BATTLE OF BLOODY CREEK

1710- England conquers Acadia.

1755- Governor Lawrence orders the deportation of the Acadians. It lasted six years. All the men, women and children were rounded up and when there was a sufficient number, they were put on old ships and sent toward their new destiny. Half of the Acadians perished at sea and the rest were scattered along the American coast (which was British at the time), and some of them were sent back to Europe. The deportation started at Grand Pre and many inhabitants of Port Royal, hearing about it, escaped in the wood under the protection of their allies the Indians. Then a guerrilla war started...

The cenotaph commemorates two combats between British garrisons of Annapolis Royal and allied French and Indians in the half century of conflict for possession of Acadia: 0n the north bank of the Annapolis River, 10th June, 1711; and, here. 8th December,1757.

Bloody Creek, 1711

On the 10th of June, 1711 a French-Aboriginal force ambushed a detachment from the fort at Annapolis Royal led by Captain David Pidgeon. Captain Pidgeon was ordered to accompany Major Alexander Forbes, the fort engineer, up the Annapolis River to visit Acadian mills and to meet with Acadian contractors in order to organize a supply of building materials for fort repairs.

A party of about 40 Aboriginals from Pentagouet (now Castine, Maine) attacked Pidgeon and his men approximately 12 miles up the river. The boat carrying Major Forbes received the brunt of the attack and only one man, Ensign John Coxsedge, survived. When the two flatboats carrying the rest of the men arrived, they landed directly opposite the attackers. Approximately 18 men were killed and 12 were wounded. Pidgeon and all but one man were taken prisoner. A French missionary in the area, Father Gaulin, later organized the ransom of the wounded prisoners.

Bloody Creek, 1757

The second Battle of Bloody Creek took place on December 8, 1757, during the Seven Years’ War. A French and Aboriginal group attacked men from the British fort garrison at Annapolis Royal. On December 6th, prior to the main battle, a party of soldiers and workmen crossed the river to cut firewood. As the party was eating lunch, the French-Aboriginal force attacked, killing 1 man and taking 7 men prisoner.

The British dispatched 130 men to recover the prisoners and to deal with the guerrilla force.  The party made its way on foot along the south shore of the river. After a day and two nights of exposure to the cold, wet December weather and repeated attempts to ford the river, the detachment gave up the search and began the trek back to the fort. At 11:00 on the 8th of December, as they crossed a narrow bridge over a small brook, the René Forêt River, (after, called Bloody Creek), the French-Aboriginal force attacked. The British made a brief stand and then retreated back to Annapolis Royal. Approximately 12 men were killed on the French-Aboriginal side. The British lost 24 men during the battle.

– Information provided by Parks Canada

LAT: 44° 49' 20" North (44.8222)

LONG: 65° 18' 35" West (-65.3097)