Constructed in 1751, Fort Beausejour was built in response to the British having built Fort Lawrence across the Missiquash river, which divided British-held Nova Scotia from Acadia. In June, 1755, the British, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Monckton, took the fort and renamed it Fort Cumberland. The fort imprisoned Acadians who had at first escaped to the woods but was also used as a temporary prison for others who would be deported from the region. During the American Revolution of 1776 some Acadians joined forces with Jonathan Eddy [the Eddy Rebellion] in a failed attempt to retake Fort Cumberland from the British.
In June, 1755, the British, under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Robert Monckton, took the fort and renamed it Fort Cumberland. The fort imprisoned Acadians who had at first escaped to the woods but was also used as a temporary prison for others who would be deported from the region.
During the American Revolution of 1776 some Acadians joined forces with Jonathan Eddy [the Eddy Rebellion] in a failed attempt to retake Fort Cumberland from the British.
Most of these names are those of Acadians who were captured on the Memramcook and Peticodiac Rivers by military parties sent from Fort Cumberland (Beausejour) or perhaps others coming from Cocagne and Miramichi who had made their oath of allegiance in 1760. English authorities now considering them to be British subjects, refused to let them go. The following year, they were offered land but most among them prefered to escape secretly to the Saint-Pierre and Miquelon Islands and from there to France, to Saint-Domingue and to Louisiana.
Nonetheless, many then returned from Miquelon to Cap-Breton, or to the Gulf coast, as did Joseph Goguen when he returned to Cocagne thus creating new Acadian settlements/villages.
In viewing a copy of the document before me it should be said that those on the list stated that they did not know how to sign their names and made their usual mark, which was an X.
Joseph Suret Ysabelle Suret
Firmin Broussard Anne Broussard Marguerite Broussard Charles Broussard Fran?oise Broussard
Pierre Paul Douaron Marguerite Douaron Marie Douaron Magdelaine
Pierre Douaron Marguerite Douaron Jacques Douaron Charles Douaron
Joseph Le Blanc Marie Le Blanc Firmin Le Blanc Joseph Le Blanc Marguerite Le Blanc Blandine Le Blanc Jean Le Blanc
Joseph Gaudet Magdelaine Gaudet Joseph Gaudet Jean Gaudet Pierre Gaudet Magdelaine Gaudet Blanche Gaudet
Pierre Gaudet Anne Gaudeet Pierre Gaudet Marguerite Gaudet Modeste Gaudet Marie Gaudet Marie Gaudet
Paul Gaudet Marie Gaudet Joseph Gaudet Pierre Gaudet
Marguerite Gaudet Dominique Gaudet Modeste Gaudet Th?otiste Gaudet Michel Gaudet
Ren? Poirier Anne Poirier Jean Poirier Marie Poirier No?mie Poirier Alexis Poirier Pierre Poirier Joseph Poirier Modeste Poirier Victor Poirier
Louis Gaudet Marie Gaudet Marie Gaudet Magdelaine Gaudet Jean Gaudet Pointif Gaudet
Jean Nuirat Fran?oise Nuirat David Nuirat
Charles Gaudet Marguerite Gaudet F?lix Gaudet Rosalie Gaudet Pierre Gaudet Marie Gaudet Anne Gaudet
Pierre Gaudet Magdeleine Gaudet Marie Gaudet Pierre Gaudet F?licit? Gaudet Mathurin Gaudet Jean Gaudet
Pierre Sire Anne Sire
Joseph Richard Anne Richard Malenne Richard Rozalie Richard Marie Richard Joseph Richard Germain Richard
Jean Girouard Magdelaine Girouard Marie Girouard Fran?oise Girouard Joseph Girouard Modeste Girouard
Michel Bourg Marguerite Bourg Blanche Bourg Michel Bourg Magdelaine Bourg Marie Bourg Bleme Bourg Pierre Bourgeois
Joseph Prejant Marie Prejant Agathe Prejant
Jean Dubois Marie Dubois Rozalie Dubois Marguerite Dubois
Cyprien Dupuy Fran?opise Dupuy Magdelaine Dupuy Jean Dupuy
Paul Gautrot Anne Gautrot Joseph Gautrot
Paul Landry Magdelaine Landry Modeste Landry Jean David
