Siege of Port Royal (1707)

Siege of Port Royal
Part of Queen Anne's War
Annotated detail from a 1713 map showing eastern New England and southern Nova Scotia/Acadia. Port Royal is at A, Boston at B, and Casco Bay at C.
Date first siege: 6–17 June 1707 second siege: 22 August – 1 September 1707 Location Port Royal, Acadia (present-day Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) Result Acadian and Wabanaki victory
Belligerents
Great Britain	France  Wabanaki Confederacy Acadian militia Mi'kmaq militia[1]
Commanders and leaders
John March Francis Wainwright Captain Charles Stuckley, RN Winthrop Hilton Cyprian Southack[2]	Daniel d'Auger de Subercase Bernard-Anselme d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin Pierre Morpain Pierre Maisonnat dit Baptiste Antoine Gaulin[3]
Strength
1,150 provincial soldiers (first siege)[4] 850 provincial soldiers (second siege)[5]	160 troupes de la marine 60 Acadian militia 100 Wabanaki[6]
Casualties and losses
16 killed; 16 wounded;[7] reports vary widely[8]	At least 5 killed; 20 wounded[9] reports vary widely[8]

The siege of Port Royal in 1707 included two separate attempts by English colonists from New England to conquer Acadia (roughly the present-day Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) by capturing its capital Port Royal (now Annapolis Royal) during Queen Anne's War. Both attempts were made by colonial militia, and were led by men inexperienced in siege warfare. Led by Acadian Governor Daniel d'Auger de Subercase, the French troops at Port Royal easily withstood both attempts, assisted by irregular Acadians and the Wabanaki Confederacy outside the fort.

The first siege began on June 6, 1707, and lasted 11 days. The English colonel, John March, was able to establish positions near Port Royal's fort, but his engineer claimed the necessary cannons could not be landed, and the force withdrew amid disagreements in the war council. The second siege began August 22, and was never able to establish secure camps, owing to spirited defensive sorties organized by Acadian Governor Daniel d'Auger de Subercase.

The siege attempts were viewed as a debacle in Boston, and the expedition's leaders were jeered upon their return. Port Royal was captured in 1710 by a larger force that included British Army troops; that capture marked the end of French rule in peninsular Acadia.