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History - Poboncou (Pubnico)   

The deportation in this area occurred later and was a less concerted effort than those in the other Acadian centres of Nova Scotia. It would seem that Lawrence either considered this region of less importance or was not aware of the significant Acadian population there. The expulsion did not occur here in 1755 but as a series of operations in 1756, 1758, and 1759.

In 1756, Lawrence arranged for the first deportation in the Cape Sable region. There was a contingent of soldiers in Halifax who had been brought up from New England to help with the 1755 deportation efforts. These soldiers were finishing their contract and were ready to return home. Lawrence made arrangements with this group, under the command of Major Prebble, to stop, on their return to Boston, at Cape Sable and arrest the Acadian population there, confiscate their property, and destroy their dwellings.

On April 21, they arrived at Port laTour. 167 soldiers disembarked and surprised the Acadians in their beds. They burned 44 buildings and captured 72 prisoners who were taken to Boston. The Governor of Massachusetts at the time, William Shirley, had already accepted many Acadian exiles and initially refused to let them stay. As a result, these Acadians were to be sent to North Carolina. After a delayed departure from Boston and under protest by the Acadians who wished to remain in Massachusetts, Shirley allowed them to stay.

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