Attack at Jeddore facts for kids
The Attack at Jeddore happened on May 19, 1753, near Jeddore, Nova Scotia. This event took place during Father Le Loutre's War, a conflict between the British and the Mi'kmaq people, who were allied with the French. During the attack, nine British delegates were killed. However, a French-speaking translator named Anthony Casteel was spared. He later wrote about his experience, providing a rare look into these events from that time.
A Look Back: Why the Conflict Started
After the British took control of Acadia (which included Nova Scotia) in 1710, most of the people living there were Catholic Acadians and Mi'kmaq. The Wabanaki Confederacy, a group of First Nations including the Mi'kmaq, had a long history of defending their lands. They often launched raids against British settlements along the border between New England and Acadia.
In November 1752, after several years of fighting, a Mi'kmaq leader named Jean-Baptiste Cope from the Shubenacadie village signed a peace agreement with Nova Scotia's Governor Peregrine Hopson. However, Cope did not speak for all Mi'kmaq people. Many others, even some in his own community, did not agree with this treaty.
A few months later, in February 1753, an event called the Attack at Mocodome happened. Two English people and six or seven Mi'kmaq people died. Both sides blamed each other. To try and fix things, Cope asked for more time and support to talk with other Mi'kmaq leaders. He wanted to give them gifts from the British as a sign of respect.
Because of Cope's invitation, a group of nine British soldiers and one translator left Halifax. They sailed east in a small ship, hoping to meet with Mi'kmaq leaders Cope had gathered. Their goal was to exchange gifts and continue working towards a lasting peace.
The Attack at Jeddore
On the evening of May 18, the British group met Jean-Baptiste Cope at the mouth of a river in Jeddore. There was a Mi'kmaq village further up the river. The British stayed overnight on their ship. The next day, four Mi'kmaq men and one woman (Cope was not among them) came to the ship.
They invited Captain Bannerman, the British leader, to come to the village for supplies. The captain followed their directions and sailed his ship up the river. This led them right into an ambush.
A group of warriors quickly captured the British delegates. They took them to the Mi'kmaq village on the riverbank. Anthony Casteel, the translator, later reported that he saw Captain James Bannerman and the other eight British delegates killed. Chief Étienne Bâtard was among the Mi'kmaq and is said to have helped save Casteel's life.
Casteel also reported that Cope burned the peace treaty that had been signed just six months earlier. The Mi'kmaq later exchanged Anthony Casteel for a payment from the French. They let him go at Port Toulouse, and then sank the British ship after taking its supplies.
What Happened Next
This incident showed the British that things were not always as they seemed. A Mi'kmaq leader offering peace might actually be working for the French. An invitation to talk could be a trick leading to a dangerous ambush.
Casteel's story helped confirm to the Nova Scotia Council (the British government in Nova Scotia) that the Mi'kmaq were still working closely with the French military, Catholic missionaries, and the Acadians to resist British control.
Even though peace had broken down on the eastern shore, the British did not officially cancel the Treaty of 1752 until 1756. The conflict grew even more intense when the British started building the town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in May 1753, which was seen as another step in their expansion.
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