965:, the Royal Navy had publicly exempted Nova Scotians from impressment, and groups such as the Society of Merchants campaigned against perceived high-handedness of the Navy's actions in Nova Scotia. Not surprisingly, as their warships were short-handed, naval captains began to violate impressment regulations in the final years of the Napoleonic Wars. Impressment had a negative impact on Nova Scotian privateers in the War of 1812: dozens of local men were impressed into the Navy, fear of impressment caused recruitment problems and desertions from the privateer vessels, the disputes with the Navy hindered the privateer’s ability to attack American shipping and protect themselves against American naval attacks.
868:
920:
707:, by which time the Royal Navy had publicly exempted Nova Scotians from impressment, and groups such as the Society of Merchants campaigned against perceived high-handedness of the Navy's actions in Nova Scotia. However, as their warships were short-handed, Navy captains began to violate impressment regulations in the final years of the Napoleonic Wars. Impressment had a negative impact on Nova Scotian privateers during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
61:
916:, sparking a major riot in which one man was killed and several others were injured. Wentworth lashed out at the admiral for sparking urban unrest and breaking provincial impressment laws, and his administration exploited this violent episode to put even tighter restrictions of recruiting in Nova Scotia.
691:
harbour day and night and they boarded all incoming and outgoing vessels. The Navy consistently struggled with desertion in Nova Scotia, and senior naval commanders recognised that only impressment could ensure local squadrons had enough men onboard. The guard boats were used as floating press gangs,
753:
lashed out at the Navy for press gang incidents that were frequently marked by quarrels, bloodshed and the loss of life. Hughes complained that press gangs caused social unrest in
Halifax and he banned them from shore unless they had colonial permission. The press gangs would drive all before them
699:
Royal Navy warships frequently sent armed press gangs into
Halifax and other Nova Scotian towns, where they occasionally fought with local townspeople. Such incidents were often violent and a number of people were killed. The behaviours of the press gangs were the subject of constant criticism from
808:
attempted to protect the citizens of
Liverpool from the press gangs. He issued papers saying that sailors were master, mates and apprentices, or under the age of 18, all of whom were exempted from impressment. Fraudulent protections were common. In 1800, however, Liverpool privateers had a large
828:
Governor
Wentworth and his council issued at least 13 warrants between 1793 and 1805. Only sailors could be taken into service. The Royal Navy used guard boats to press at sea, over which Nova Scotia had no jurisdiction. Wentworth did succeed in exempting many groups of people from impressment:
885:
The Royal Navy's manpower problems in Nova Scotia peaked in 1805. British warships were short-handed from high desertion rates, and naval captains were handicapped in filling those vacancies by provincial impressment regulations. Desperate for sailors, the Navy impressed them all over the North
761:
residents in the 18th and 19th centuries. Liverpool experienced more of these incidents than other regional ports in
British North America. At least two dozen of Liverpool's pressed sailors died during their service in the Navy or were never heard from again. For the New England Planters who
1175:
Thomas B. Akins, History of
Halifax City (Halifax, 1895), 137–8; Brian C. Cuthbertson, The Loyalist Governor: Biography of Sir John Wentworth (Halifax: Petheric, 1983), 132–4; Executive Council Minutes, 23 Nov. 1805, 161–2, vol. 191, RG1, nsarm; John George Marshall, A Brief History of Public
944:
was in
Liverpool for only about a week, but the possibility of impressment loomed over the small town the entire time, and naval impressment remained a serious source of resentment among sailors along the South Shore. After leaving Liverpool,
1207:
Keith Mercer. Planters and Press Gangs: A Social
History of Naval Impressment in Liverpool, Nova Scotia, 1759-1815. In Henderson, S. and Robicheau, W. (eds.) The Nova Scotia Planters in the Atlantic World, 1759-1830. Acadiensis Press. 2012.
