SHIRLEY. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO BENNING WENTWORTH1 SIR, Boston, July 29, 1746. I did not discover 'till now that one thing slipt me in answering your Excellency's last letter to me and Mr Warren, viz. what provision there is for billeting the Men 'till their Embarcation. As to that Article, the Assembly of this province has voted an Allowance for that, tho' too scanty an one, and it seems to arise naturally from the first grant of provisions for the Soldiers. I would farther observe that 1 Original, A. L. S., Mass. Hist. Soc., Belknap Manuscripts, 61 C, p. 66. my Assembly has voted provisions sufficient to supply the Massachusetts Troops 'till the first of June next. I shall finish my troubleing your Grace upon the Affairs of Nova Scotia with this Letter after having once more Submitted it to your Grace's Consideration as a proper Scheme for better securing the Subjection of the French Inhabitants and Indians there; that the Governour and Council or such other Person or Persons as his Majesty shall think fitt to join with 'em, should have a special authority and directions from his Majesty, forthwith to Apprehend and Examine a convenient number of such of the Inhabitants, as shall be by them judg'd to be most obnoxious and Dangerous to his Majesty's Government, and upon finding 'em guilty of holding any treasonable Correspondence with the Enemy &c to dispose of them and their Estates in such manner, as his Majesty shall order by his commissions and to promise his Majesty's Gracious Pardon and a general Indemnity to the Rest for what is past upon their taking the Oaths of Allegiance to his Majesty; And to Cause either two strong Blockhouses (or small Forts) capable of holding 100 Men each to be Built, one in Menis and the other in Schiegnecto, which may be Garrison'd out of Phillips's Regiment when Compleated or else that at least one Blockhouse (or small 1 (Duplicate) P. R. O., C. O. 5, 901, p. 20. 1 Fort) should be Built at Menis capable of holding 150 Men; and a trading house be kept at the Fort at Menis or some other part of the Province well Stock'd with all proper Supplies for the Indians to be sold or barter'd to 'em for Furrs &c at the most Reasonable Rates, and some presents annually distributed to 'em: by which means and removing the Romish Priests out of the Province, and introducing Protestant English Schools, and French Protestant Ministers, and due encouragement given to such of the Inhabitants, as shall Conform to the Protestant Religion, and send their Children to the English Schools, the present Inhabitants might probably at least be kept in Subjection to his Majesty's Government, and from treasonable Correspondences with the Canadeans; and the next Generation in a great measure become true Protestant Subjects; and the Indians there soon Reclaim'd to an entire dependance upon and subjection to his Majesty; which might also have an happy Influence upon some of the Tribes now in the French Interest. Your Grace will be pleased to Excuse all Incorrectness in this rough Sketch. I am with the most Dutifull Regard, My Lord Duke, Your Grace's most Devoted and Most Obedient Servant SIR, W. SHIRLEY. PAUL MASCARENE TO WILLIAM SHIRLEY [Extracts'] The Canadeans seem to be resolved to keep footing in this province, tho their fleet should not come this fall. Whether they will make any attempt on this garrison without their fleet is what I am not able to determine, but their staying so near us this winter will certainly prove dangerous to 1 Printed in full: 6 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll. 10, 479. John Paul Mascarene was born at Castras in Languedoc, France, in 1684. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes having obliged his father, the safety of this place, considering the inhabitants we have about us and the soldiers we have in the garrison, that part of them which came lately from England having many Irish and foreign papists among them. Five of them are gone clear off to the enemy; and I have by means of Lieut. Gorham and his rangers retaken five others who were going the same way. I would therefore propose that if a sufficient force cannot be sent immediately to root the enemy out of this province, two good sloops, not too sharp bottom'd, mann'd with fifty or sixty good men each, should come here, which with the man of war now here and the tender, which we ought and I hope will have sent to us, might go up the Bay to harrass and keep the enemy in play till the expedition to Canada is over, and a more vigorous attempt can be made. The garrison here consist of 294 men, including serjeants, corporals, drumrs, invalids and prisoners, which subtracted reduces the number of able private men to about two hundred and twenty, to whom must be added twenty rangers with six gunners and matrosses and the artificers belonging to the Board of Ordnance. The worst is we can hardly afford room for more, the new barracks having gone on very slowly for want of materials, that is, bricks and lime, which came but lately from Boston, so that the second story is who was a Huguenot, to leave France, young Mascarene fell to the charge of his grandmother. At the age of twelve he went to Geneva, where he was educated, going from thence to England where he was naturalized in 1706 and received a lieutenant's commission. He accompanied the troops to America in 1711, and was stationed in Nova Scotia, where he rose to be Lieutenant-Colonel in the 12th Regiment of foot commanded by Colonel Phillips, who was Governor of Nova Scotia in 1720, and of whose Council Mascarene became a member. In 1740 he became Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, holding this office until he was succeeded by Governor Cornwallis in July, 1749. He continued a member of the Governor's Council until 1750, when he obtained leave to resign because of his age. He was made Colonel in the army, and retired with his family to Boston, where he died Jan. 22, 1760. N. E. Hist. and Gen. Reg. 9, 239. but just beginning to raise, which has prevented me hitherto pressing for more men, tho I am sensible I may want them. If the two sloops should come that want may be supply'd by throwing the men in the garrison, if we should be besieg'd by land. Admiral Townsend has sent positive orders to Capt Collins to repair to Louisbourg. He is gone down in order to take the first opportunity of wind and weather. The said Admiral has sent Capt Rous in the Shirley to keep here. This ship is but half the force of the other, but, however, may serve better in any expedition up the Bay, where the other would be of no use. Thus I have in this and my former letters given your Excellency an account of the state of this Province and of this garrison, and must leave it to you to afford the assistance which the present circumstances will allow of. I have writ both to Admiral Townsend and Governour Knowles, and sent them duplicates of the inclos'd information with an acct of the state we are in, which may be vouch'd by Capt Collins, who is well acquainted with it, but I am apt to believe that the succours we want may be more readily and more effectually obtain'd by your Excellency's means, your people being for the most part both soldiers, sailors, and wood rangers, and more acquainted in the way of annoying the enemy we have to deal with. I am, with very great esteem and respect, Sir, Your most humble and most obedient servant. P. MASCARENE. Annapolis Royal, 20th August, 1746. His Excellency Governour Shirley. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE DUKE OF MY LORD DUKE, NEWCASTLE 1 Boston, August 24, 1746. A Gentleman of this Place having Communicated to me a Letter from Louisbourg, wherein he is inform'd by the 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 901, p. 31. |