Fort Morris (Nova Scotia) facts for kids
Fort Morris was a British fort built in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, during the French and Indian War. A fort is like a strong building or place used for defense. This fort was located where the Fort Point Lighthouse stands today. There was also a smaller defensive building called a blockhouse nearby.
The fort was finished soon after the town of Liverpool was started. It was also built around the time the Halifax Treaties were signed, which happened between 1759 and 1760. Fort Morris was a small fort with five cannons. It was named after Charles Morris, who was a surveyor and helped plan the town.
Fort Morris and the American Revolution
In the 1770s, Liverpool was the second biggest town in Nova Scotia. Only Halifax was larger. Most people in Liverpool were New England Planters, who were settlers from New England.
At first, many people in Liverpool supported the American Revolution. American privateers often visited nearby areas like Port Medway and Port Mouton. Privateers were like private ships that were allowed to attack enemy ships during wartime.
Protecting Liverpool from Attacks
After American privateers attacked Liverpool's ships many times, and even attacked the town itself in 1778, the people of Liverpool changed their minds. They no longer supported the American rebellion.
A local leader named Simeon Perkins asked for help from Halifax. On December 13, 1778, a group of soldiers called the King's Orange Rangers arrived. They helped the people of Liverpool rebuild Fort Morris. This fort is now known as Fort Point.
The soldiers helped make the town safer. They also worked with local people to build a new cannon battery in 1779. On October 31, the town even launched its own privateer ship, the Lucy. This ship helped defend Liverpool from other attacks.
The Raid on Liverpool (1780)
One of the most exciting attacks happened on September 13, 1780. Two American privateer ships, the Surprize and the Delight, landed about 70 men near Liverpool. They captured Fort Morris and took many soldiers as prisoners.
Simeon Perkins quickly gathered the local militia, which was a group of citizens who could act as soldiers. He managed to capture one of the privateer captains. Perkins then talked with the other captain. Within a few hours, everything was back to normal, and no one was seriously hurt.
After this event, Liverpool was not bothered by privateers for the rest of the war. Most of the soldiers left in 1781, but a small group stayed to help protect the town.
Fort Morris was rebuilt again during the War of 1812. At that time, its five cannons were replaced with three new ones.