855:. Liverpool sailors also stood on constant guard for press gangs and guard boats at Halifax and often refused to sail there based on rumours of impressment. Vice-Admiral George Berkely declared in 1806, unless he sent these small
754:
in the streets. The
Halifax grand jury criticized the Navy for its disregard of provincial and municipal authority, and also for binding recruits’ hands behind their backs and marching them through the street like criminals.
769:
was in
Liverpool for about four months and impressment loomed as a possibility the entire time. It pressed three men there and in the neighbouring villages of Port Medway, Port Mouton, and Brooklyn. Another ship, HMS
762:
settled in Liverpool in the 1760s, they were largely protected from press gangs based on age, social status, and colonial exemptions, but their sons and descendants had a much tougher time avoiding impressment.
31:
765:
Outside of Halifax, during the American Revolutionary War the Royal Navy concentrated its recruitment efforts on coastal shipping and small ports such as Liverpool. In one instance, HMS
833:
ferry operator. This exempted most Nova Scotians from impressment during the Napoleonic period, but it also prevented the Navy from keeping its ships manned and ready for duty.
742:
merchants complaining about impressment. The issue came to a head in October when the Assembly petitioned Governor Francis Legge to put a stop to impressment in Nova Scotia.
745:
By 1776 the Royal Navy used guard boats as floating press gangs, conscripting every fiftieth man from ships entering the harbour. It even pressed Americans from cartels and
1212:
Keith Mercer, "Northern Exposure: Resistance to Naval Impressment in British North America, 1775–1815," Canadian Historical Review, June 2010, Vol. 91 Issue 2, pp. 199–232.
1176:
Proceedings and Events, Legal – Parliamentary –and Miscellaneous, in the Province of Nova Scotia, during the Earliest Years of the Present Century (Halifax, 1879), 22–4.
655:
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and many privateers were pressed into service: of the 20 pressed sailors, nine returned home at various times, eight died, and three were never heard from again.
953:
and impressed several inhabitants, breaking into homes and leading to more than a dozen local families to move closer to the forest to avoid being impressed.
902:
sent press gangs from several warships into downtown Halifax. They conscripted men first and asked questions later, rounding up dozens of potential recruits.
692:
impressing every fiftieth man on merchant ships entering the harbour. Due to constant manpower shortages, they even pressed Americans from cartels and
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was a much larger concern. American privateers captured hundreds of vessels and made bold amphibious assaults on Liverpool in 1780 and
374:
17:
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859:
to maritime communities and regional shipping lanes to press sailors, there was no hope of manning the North American squadron.
1217:
Keith Mercer. North Atlantic Press Gangs: Impressment and Naval-Civilian Relations in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, 1749-1815
196:
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Stemming from impressment disturbances, civil-naval relations deteriorated in Nova Scotia from 1805 to the War of 1812.
1211:
851:
into Halifax. In one night they detained 50 to 60 men, including several Liverpool mariners, and brought them aboard
749:. Still in need of men, warships sent armed press gangs into Halifax, where they fought with townspeople. In 1778,
444:
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303:
116:
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The first press warrant granted in Nova Scotia was in April 1793, when Wentworth granted a warrant to Commander
598:
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to make up for the shortage of manpower. By August 1775, the Nova Scotia government received a petition from
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Stemming from impressment disturbances, civil-naval relations deteriorated in Nova Scotia from 1805 to the
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of 18 guns and 50 men. There was intense competition for sailors from trading vessels and the Navy.
