How Unlucky Can You Be?
For the Acadians being deported was a very unfortunate occurrence and, of course, the sinking of the "Violet", the "Duke William" and the "Ruby" in December 1758 was tragic with so great a loss of life.
Another group of deported Acadians experienced several unfortunate events. On 27 October 1755 a convoy of approximately 18 ships left Grand-Pré and Pisiguit overloaded with Acadians bound for several colonies along the Atlantic Seaboard including Maryland. Just being torn from their homes, lands and belongings was tragic enough. Shortly after they left the Bay of Fundy and entered the Atlantic Ocean, they were struck by a furious gale that left several of their ships severely damaged and the Acadians very ill. Then on 18 November 1755 the Cape Ann earthquake struck the Massachusetts coast and was felt all along the eastern seaboard — even causing significant damage as far south as Annapolis, Maryland.
On 9 July 1755 General Edward Braddock, the top General of the British forces, was mortally wounded in the humiliating defeat of the British at the Battle of Monongahela by a much smaller force of French and Native Americans. He died on 13 July 1755. As news of the defeat and death of General Braddock reached the colonies, fear spread like wildfire that the French and Native Americans were coming to attack the colonists.
After suffering these four unfortunate events, approximately 750 Acadians in four ships arrived in the harbor of Annapolis, Maryland in late November 1755. The population of Annapolis at this time was less than 1000 persons who were British and Protestant. In their harbor were four ships of French Catholic Acadians. General Braddock had just died four months earlier and the town of Annapolis feared an attack by the French. Certainly, they thought these French Acadians would be spies for the French forces. They feared the Acadians. Additionally, their town had been damaged by the Cape Ann earthquake only two weeks earlier and they were recovering still — now having limited resources. The Acadians on the ships were destitute and many were very ill. Maryland Governor Horatio Sharpe was absent from the Capitol — touring military defenses, managing fallout from Braddock's defeat and planning the upcoming French and Indian War.
With Governor Sharpe absent, the Maryland Council was in charge of the government at Annapolis. Should they allow these destitute, ill Acadians to land at Annapolis? It was a difficult decision that had significant consequences. After several days of decision-making by the Maryland Council while the Acadians languished in the harbor, three of the four ships were sent to other towns in Maryland while one ship was allowed to deboard at Annapolis. Part of its passengers were then sent to the small community of Baltimore while the remainder were kept in Annapolis. Certainly, these unfortunate Acadians must have felt desperate and that luck was not in their favor.