Battle of Port Royal (1690) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Port Royal
Part of King William's War
Sir William Phips
Date 19 May 1690 Location Port Royal, Acadia (present-day Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) Result Massachusetts Bay victory
Belligerents
Massachusetts Bay Colony	Acadia
Commanders and leaders
Sir William Phips John March	Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Meneval  Pierre Maisonnat dit Baptiste
Strength
446 provincial soldiers 226 seamen 7 warships 78 cannons	Fewer than 90 soldiers 18 cannons (none mounted)
Casualties and losses
None	All surrendered

The Battle of Port Royal took place on May 19, 1690. It happened at Port Royal, which was the capital of Acadia. This battle was part of a larger conflict called King William's War.

A large group of soldiers from New England arrived at Port Royal. The governor of Acadia, Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Menneval, had only about 70 soldiers. Their fort was not finished, and its 18 cannons were not ready to fire. Many young men from Port Royal were also away. Because of this, fighting back seemed pointless. Governor Meneval surrendered without a struggle soon after the New Englanders arrived.

The New Englanders were led by Sir William Phips. After the surrender, they claimed that the Acadians had broken the rules of the agreement. Because of this, they took many valuable things from the town and the fort. This event made relations between the Acadians and their English-speaking neighbors much harder.

Why the Battle Happened

A big war called the Nine Years' War started in Europe in 1688. England joined this war in 1689, fighting against France. In North America, French leaders used problems in the English colonies to their advantage. They launched attacks with their Native American allies on the borders of New England and New York.

Two of these attacks happened in early 1690. One was against Schenectady, New York, and another was on Salmon Falls, New Hampshire. These attacks made the leaders in the Massachusetts Bay Colony very angry. They decided to send an expedition to get revenge on French Acadia.

The idea to attack Acadia first came up in August 1689. This was after French and Native American forces captured Fort William Henry in Pemaquid. In December 1689, Massachusetts approved a volunteer expedition against Acadia. They formed committees to plan it. The attacks in early 1690 made people even more eager to support this plan.

Several important colonists were considered to lead the expedition. William Phips was finally chosen to be the commander. He was from Maine and had no military experience. However, he became famous for finding a sunken treasure ship in the West Indies. Phips was made a major general on March 24 and given command of the expedition.

On April 28, 1690, Phips sailed from Boston with five ships. They carried 446 soldiers from the colony. His main ship, the Six Friends, had 42 cannons. The Porcupine had 16 cannons. They were also joined by other smaller ships. After checking French areas in Penobscot Bay and Passamaquoddy Bay, Phips sailed to Port Royal. He arrived there on May 9.

Before going into the town, Phips met with Pierre Melanson dit Laverdure. He was a French Huguenot who spoke both French and English. Phips learned about the town's condition from him. Then, Phips moved his ships closer to the town.

The Surrender of Port Royal

The French fort at Port Royal was in bad shape. It had fewer than 90 soldiers. A military engineer had started tearing down the old fort to build a new one. This was against the wishes of Governor Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Meneval. None of the fort's cannons were set up to fire. The soldiers also had only 19 muskets.

On May 10, Phips sent someone to demand the fort's surrender. Governor Meneval sent the local priest, Louis Petit, to talk about the terms. They agreed on some basic rules. These included protecting the people and their belongings. It also said that Acadians could continue to practice their Catholic religion.

Phips did not want to write down these terms. However, many people heard them confirmed when Governor Meneval met Phips the next day.

What Happened After the Surrender?

What happened after the surrender has been debated by historians. French and English records tell slightly different stories. The terms of the surrender were broken. The English soldiers not only took things from the fort but also from the town. They also damaged the fort's chapel. People's private property was taken, and their farm animals were killed.

English accounts say that French soldiers and residents were seen taking supplies from the fort. This happened while the surrender talks were still going on. These supplies would normally belong to the winners of the battle. When Phips found out, he became very angry. He said the agreement was no longer valid and allowed his soldiers to take things.

French accounts tell a different version. Governor Meneval supposedly did not leave clear orders when he went to talk with Phips. Some of the soldiers in the fort started drinking. They then broke into a merchant's store. This store belonged to Francois-marie Perrot, who was a political opponent of Meneval. The soldiers took his goods from the storehouse. It's not clear if they took goods belonging to other merchants or the government.

Historians Baker and Reid note that only the "King's Stores" were part of the surrender agreement. So, it's not certain if taking other goods actually broke the agreed terms. Meneval and Petit claimed that Phips was unhappy with the fort's condition and the small number of soldiers. They said he used the soldiers' actions as an excuse to end the agreement. However, Phips had already met with Laverdure. He likely knew the town's condition, making this explanation less likely.

Phips's biographers suggest that Phips probably needed as much plunder as possible. The expedition was expected to pay for itself with what they took. Phips might have made a verbal surrender agreement as something he could ignore once the surrender happened.

Lasting Effects of the Battle

Phips also made the Acadian farmers swear loyalty to King William III and Mary II of England. Phips then tried to set up a new government. He chose French Acadian leaders to form a council. However, this new government did not last long.

Joseph Robineau de Villebon, one of Meneval's helpers, came back to Port Royal from France in June. He brought back French authority. He moved the capital to Fort Nashwaak on the Saint John River. This was for better defense. It also helped him work with the Abenaki people to plan attacks on New England.

Port Royal was attacked by pirates not long after Phips left. The pirates captured the ship that brought Villebon. They destroyed homes and cattle. They also reportedly killed some of the people living there.

Phips sent Cyprian Southack, the commander of the Porcupine, to attack a French fishing port. Southack went on to win the Battle of Chedabucto. Phips returned to Boston. He was chosen to lead a bigger expedition against Quebec later that year. However, that expedition was a big failure. Phips remained popular in New England. He was appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1692 by King William. He continued to be involved in the war until he was called back in late 1694.

This expedition marked a turning point in relations between New Englanders and the French. Trade was also affected. Those who wanted to trade with the Mi'kmaq and Acadians, like John Nelson, did not get control of the expedition. The next year, the English lost a naval battle off St. John. After this, Villebon tried to get 60 French prisoners freed. These prisoners had been taken during the siege.