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and coastal Nova Scotia, entering dozens of recruits at Halifax and from ships and towns along the
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from its traditional labour market in North America, which pressured loyalist colonies such as
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The breaking point came in October 1805, when Vice-Admiral Mitchell sent press gangs from
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portion of their crews pressed. 80 men were pressed over the year. The privateer
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Impressment damaged Nova Scotia trade, but the Navy's inability to stop American
249:
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and other Nova Scotians were exempted from naval service during the 1760s, but
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freeholders, militiamen, market boat crews and even the
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27:Conscription of Nova Scotians into the Royal Navy
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757:The Royal Navy pressed approximately 200
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726:. The American conflict severed the
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751:Lieutenant-Governor Richard Hughes
722:became a serious issue during the
34:Press gang in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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1237:Military history of Nova Scotia
1232:History of Halifax, Nova Scotia
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53:Military history of Nova Scotia
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264:Halifax Provisional Battalion
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898:. In early May, Vice-Admiral
167:Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax
872:Vice Admiral Andrew Mitchell
555:No. 2 Construction Battalion
455:Royal Nova Scotia Volunteers
294:Imprisonment of Leon Trotsky
207:Establishment of New Ireland
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863:Halifax Impressment Riot
117:Northeast Coast Campaign
575:Nova Scotia Highlanders
535:Cape Breton Highlanders
445:Royal Fencible American
1242:Conscription in Canada
975:Conscription in Canada
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495:Nova Scotia Fencibles
465:King's Orange Rangers
435:84th Regiment of Foot
395:40th Regiment of Foot
284:Battle of Paardeberg
147:Bay of Fundy Campaign
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816:s crew met with HMS
716:New England Planters
599:Captivity narratives
304:Jewish Legion formed
87:Battle of Port Royal
724:American Revolution
711:American Revolution
475:1st Field Artillery
405:Louisbourg Garrison
350:Halifax VE-Day riot
339:Point Pleasant Park
274:Battle of Witpoort
157:Siege of Louisbourg
127:Battle of Grand Pré
107:Battle of Winnepang
97:Siege of Port Royal
1120:Mercer, pp. 224–25
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776:St. Lawrence River
545:Nova Scotia Rifles
137:Dartmouth Massacre
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881:ashore to Halifax
791:Lunenburg in 1782
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367:Notable regiments
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240:Siege of Lucknow
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66:Citadel Hill
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963:War of 1812
957:War of 1812
896:Quebec City
780:South Shore
732:Nova Scotia
720:impressment
705:War of 1812
677:Nova Scotia
669:Impressment
604:Impressment
337:Sinking of
314:Sinking of
252:Tallahassee
1226:Categories
1202:References
892:Saint John
787:privateers
728:Royal Navy
673:Royal Navy
219:Chesapeake
951:Shelburne
939:HMS
927:Cleopatra
925:HMS
909:Cleopatra
907:HMS
878:Cleopatra
876:HMS
842:HMS
831:Dartmouth
759:Liverpool
579:from 1954
569:from 1916
559:1916–1919
549:1914–1919
539:from 1871
529:1869–1871
519:from 1867
509:from 1860
499:1803–1816
489:1793–1802
479:from 1791
469:1776–1783
459:1775–1783
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429:1756–1762
419:1744–1762
409:1717–1758
399:1717–1757
389:1689–1761
379:1677–1779
331:1942–1944
181:1760–1761
981:Endnotes
969:See also
949:entered
914:bayonets
857:warships
799:schooner
683:and the
619:Category
44:a series
41:Part of
961:By the
947:Whiting
941:Whiting
818:Nereide
767:Senegal
740:Halifax
689:Halifax
671:by the
624:Commons
70:Halifax
853:Hussar
849:Hussar
844:Hussar
772:Blonde
254:escape
47:on the
814:'
894:and
797:, a
795:Lucy
734:and
354:1945
344:1945
321:1918
308:1917
298:1917
288:1899
278:1899
268:1885
258:1861
250:CSS
244:1857
234:1855
224:1813
211:1812
201:1782
191:1776
171:1758
161:1758
151:1755
141:1751
131:1747
121:1745
111:1722
101:1710
91:1690
890:to
840:of
696:.
675:in
68:in
1228::
1157:^
1143:^
1104:^
1083:^
1071:^
1041:^
1027:^
1009:^
989:^
782:.
657:e
650:t
643:v
20:)
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