h. The last British Expedition against Saint-Pierre & Miquelon

The traditional Acadian population of Miquelon, being staunchly loyal to its Catholic faith and to the throne of France, fled the colony for the Magdalen islands. By May 5th 1793, news of War between Britain and France reached Saint-Pierre. Nine days later, at six o’clock in the morning, the 300 British troops, three frigates and four other ships of Rear-Admiral King and Brigadier General Olgivie marked the end of North America’s smallest republican experiment. Over the next year, the 1500 inhabitants of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon who hadn’t managed to flee were held prisoner by 160 British troops. During the fall of 1794, the remaining population was shipped to Halifax and held until 1796. The British used the settlements of Saint-Pierre for their own fishery, but could not survive the retaliatory campaign of French Admiral Richerie, who sank over 80 British fishing vessels and destroyed the establishments of Saint-Pierre after failing in an attack on Saint John’s.