<P> In 1604, France claimed the lands of the Maritimes and established the French colony of Acadia . After the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the French colony of Île Royale, the island was called Île Saint - Jean . The first French settlers arrived in 1719 on a ship wrecked at Naufrage . The settlers lived primarily at Port - la - Joye and Havre Saint - Pierre (St. Peter's Harbour). At Port - la - Joye there was an administrative unit and a garrison, detached from Louisbourg, where sat the government for both Ile Royale and Ile Saint - Jean . While new settlements were established along the Rivier - du - Nord - Est and at but Havre Saint - Pierre remained the largest population throughout the French occupation of the Island . </P> <P> After the Siege of Louisbourg (1745) during King George's War, the New Englanders also captured Île Saint - Jean (Prince Edward Island). An English detachment landed at Port - la - Joye . Under the command of Joseph de Pont Duvivier, the French had a garrison of 20 French troops at Port - la - Joye . The troops fled and New Englanders burned the capital to the ground . Duvivier and the twenty men retreated up the Northeast River (Hillsborough River), pursued by the New Englanders until the French troops received reinforcements from the Acadian militia and the Mi'kmaq . The French troops and their allies were able to drive the New Englanders to their boats, nine New Englanders killed, wounded, or made prisoner . The New Englanders took six Acadian hostages, who would be executed if the Acadians or Mi'kmaq rebelled against New England control . The New England troops left for Louisbourg . Duvivier and his 20 troops left for Quebec . After the fall of Louisbourg, the resident French population of Ile Royal were deported to France . The Acadians of Ile Saint - Jean lived under the threat of deportation for the remainder of the war . </P> <P> The New Englanders had a force of two war ships and 200 soldiers stationed at Port - la - Joye . To regain Acadia, Ramezay was sent from Quebec to the region . Upon arriving at Chignecto, he sent Boishebert to Ile Saint - Jean on a reconnaissance to assess the size of the New England force . After Boishebert returned, Ramezay sent Joseph - Michel Legardeur de Croisille et de Montesson along with over 500 men, 200 of whom were Mi'kmaq, to Port - la - Joie . In July 1746, the battle happened near York River . Montesson and his troops killed forty New Englanders and captured the rest . Montesson was commended for having distinguished himself in his first independent command . </P> <P> During Father Le Loutre's War, at the beginning of the Acadian Exodus from mainland Nova Scotia, many Acadians migrated to the Island . The population increased dramatically from 735 to approximately three thousand . New settlements began at Pointe - Prime (Eldon), Bedec, and other places . </P>

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