Siege of Annapolis Royal (1744)

Siege of Annapolis Royal
Part of King George's War

Nova Scotia Lt. Gov. Paul Mascarene, commander of the 40th Regiment, portrait by John Smibert, 1729
Date1 July – 6 October 1744
Location
Fort Anne, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
44°44′28.1″N 65°30′40.8″W / 44.741139°N 65.511333°W / 44.741139; -65.511333
Result British victory
Belligerents
 Great Britain  France
 Mi'kmaq Indians
 Maliseet Indians
Commanders and leaders
Paul Mascarene
John Gorham
Edward How
Edward Tyng		 Jean-Louis Le Loutre
François Dupont Duvivier
Pierre Maillard[1]
Joseph-Nicolas Gautier
Joseph LeBlanc[2]
Strength
100 (first siege)
250 (second siege)		 300–500 (first siege)
600–700 total; 24 Acadians, 56 French soldiers, 100 Mi'kmaq from Ile Royal, 30 Mi'kmaq from Nova Scotia (second siege)[3]
Casualties and losses
"considerable British casualties each night" (Sept.9-15)[4][5] Maliesst[6]

The siege of Annapolis Royal (also known as the siege of Fort Anne) in 1744 involved two of four attempts by the French, along with their Acadian and native allies, to regain the capital of Nova Scotia/Acadia, Annapolis Royal, during King George's War. The siege is noted for Governor of Nova Scotia Paul Mascarene successfully defending the last British outpost in the colony and for the first arrival of New England Ranger John Gorham to Nova Scotia. The French and Mi'kmaq land forces were thwarted on both attempts on the capital because of the failure of French naval support to arrive.[7][8]

  1. ^ p. 168, note 10
  2. ^ Pothier, Bernard (1974). "Leblanc, Le Maigre, Joseph". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. III (1741–1770) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  3. ^ Pothier (1985), p. 65.
  4. ^ p. 141
  5. ^ Pothier (1985), p. 67.
  6. ^ Pote, William (1896). The Journal of Captain William Pote, Jr., during his Captivity in the French and Indian War from May, 1745, to August, 1747. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company. p. 59.
  7. ^ Pothier (1985), p. 63.
  8. ^ Rawlyk, George A. (1999). Yankees at Louisbourg: The Story of the First Siege, 1745. Breton Books. ISBN 978-1-895415-45-2.