From swords to ploughshares : the context for Highland soldier settlement in Nova Scotia, 1710-1775

T h is dissertation exam ines the circum stances whereby Scottish Hig^iland soldiers becam e settlers in N ova Scotia prior to the American Revolution.It details the process, com m encing in the late seventeenth century, o f the gradual integration o f H ig^an d regim ents in to the regular British Arm y and the deploym ent o f these units to N orth America.It also dem onstrates h ow th e garrisoning o f these soldiers in N ova Scotia was designed to both contain the French and deal w ith their allies, the indigenous Mi'kmaq.It argues that the policy to allow discharged soldiers to settle in the colony was a product o f th ese circum stances.W hile it has proven difGcult to locate individual soldiers, by either rank or nationality this thesis has uncovered enougb evidence to dem onstrate that Highland so l diers were indeed settled in the colony prior to 1775 and that this aspect o f N ova Scotian settlem ent history is worthy o f further investigation.A cknow ledgem ents I w ould like to thank D r M ichael Vance, m y thesis supervisor at St. Mary's University for his flexibility and shared interest in many aspects o f Scottish history that Erst attracted m e to St. Mary's to do my graduate program.It was D r. Vance's extensive know ledge, guidance, Eiendship and padent leadership that kept m e m oving forward th r o u ^ an extended study process.W ithout his support, encouragem ent and gentle persua sions, I could n o t have maintained the direction o f my studies, and could easily have b ecom e a casuality along fhe road o f academ ic pursuit.I w ould also like to thank D r. John Reid o f St. Mary's University for opening my eyes to the MlTCmaq o f N ova Scotia and their lo n g and difEcult series o f con flicts w ith the British throughout the greater part o f the eigjiteenth century Thanks also to D r. Ron M cD onald, Manager o f Cultural A ffairs for the Hah&x D efen ce C om plex, D epartm ent o f Canadian H edtage, for his leadership and insig^tfulness in to the history o f th e British A rm y especially in N ova Scotia.I w ould b e rem iss i f I did n o t also thank Dr. Ian D ow biggin, Chair o f the D epartm ent o f H isto ry and Dr.

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