The Decision of July 28, 1755
On June 17, 1755, Fort Beauséjour surrendered to a British military expedition and from then on the days of the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia were numbered. Supported by Massachusetts Governor, William Shirley and by the presence in Halifax of British Admirals, Edward Boscawen and Savage Mostyn, the Nova Scotia Council ordered a last meeting with the Acadian delegates. On July 28, 1755, close to a hundred Acadian delegates appeared before the Council, and when asked again to swear an unconditional oath of allegiance to the British Crown, they refused and were all imprisoned. Now with the unanimous support of the Council and with a ruling issued by Nova Scotia Chief Justice Jonathan Belcher, Lieutenant Governor Charles Lawrence ordered the expulsion of the Acadians and the seizure of all their properties and belongings in the name of His Majesty King George II of Great Britain. The Acadians' fate was sealed.