Pierre Boudrot Magdelaine Boudrot Hylaire Boudrot Jean Boudrot Joseph Boudrot
Joseph La Pierre Rozalie La Pierre Magdelaine La Pierre Marguerite La Pierre Claire La Pierre AnneLa Pierre Jean La Pierre Joseph La Pierre Charles La Pierre Ysabelle La Pierre
Pierre Rostegui Marie Rostegui Fran?ois Rostegui Anne Rostegui Jean Rostegui Marguerite Rostegui Marie Rostegui
Pierre Rostegui Isabelle Rostegui Marguerite Rostegui Joseph Rostegui
Joseph Quessy Marie Joseph Quessy Marie Quessy Magdelaine Quessy Pierre Quessy Jean BaptisteQuessy JosephQuessy Etienne Quessy Nastazie Quessy
Joseph Boudrot Rozalie Boudrot Joseph Boudrot Charles Boudrot Marguerite Boudrot Anne Boudrot Amant Boudrot Thomas Boudrot
Charles Gautrot Fran?oise Gautrot
Claude Poirier Marguerite Poirier Allain Poirier Marguerite Poirier Louis Poirier Charles Poirier Marie Poirier Ester Poirier Magdelaine Poirier Jean Poirier
Charles Dugas Pierre Dugas Mazarin Dugas Ozitte Dugas Jean Dugas
Amant Girouard Marguerite Girouard Joseph Girouard
Charles Forest Marie Forest Jean Forest Paul Forest Marguerite Forest Anne Forest Modeste Forest Ursule Forest
Jean Guedry Marie Guedry Jean Guedry Alexandre Guedry
Michel Hach? Magdelaine Hach? F?licit? Hach?
Pierre Arsenau Judith Arsenau Michel Arsenau Etienne Arsenau Joseph Arsenau
Jean Arsenau Magdelaine Arsenau Jean Arsenau Bazile Arsenau Louise Arsenau
Claude Boudrot Judith Boudrot Michel Boudrot Pierre Boudrot Nastazie Boudrot
Pierre Chiasson Marie Joseph Chiasson Joseph Chiasson Lucie Chiasson
Joseph H?bert Louise H?bert Marguerite H?bert
Joseph Bourg Anne Bourg Michel Bourg Abraham Bourg Pierre Bourg Anne Bourg Magdelaine Bourg Marie Bourg Jean Bourg
Claude Boudrot Magdelaine Boudrot Marie Boudrot Marguerite Boudrot
Louis Allain Anne Allain Magdelaine Allain Marguerite Allain Benjamin Allain Michel Allain Marie Allain Baptiste Allain Joseph Allain
Jacques Leger Marie Leger Charles Leger Anne Marie Miron Joseph Leger
Jean Richard Fran?oise Richard Joseph Richard Anne Richard
Jean Bro Marie Bro Lucie Bro
Amand Bujeau Marie Bujeau Ad?laide Bujeau Jean Bujeau
Jean Cormier Marie Cormier Marie Cormier Magdelaine Cormier Fran?ois Cormier Pierre Cormier Nastazie Cormier Pierre Cormier
Pierre Ouel(Onel?) Anne Ouel(Onel?) Pierre Ouel(Onel?) Magdelaine Ouel(Onel?) Ang?lique Ouel(Onel?)
Joseph Gu?guen Anne Gu?guen Joseph Gu?guen Jean Gu?guen Marie Gu?guen
Michel Bastarache Marguerite Bastarache F?licit? Bastarache Marguerite Bastarache Marie Rose Bastarache Anne Bastarache
Charles Melanson Anne Melanson Jean Melandon Charles Melandon Pierre Melanson Anne Melanson
Cyprien Porlier C?cile Porlier Pierre Porlier
Pierre Melanson Marie Melanson Marie Melanson Jean Melanson Joseph Melanson
Pierre Richard Magdelaine Richard Anne Richard Baptiste Richard Jean Richard Fran?ois Richard Michel Richard Marguerite Bazile Richard
Joseph Richard Marie Richard Marguerite Richard Roze Richard Joseph Richard
Jean Gaudet Jeanne Gaudet Marie Gaudet Poncy Gaudet
Jean-Baptiste Gaudet Anne Gaudet Marie Joseph Gaudet Joseph Gaudet Anne Gaudet Magdelaine Gaudet Nastazie Gaudet
Etienne Le Blanc Ysabelle Le Blanc Simon Le Blanc Etienne Le Blanc Mathuerin Le Blanc Joseph Le Blanc Anne Le Blanc Marguerite Le Blanc Magdeleine Le Blanc
Amant Lanoue Marie Lanoue
Pierre Chiasson Ozit Chiasson Michel Chiasson Joseph Chiasson
Paul H?bert Marguerite H?bert
Amant Bujeau Claire Bujeau
Pierre Leger Marguerite Leger Ester Leger
Jean Caylon, surgeon Jeanne Caylon Marie Caylon
This family also signed:
Pierre Douaron Marguerite Douaron Joseph Douaron Charles Douaron
Names of famlies at Isle aux Perdrix:
Fran?cois Arsenaux Jeanot Bourgeois
This whole document was in the handwriting of Joseph Gu?guen.[The census and statement was made by Joseph Gueguen.]
