Capture of York Factory facts for kids
The Capture of York Factory was an important event in 1694. It was a fight between the French and the English over control of Hudson Bay in what is now Canada. This area was very important for the fur trade.
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What Happened at York Factory
York Factory was a trading post owned by the English Hudson's Bay Company. It was located on the Nelson River near Hudson Bay. The French wanted to control this valuable fur trading area.
Early Attempts to Capture the Fort
In 1686, a French explorer named Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville led an expedition. He marched overland from Québec and captured several English posts on James Bay. However, York Factory was too far away to reach by land. It could only be attacked by sea.
In 1688, a big war called King William's War started in Europe. This made it hard for the French to get ships for attacks. In 1690, Iberville tried to take York Factory, but a larger English ship stopped him.
The 1694 Attack
Four years later, in 1694, Governor Frontenac of New France gave Iberville two ships. Their names were Salamandre and Poli. Iberville sailed to the Nelson River and arrived on September 14.
The French soldiers quickly surrounded the fort. This is called "investing" a fort. The English soldiers inside were mostly traders and workers. They did not have enough supplies, like firewood, to last a long fight. Because of this, the fort surrendered on October 14.
After the Capture
Fifty-three English men surrendered, including a famous explorer named Henry Kelsey. The French renamed the fort "Fort Bourbon."
It was late in the year, so both the French and their prisoners had to spend the winter at the fort. The winter was very harsh. Many people on both sides became sick with scurvy and died before the ice melted in the spring.
Iberville stayed, hoping to capture the English supply ships that usually arrived each year. But the ships did not come by September. So, he left 70 men to guard the fort. He then sailed back to France with a valuable load of furs.
The Fort is Recaptured
Iberville's victory did not last long. The year before, in 1693, the English had already taken back Fort Albany to the south.
About ten months after Iberville left York Factory, three Royal Navy warships arrived. They were led by William Allen. These ships quickly recaptured York Factory for the English.
