“Located on Land in Nova Scotia”: British Soldier Settlement after the Napoleonic Wars

Demobilized British soldiers settled throughout the British Empire after the Napoleonic Wars, including Nova Scotia. In the aftermath of the War of 1812, a group of veterans were located along the Annapolis Road to provide a land route between Halifax and Annapolis Royal. Despite the overall failure...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miles, William R., Vance, Michael E.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Acadiensis Press 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/Acadiensis/article/view/33637
Description
Summary:Demobilized British soldiers settled throughout the British Empire after the Napoleonic Wars, including Nova Scotia. In the aftermath of the War of 1812, a group of veterans were located along the Annapolis Road to provide a land route between Halifax and Annapolis Royal. Despite the overall failure of the settlement scheme, the veterans who remained on their land grants were able to do so because of regimental links, family and denominational ties, and state support through British Army pensions. In realizing imperial claims, these soldier settlers contributed to the disruption of Mi’kmaw communities in the interior of the colony. Des soldats britanniques démobilisés s’établirent dans tout l’empire britannique après les guerres napoléoniennes, y compris en Nouvelle-Écosse. À la suite de la guerre de 1812, un groupe d’anciens militaires furent établis le long de la route d’Annapolis pour assurer une voie terrestre entre Halifax et Annapolis Royal. Malgré l’échec global du projet de colonisation, les anciens soldats restés sur leurs concessions purent le faire grâce à leurs liens avec le régiment, à leurs relations familiales et confessionnelles et au soutien de l’État par l’entremise des pensions de retraite de l’armée britannique. En permettant la réalisation des revendications impériales, ces colons soldats contribuèrent à la perturbations des collectivités mi’kmaq de l’intérieur de la colonie.