Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst |
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Warren Cove in Charlottetown Harbour, as viewed from the earthworks of Fort Amherst.
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| Location | Anchor Point in the community of Rocky Point, Prince Edward Island. |
| Area | 90.75 hectares (224.2 acres) |
| Built | 1720-1770 |
| Governing body | Parks Canada |
| Type | National Historic Site |
| Designated | May 27, 1958 |
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Skmaqn–Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst is a National Historic Site located in Rocky Point, Prince Edward Island.
This special place was home to one of the first Acadian settlements on Prince Edward Island. It also had the first military forts built by both the French and the British on the island.
From 1720 to 1770, this site was called Port-la-Joye. Later, it was renamed Fort Amherst. It served as the main government center and port for new settlers. This made it a very important spot during the time when France and Britain were fighting for control in North America.
The site became a National Historic Site on May 27, 1958. This decision was made by Alvin Hamilton, who was a government minister. The land was bought by the federal government in 1959. A visitor center opened in 1973.
On February 16, 2018, the site's name was changed. The new name includes the Mi’kmaq word "Skmaqn." This word means "the waiting place." It is believed to come from the years 1725 to 1758. During this time, Mi’kmaq and French leaders met here every year. They would renew their friendship and military partnership.
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French Settlement at Port-la-Joye
The first European settlers arrived here in 1720. They were French soldiers from Fortress Louisbourg. They started a settlement called Port La-Joye. It was on the southwest side of the harbor, across from where Charlottetown is today.
Michel Haché-Gallant led this settlement effort. He used his boat to bring Acadian settlers from Louisbourg on Île Royal. These Acadian families started farms nearby.
From 1720 to 1745, and again from 1746 to 1758, the French controlled the area. They kept a small military force at the outpost. These soldiers came from Louisbourg. Life was tough for the troops. The wooden barracks offered poor protection from the harsh winters. Wind, rain, and snow easily got inside.
Battles for Control
First Battle at Port-la-Joye (1745)
In 1745, British forces attacked Louisbourg. This was part of King George's War. When the French commander at Louisbourg gave up, it also meant that Île Saint-Jean (now Prince Edward Island) was surrendered.
After the French surrendered, a British group landed at Port-la-Joye that summer. The French had only 20 soldiers there, led by Joseph de Pont Duvivier. The French soldiers ran away, and the British burned the settlement.
Duvivier and his soldiers went up the Northeast River (now Hillsborough River). The British followed them. But then, the French got help from local Acadian settlers and the Mi'kmaq. They managed to push the British back to their ships. Nine British soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured. The British took six Acadians as prisoners. They threatened to harm them if the Acadians or Mi'kmaq fought against British control.
The British went back to Louisbourg. Duvivier and his soldiers left for Quebec. After Louisbourg fell, the French people on Île Royal (Cape Breton Island) were sent to France. The Acadians on Île Saint-Jean lived under the threat of being sent away for the rest of the war.
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Second Battle at Port-la-Joye (1746)
The British left 200 soldiers and two Royal Navy ships at Port-La-Joye for the winter.
In 1746, Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Roch de Ramezay was sent from Quebec. His goal was to help France regain control of Acadia. He sent French officer Boishébert to Île Saint-Jean. Boishébert was to find out how many British soldiers were there.
After Boishébert returned, de Ramezay sent Joseph-Michel Legardeur de Croisille et de Montesson. He had over 500 men with him, including 200 Mi'kmaq warriors. They went to Port-La-Joye.
The battle happened in July 1746 near Port-la-Joye. It was on the banks of the Northeast River. Montesson and his troops killed or captured 34 British soldiers. Montesson was praised for his leadership in this battle.
After this battle, Île Saint-Jean returned to French control. Between 1748 and 1749, French soldiers built a new fort. It was star-shaped, a design influenced by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban.
Seven Years' War and Fort Amherst
The first three years of the Seven Years' War did not greatly affect Île Saint-Jean. However, many Acadians were forced to leave Nova Scotia in 1755. This led to many refugees coming to the island.
In July 1758, the French commander at Louisbourg surrendered to British forces. Just like in 1745, this surrender meant that Île Saint-Jean also fell to the British. Its capital, Port-la-Joye, was now under British control.