Though there were not many details available, there was enough evidence to affirm the fact that it did happen providing some information as well as to howw it happened.
As testimony to this escape, Father Fran?ois Le Guerne, who was their missionary, wrote a long letter from Belair, near Cocagne, New Brunswick, on March 10, 1756. His letter was addressed to Chevalier de Drucours, Governor of Louisbourg in which he writes about what Pierre Surrette told him with regards to the British at Ft. Beaus?jour/Cumberland.
I hold this (information) from Pierre Surette ... This man, formerly a captain in the militia of Petcoudiac, is sensible and of good judgment, and well versed in public affairs, and was often employed by our Messieurs Officers in delicate matters.
The English had kept him this winter at the fort as a man of reason who knew the country and might be useful to them. His agreeable manner of speech gave him a free access to the Commander of the fort [Mr. Scot], who thought him secure, so much so, that he spoke his mind openly to him. He knows the English language and is ever ready to converse with anyone, and they were in the habit of holding nothing in reserve when talking with him.
The leader of this daring escape was Pierre Surrette II born 9 December 1709 in Port-Royal. He was the son of Pierre and Jeanne Pellerin. In 1755, his home was in Beaus?jour which was located between the border of Acadia (Nova Scotia) and New Brunswick. This fort still stands there today as a testimony to our ancestors.
On August 11, 1755, the Acadians of this area were ordered to report to Ft. Beaus?jour. Approximately 250 Acadians went tot he Fort though a good number fearing it a ploy of the British, escaped and hid in the woods. Our Pierre Surrette and others, who had planned to hide in the woods, waited too long and were captured and taken to Ft. Beausejour. It was from here that they escaped during the night of February 26, 1756, under the leadership of Pierre.
The story of this escape has been told from generation to generation - it is one of the oral histories of a family. The story told is that these prisoners were fed horse meat as their ration and that Pierre suggested they save some of the rib bones which they would hide in the day and use at night digging a tunnel under the outer wall of the fort. Of course, during the day, they camouflaged or hid their work. When February 26th rolled along, they were ready to escape and 80 men did.
It seems that Pierre Melanson was the biggest and burliest man of the group and that he got stuck in the middle of the tunnel. Fortunately, he was able to free himself in the nick of time so as to escape the guards who had heard the noise and who were right behind them as they ran from the fort. Fortunately, the Acadians knew these woods better than did the British so they were able to make quick their getaway.
Following his escape, Pierre Surrette and family, as well as other Acadian families, stayed hidden in the woods, not far in that area. However, two years of misery and starvation, eating roots, meat of decayed animals, and even the excrement of animals (as told by Father Le Guerne) this group of Acadians to the area of Miramichi. Their situation worsenend. In the end, they surrendered to the British in the vicinity of Petcoudiac and Memramcook on 18 November 1759. At this time, 700 Acadians led by Pierre Surrette and Jean and Michel Bourquewere taken to Halifax and kept prisoners until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
After their release from prison, Pierre and his family remained in the region of Halifax for about 6 or 7 years until they could decide on where they would resettle. Three of their children had their marriages blessed in Chezzetcook by l'Abb? Bailly according to the registers for 1769.
Not too much later, Pierre Surrette with his son Joseph and his three sons-in-law - Joseph Babin, Jean Bourque and Dominique Pothier, decided to settle at Sainte-Anne-du-Ruisseau and Belleville. They became the ancestors of the Acadians bearing those names in Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.
Pierre Surette had married in Grand-Pr? on 30 September 1732 to Catherine Breau, daughter of Pierre Breau and of Anne LeBlanc. According to Father d'Entremont, Anne is the ancestral mother of many Acadians in southwestern Nova Scotia. According the oral tradition, she was buried toward the shore of Salt Bay or Sal Water Marsh at Ste-Anne-du-Ruiseau. The first road ever built in what was then Eel Brook used to go through here, along the shore. It was the pasageway that the narrow-gage railway would follow up to Argyle, after having followed the western edge of Eel Lake from close to Belleville, traces of which are still visible