Montague (brigantine)

Montague was an armed brigantine of the Nova Scotia government that patrolled Nova Scotian waters during the Seven Years' War as part Nova Scotia's Provincial Marine (not to be confused with the Provincial Marine under the Royal Navy in British North America). Montague played a notable role in beginning New England Planter settlements until she was wrecked in the Canard River in Kings County, Nova Scotia in December 1760.

History
Nova Scotia
Owner: Private
Operator: Provincial Marine
Port of registry: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Commissioned: May 28, 1759
In service: 1759-1760
Out of service: December 1760
Homeport: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Fate: Sank on Canard River, Kings County, Nova Scotia, December, 1760
General characteristics
Tonnage: 90 tons
Sail plan: brigantine
Complement: 20
Armament: 10 carriage guns and 10 swivel guns

A former privateer brigantine, Montaque received a Letter of Marque on May 28, 1759 and was commanded by Jeremiah Rogers.[1] She was commissioned by the Governor of Nova Scotia Charles Lawrence as a patrol vessel in November 1759.[2] Montague patrolled against French privateers, moved soldiers to garrisons, attacked Acadian partisans and assisted in the final phases of the Expulsion of the Acadians. One of her final duties was to assist the landing of the New England Planters in the Minas Basin. Montague landed supplies and provided security for the settlements until early December 1760. After having landed supplies at a landing on the Habitant River, Montague was descending the river when she became stuck on a river bank in the tidal estuary of the river. When the tide went out, the brigantine fell on her side in the steep river channel and became a total loss. The crew of 20 and the pilot were uninjured.[3]

The lower estuary of the Canard River, believed to be area where Montague was wrecked

In recent years considerable effort has been made in recent years to locate the wreck of the Montague which is thought to lie near the Wellington Dyke on the Habitant River. The heavily sedimented and low-energy wreck site along the Habitant River may have preserved, but also buried the wreck. A search led by the Kings County Museum under a heritage research permit in 2013 failed to locate the wreck although it did bring to light new information about the vessel and its role in 18th Century Nova Scotia.[4]

References
  1. George E. E. Nichols, "Notes on Nova Scotian Privateers", Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, March 15, 1904
  2. "British privateer brigantine 'Montague' (1759)", Three Decks - Warships in the Age of Sail
  3. Ed Coleman, "A 1760 Wreck on the Canard River", Kings County Register, May 12, 2013
  4. Ed Coleman, "Canard River Holds on to Her Secrets", Kings County Advertiser/Register, March 23, 2014

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