Fort Frederick (Newfoundland) facts for kids
Fort Frederick was a British fort built in Placentia, a town in the Newfoundland Colony. It was created to help protect the area after the British took control of Placentia. From 1721 to 1746, Fort Frederick was the main military base for Newfoundland, led by Governor Samuel Gledhill.
Early Conflicts and Raids
During a time known as Father Rale's War, there were reports of Mi'kmaq people raiding Placentia. Some reports claimed many English people were killed. However, the governor at the time did not believe these reports.
Fort Improvements and More Battles
By the 1740s, the British started building a new fort called New Fort. This new fort was built on top of an older French fort called Fort Louis.
During King George's War, there were more conflicts. In August 1745, Mi'kmaq fighters from Ile Royal attacked several British outposts in Newfoundland. They captured 23 British prisoners. The next spring, some of these prisoners were being taken towards Quebec. A group of British prisoners managed to escape their captors near St. John's. Later, another group of Mi'kmaq found out what happened and sadly, the remaining British prisoners were killed.
Fort Frederick During the French and Indian War
During the French and Indian War, the French won a battle at St. John's called the Battle of Signal Hill. Because of this, Governor Thomas Graves had to temporarily move to Placentia. Fort Frederick was partly repaired during this time to help protect the area.
