Newfoundland Campaign (1744) facts for kids

The Newfoundland Campaign was a series of attacks by the British navy against French fishing areas and small ports in northern Newfoundland. This happened at the very start of a big conflict called King George's War. British ships were led by Captain Robert Young on the HMS Kinsale and Captain John Rous on his ship, the Young Eagle. The Young Eagle was a strong ship with 16 cannons, 24 smaller guns, and a crew of 100 sailors.

Why the Campaign Happened

Before this campaign, there had been some trouble. In 1727, French settlers and their local fighting groups (called militias) had attacked British villages in Newfoundland. This event likely contributed to the tensions that led to the Newfoundland Campaign.

The Main Attacks

The campaign began in June 1744. Captain Rous was very busy. He captured five French ships off the coast of Newfoundland. He brought these captured ships, called "prizes," back to St. John's on June 29.

Rous's Successes

In the first 12 days of July, Captain Rous found and captured nine more French ships. These ships were on the Grand Banks, a famous fishing area. By the end of July, Rous arrived in Ferryland with seven more captured ships. Soon after, he returned to St. John's with another 12 prizes. This shows how successful he was at capturing French vessels.

Battle at Fischot Island

On August 18, Captain Rous, along with three other British ships, attacked five French ships. This battle happened near Fischot Island (also called Fishott or Fishroad). One of the British ships was led by Captain Robert Cleves. The fight was intense and lasted for five and a half hours.

During this battle, 11 British sailors lost their lives, and over 30 were injured. Captain Rous believed that the French had twice as many casualties. The British also took 70 French sailors as prisoners.

Capturing More Ports

After the battle at Fischot Island, Rous moved on to St. Julien's. The French put up a strong fight there, but Rous managed to capture three more ships. He then attacked another French port called Carrous. This place was also known as Carpoon or Quirpon Island.

What Happened Next

The year after the campaign, in August 1745, a group called the Mi’kmaq militia from Ile Royal raided British outposts in Newfoundland. They attacked several homes and took 23 people as prisoners.

Prisoners' Escape

The following spring, the Mi’kmaq began to move 12 of these prisoners towards Quebec. They planned to meet at a special spot near St. John's. However, the prisoners managed to escape by overcoming their captors at this meeting point.

A few days later, another group of Mi’kmaq brought the remaining 11 prisoners to the same spot. When they discovered what had happened to the first group of captors, they sadly harmed the remaining 11 prisoners.