At three in the afternoon the French inhabitants appeared agreeable to their citation at the church in Grand Pre amounting to 418 of their best men upon which I ordered a table to be set in the center of the church and being attended with those of my officers who were off guard delivered them by interpreters the King's orders in the following words :

Gentlemen, I have received from his Excellency Governor Lawrence the King's commission which I have in my hand and by whose orders you are convened together to manifest to you his Majesty's final resolution to the French inhabitants of this his province of Nova Scotia. Who for almost half a century have had more indulgence granted them, than any of his subjects in any part of his dominions. What use you have made of them you yourself best know.

The part of duty I am now upon is what though necessary, is very disagreeable to my natural make and temper as I know it must be grievous to you who are of the same species.

But it is not my business to animadvert, but to obey such orders as I receive and therefore without hesitation shall deliver you his majesty's orders and instructions, viz:

That your lands and tenements, cattle of all kinds and live stock of all sorts are forfeited to the crown with all other your effects saving your money and household goods and you yourselves to be removed from this his province.

Thus it is peremptorily his Majesty's orders that the whole French inhabitants of these districts, be removed, and I am through his Majesty's goodness directed to allow you liberty to carry of your money and household goods as many as you can without discommoding the vessels you go in. I shall do everything in my power that all those goods be secured to you and that you are not molested in carrying them off and also that whole families shall go in the same vessel. And make this remove which I am sensible must give you a great deal of trouble as easy as his Majesty's service will admit and hope that in whatever part of the world you may fall you may be faithful subjects, a peaceable and happy people.

I must also inform you that it is his Majesty's pleasure that you remain in security under the inspection and direction of the troops that I have the honor to command. And then declared them the King's prisoners.

After delivering these things I returned to my quarters and they the French inhabitants soon moved by their elders that it was a great grief to them, that they had incurred his Majesty's displeasure and that they were fearful that the surprise of their detention here would quite overcome their families whom they had no means to apprise of these their melancholy circumstances and prayed that part of them might be returned as hostages for the appearance of the rest and the bigger number admitted to go home to their families, and that as some of their men were absent they would be obliged to bring them in. I informed them I would consider of their motion, and report.

And immediately convened my officers, to advise, who with me all agreed that it would be well that they themselves should choose twenty of their number for whom they would be answerable viz: ten of the inhabitants of Grand Pre and village and other ten of the river Cannard inhabitants and they to acquaint the families of their districts how matters were and to assure them that the women and children should be in safety in their absence in their habitations and that it was expected the party indulged should take care to bring in an exact account of their absent brethren and their circumstances on the morrow.

September 5th. The French people not having any provisions with them and pleading hunger begged for bread on which I gave them. And ordered that for the future they be supplied from their respective families. Thus ended the memorable fifth of September, a day of great fatigue and trouble.

1755, September 7. Proved a very busy day, advice arrived from every quarter which I answered as well as I could in the foregoing letters. The French remained in quiet. We mounted guard with half our party, Captain Adams and Osgood doing duty by turns. Captain Hobbs sick. We all lay on our arms since detaining the French here. Kept a good look out and I not wanting in turning out at all times when I awoke so that I was on both watches.

September 10. The French this morning discovered some uncommon motions among themselves which I did not like. Called my officers together and communicated to them what I had observed, and after debating matters it was determined, nemo contra dissente, that it would be best to divide the prisoners, and that as there were five transports idle which came from Boston, it would be for the good of his Majesty's service and that it tended to the better security of the whole, that fifty men of the French inhabitants be embarked on board each of the five vessels, taking first all their young men, and that Captain Adams in the Warren be desired and directed as he was a vessel of force and in his Majesty's service to take the transports under his directions and when the prisoners were embarked to give such orders to the masters of the transports as would be best for his Majesty's service, and also determined that six non-commissioned officers or private men be put on board each transport as a guard and that Captain Adams and the masters be immediately ordered to get things in readiness for that service after which I sent for Father Landrey their principal speaker who talks English and told him the time was come for part of the inhabitants to embark and that the number concluded for this day was 250 and that we should begin with the young men and desired he would inform his brethren of it.

He was greatly surprised. I told him it must be done and that I should order the whole prisoners to be drawn up six deep, their young men on the left, and as the tide in a very little time favored, my design could not give them above an hour to prepare for going on board, and ordered our whole party to be under arms and post themselves between the two gates and the church in the rear of my quarters, which was obeyed, and agreeable to my directions. The whole of the French inhabitants were drawn together in one body, their young men as directed on the left. I then ordered Captain Adams with a Lieutenant 80 non-commissioned officers and private men to draw off from the main body to guard the young men of the French amounting to 141 men to the transports and order the prisoners to march. They all answered they would not go without their fathers. I told them that was a word I did not understand for that the King's command was to me absolute and should be absolutely obeyed and that I did not love to use harsh means but that time did not admit of parleys or delays and then ordered the whole troop to fix their bayonets and advance towards the French, and bid the 4 right-hand files of the prisoners, consisting of 24 men which I told off myself to divide from the rest, one of whom I took hold on (who opposed the marching) and bid march. He obeyed and the rest followed though slowly, and went off praying, singing and crying, being met by the women and children all the way (which is 1 1/2 mile) with great lamentations upon their knees praying &c.

I then ordered the remaining French to choose out 109 of their married men to follow their young people (the ice being broken) they readily complied and drew up in a body as said the number, who, upon Captain Adams' return, I ordered off under a guard commanded by Captain Osgood: one subaltern 80 noncommissioned officers and private men who marched them off, but when he came to put them on board the vessels found them but 89 instead of 109. So that the number embarked was but 230, and thus ended this troublesome job, which was a scene of sorrow. After this Captain Adams with the transports fell down from Gaspereau and anchored in the mouth of that river and Piziquid.