In late August, a small British fleet arrived at Port-la-Joye. It had four ships and 500 soldiers, led by Lord Rollo. Lord Rollo expected to find 300-500 Acadians. He was surprised to find about 3,000-5,000 instead.
The British Army then gathered about 3,000 Acadians. They were to be sent back to France. Thirteen more ships arrived by October and sailed overseas. About 700 lives were lost when ships sank on the way to Europe. An estimated 900 more lives were lost due to sickness during the journey. About 1,600 Acadians avoided capture. They hid in the forests in the western part of what the British now called St. John's Island.
After taking control of Port-la-Joye, the British built a new fort. It was a stockade fort, built just east of the old French one. Lieutenant William Spry oversaw its construction. He reported it finished on October 10, 1758. This new fort was named Fort Amherst, in honor of General Jeffery Amherst.
The small fort housed 190 soldiers from the 28th Regiment of Foot. The fort had a dry ditch around it and a drawbridge. The walls were made of a palisade (strong wooden fence) that was 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall. There were 18 cannons at the fort. Four were in each corner, and one was in the middle of two walls.
Inside the fort were several buildings. These included the commanding officer's headquarters, officers' quarters, soldiers' barracks, a bakehouse, a forge, a storehouse, and a prison. British soldiers were rotated through the fort each spring. Fresh replacements came from Louisbourg.
In 1762, some soldiers at Fort Amherst rebelled. This led to courts-martial (military trials) at Louisbourg. The main people involved faced demotions and hundreds of lashes. One soldier was executed.
The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ended the Seven Years' War. This led to fewer soldiers being stationed at Fort Amherst.
British Rule and Abandonment
In 1764, Samuel Holland was appointed Surveyor-General of North America. He was told to survey all British lands north of the Potomac River. This included St. John's Island (now Prince Edward Island).
St. John's Island was Holland's first stop. He noticed that the island's population had greatly decreased after the Acadians were sent away in 1758. His survey suggested a new way to divide land. It was based on a system where land was given out with certain fees attached.
Holland arrived at Fort Amherst in summer 1764 with his family. He found the fort was not suitable for his needs. So, he built a house about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) south of the fort. He called this spot Observation Cove (now Holland Cove). From there, Holland and his team worked through the winter. They surveyed the island. They divided it into three counties, 15 parishes, 67 townships, and various town sites.
Holland's survey chose the site of present-day Charlottetown to be the capital of St. John's Island. In 1768, Charles Morris surveyed the town site for Charlottetown. Soldiers from Fort Amherst helped him. King George III named Charlottetown the capital in 1768. It was named after his wife, Queen Charlotte.
The soldiers at Fort Amherst were moved to Charlottetown in 1770. This meant Fort Amherst was no longer used as a settlement or a fort. The wooden walls and buildings were torn down in the 1770s. By 1779, only the ditch and earthworks remained.
During the American Revolutionary War, on November 17, 1775, Massachusetts-based privateers attacked Charlottetown. They stole the Colonial Seal and took several people hostage. The Seal and the hostages were later released in Boston, Massachusetts.
In 1801, the British Army improved its defenses around Charlottetown. They built the Prince Edward Battery on the western edge of the town. To help protect the harbor, cannons were placed on both sides of the entrance. The western battery was about 0.5 km (0.31 mi) southeast of the old Fort Amherst. This area is now known as "Blockhouse Point" in Rocky Point. The eastern battery was about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) northeast of Fort Amherst. This spot is now called "Battery Point" in Stratford.
A National Historic Site Today
After the British Army left, the land became part of Lot 65. The first governor of St. John's Island, Walter Patterson, bought the land in 1773. Governor Patterson and his wife built a farmhouse there. They named it "Warren Farm." Patterson was removed from office in 1786. The land was empty until 1796.
Different landowners farmed the property until 1959. That year, the federal government bought it to protect it. They had already named it a National Historic Site the year before.
The current visitor center officially opened in 1973. This was part of Prince Edward Island's celebration of being a province for 100 years.
Special Events
In July 1989, Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst National Historic Site hosted the 7th Canadian Scout Jamboree. This event, called "CJ '89," brought over 10,000 campers to the site. For two weeks, it became the second-largest population center in the province!
