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GAUDET, PAUL

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[Cole5H17.GED]

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Paul died at the age of 48 years.
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The Battle of the Restigouche

After the fall of Québec in 1759, the last naval engagement between
France and Britain for the possession of Canada was fought in the
narrow confines of the Restigouche River. France's last effort in
Canada ended on 8 July 1760, it was nothing more than a cannonade
prolonged over several days, with equal losses in personnel,
nevertheless the battle remained a decisive English victory. All the
same the French gained honor from their exploits, for 17 days a
small frigate and two merchantmen, held in check five warships with
256 guns. For 17 days, the French maintained their fire and
prevented the enemy from landing.

Paul Gaudet and his family are listed as prisoners of war held at
Fort Cumberland in 1761. This list can be found in the Centre
d'Etudes acadiennes, UniversitT du Moncton, New Brunswick.

The Treaty of Paris was signed on 10 February 1763. France had lost
all her territories except for the islands of St-Pierre and Miquelon
off the coast of Newfoundland. The former lands of the Acadians in
Nova Scotia were now occupied by England's new Protestant settlers.
The Acadians were allowed to settle in Nova Scotia provided they
took the oath of allegiance and become British subjects on the lands
specifically assigned to them. The news had spread that some
Acadians were given refuge at Miquelon. Paul Gaudet is found on the
census of Miquelon, dated 15 May 1767. He was listed as a widower
from Beauséjour (Fort Cumberland), his son Pierre, five years old is
with him. Governor Dangeac of Miquelon was less than happy with the
arrival of the Acadians at Miquelon. The islands already had more
people than the lands and supplies could accommodate. King Louis XV
of France, hearing the complaints of Governor Dangeac, decided to
remove the Acadians to France. Late in 1767, Governor Dangeac had
exiled 586
Acadians, about 60% of them returned the following year. Paul Gaudet
and his family are listed on the ship's role of "la Félicité" and
disembarked at Martin de RT (Ile de RT), France in November of 1767.
Life was no better for the Acadians in France. Paul Gaudet and his
family returned to Miquelon in 1768. In the census of Miquelon dated
1776 (Archives nationales, Paris, section outre mer, G1 467), Paul
Gaudet gives his age as 45 years old, his wife Rose is 33 years old,
their son Pierre is 15; Rosalie (Apollonie), 8; Anne, 6; Marie, 4;
and Joseph is 1 year old. They have a house, a fishing shed (cabane
de pèche), a lot at the shore (grave), a boat and launch (dock).

Exile of 1778

France had taken a favorable position with American Independence
and war with England was declared on 6 February 1778. By the end of
1778, the English governor of Newfoundland had seized the almost
defenseless settlement of Miquelon, burnt it to the ground, and
exiled the population to France. The Acadians were crowded on four
English ships and transported to the port cities of Saint-Malo, La
Rochelle and Bordeaux. Paul Gaudet and his family are found on the
ship's role of the "Mary." They disembarked at the port of
Saint-Malo, France, on 19 November 1778. (Archives nationales,
Paris, section outre mer, G 1494) The exile lasted for five years.
Many more Acadians died on the journey across the Atlantic or from
the furious outbreak of contagious diseases such as cholera, scarlet
fever and typhus which had stricken St-Malo and La Rochelle in 1779.
The Acadians were used to fresh air and open spaces. The unsanitary
conditions on board the transports, and the stone houses on narrow
streets, the absence of
hygiene and sufficient medicine to meet the needs, caused the death
of many more. Paul Gaudet died on 14 April 1779, his two year old
daughter, Genevieve, died six days later, they were both buried in
the parish cemetery of Saint-Servan, Saint-Malo, France.
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