siege port royal siege port royal october known conquest conducted british regular provincial forces command french garrison command daniel capital port royal successful british siege marked beginning permanent british control portion renamed nova_scotia time british took held french colonial possession french surrender british occupied fort capital ceremony having captured great fortresses europe renamed siege british attempt queen anne war capture capital profound consequences years conquest key element framing north american issues french british treaty negotiations resulted creation new colony nova scotia introduced significant questions concerning fate continued occupy conquest moment history canadian state precursor british conquests quebec end french power north_america generally background port royal capital french colony french began settling area consequently focal point conflict english french colonists century destroyed english raiders led eventually rebuilt captured forces restored france treaty early expeditions outbreak war spanish succession colonists sides prepared conflict governor anticipation war begun construction stone earth fort largely completed following french raid massachusetts frontier february english boston organized raid following led raided communities english french accounts differ church expedition mounted attack port royal church account indicates anchored harbour considered making attack ultimately decided idea french accounts claim minor attack daniel governor went offensive encouraging indian raids english targets new_england encouraged port royal english colonial shipping highly effective english fishing fleet reduced percent english coastal communities raided english merchants boston long traded port royal activity continued illegally war began business hurt war merchants began making vocal calls action public outrage rose failure massachusetts defenses stop french indian raids massachusetts bay governor repeated requests london support success finally decided act independently fend accusations illegal trade spring authorized expedition port royal expedition separate attempts port royal variety reasons attempts failed despite expedition significant numerical superiority british expedition organized following years france failed send significant support british mobilized larger better organized forces conflict north_america scots businessman colonial ties went london lobbied military support conquer new france authorized great enterprise conquer canada aborted promised military support failed englishman previously served colonial governor maryland virginia returned england aftermath appealed queen support accompanied indian chiefs caused sensation london successfully argued behalf colonial interests british military support port royal arrived boston july bearing commission queen general commander chief forces employed expedition design reducing port royal nova scotia addition marines brought england new_england provinces raised militia regiments massachusetts bay provided rhode_island connecticut new_hampshire provincial troops arts siege warfare officer british_army band recruited serve scouts expedition fleet sailed september consisted transports bomb warships ships hms dragon sent england hms sent new_york join stationed boston sent hms chester ahead fleet blockade gut controlled naval access port royal port royal defences port royal defended troops poorly trained recruits france taken steps improve local defences building new bomb proof powder magazine barracks clearing woods river banks deny attackers cover completed construction vessel assist naval defence engaged great success new_england fishing shipping prisoners taken learned plans continually new attempts port royal siege fleet sailed north met dispatch vessel sent captain chester carried french garrison reported morale extremely low sent ship ahead transports entered gut received fire parties shore ships returned fire cannons taking casualties october main british fleet arrived kilometres port royal afternoon transport ran aground attempting enter eventually swept rocks captain crew soldiers died company commander struggled ashore following day october british marines began landing north south fortress town northern force joined new_england regiments colonel led remaining new_england troops southern force landings took place incident fire fort answered fleet bomb ships long range later accounts siege claimed detachment strategic plan surround fort contemporary accounts report wanted command somewhat independent accounts claim got range fort guns siege ended attempts erect battery mortars muddy area creek fort repulsed cannon fire southern force met guerrilla style resistance outside fort indian defenders firing small arms houses wooded areas addition taking fire fort fire resulted british killed defenders unable british south establishing camp yards fort days british landed cannons brought camp fire fort supporters outside persisted british bomb ships wrought havoc fort fire night opening new british batteries imminent sent officer flag october negotiations got bad start officer properly announced drummer deteriorated ended holding officer principally matters military british continued siege work october siege trenches advanced cannons feet fort opened fire sent demand surrender negotiations began end day parties reached agreement terms surrender formally signed day garrison allowed leave fort honours war arms baggage drums beating colours flying british transport garrison france specific capitulation protect local residents terms called inhabitants cannon shot fort allowed remain properties years chose provided willing oath aftermath british took formal possession port royal following ceremony october renamed place honour queen inaugurated new governor nova scotia massachusetts new_hampshire proclaimed day public thanksgiving attempt retake happened year skirmish party british soldiers ambushed lead force native warriors siege fort success capture port royal marked end french rule inaugurated struggle control territory lasted british conquests seven years war status contentious issues negotiations leading treaty nearly led renewed war french unable recover able retain present day present day provided access important atlantic fisheries people placed difficult position conquest british numerous occasions demanded refused requiring arms french preferring neutrality reasons hundreds left nova_scotia decade avoided principal french colonial settlements went french occupied border formally treaty cause ongoing friction british french especially sides eventually fortified french interpreted phrase ancient boundaries imply peninsula present day nova scotia excluding mainland new_england helped retain sovereignty old hunting grounds grand expedition organized france command expedition composed warships frigates transport ships containing cannons soldiers marines expedition retake months crossing dispersal fleet mainland expedition turned disaster french try recapture port royal territorial dispute fully resolved british conquest new france informal boundary british french dispute forms border canadian provinces nova scotia new_brunswick historic fiction quietly captain waits
Siege of Port Royal (1710)