* Historical Figures

The French

Principals
Mathilde (Mati) Leblanc Girouard - b. 1722: Mati is a member of a family that has been in Acadia for over a century. She learned to cook from her grandmere and learned her stubbornness from her mere, Domithilde. She is fiercely devoted to her family and against what she sees as an oppressive Roman Catholic Church. She will do and endure anything for her family and husband.

Acquila Girouard- b. 1718: 'Quila came to Acadia as a young man seeking adventure and not long after his arrival in Acadia locked his eyes on Mati and has not unlocked them since. He is a hard worker and a devout Roman Catholic who will always obey the requests of his priest.

Their children are: Emile - b. 1738, Maurice - b. 1740 and Beatrice - b. 1743

French Allies
*Jean-Louis Le Loutre is officially the Roman Catholic missionary to the Miqma people, but during his stay has become a vehement opponent of the English and their desire to keep the Acadians as productive farmers in Nova Scotia. He is a politician who manipulates everyone to follow his orders.

*Henri Daudin is the priest first at Pisiquit and then at Annapolis who is accused by Governor Lawrence of fomenting rebellion.

*Jean-Baptiste Cope is a Miqma chief in central Acadia who leads a band of violent guerrillas who raise havoc with both the English soldiers and the Acadian settlers who won't leave English Nova Scotia. 

French Soldiers and Officials
*Louis-Thomas Jacau de Fiedmont is a brave Grenadier from Louisbourg at Fort Beausejour who risks his life to help the Girouard family. While a real hero at Beausejour, his interaction with the Girouards is fictional.

*Joseph Brossard dit Beausoleil is a handsome and charismatic hero for the French in their attempts to repulse the English.

*Charles Bois Hebert is a professional soldier who defends the French fort at Menagoueche (Saint John) and leads the resistance movement after the English take control of Acadia.

*Thomas Pichon is the "commissary" of Beausejour, responsible for the stores and accounting. He's also full of avarice and self-importance, is a gourmand and has a healthy libido. He is well known in Acadian history as the "Spy of Beausejour".

*Jean-Baptise Copit is the leader of a band of MiqMaqs in Cobequid who associates himself to Abbe Le Loutre and conducts violent raids against English soldiers and civilians. He is reported to have been a nasty fellow. 

Friends & Family
Camille Robicheaux-  b. 1718 a taciturn co-worker of Acquila's
Simon and Philomene Bourque - Simon is a co-worker of Acquila and they are both friends of the Girouards. 
*Jean Jacques Cyr and his wife Marie-Josephe - Tavern owners at Pont a Buot
Remi Hebert and wife Gabrielle - friends of the Girouards.
Hugette LeJeune - friend of the Girouards.
Helene Fougere
Amelie Gallant & Husband
Yvan LeBrun
Louise Poirier - Grandmother to Mathilde
Domithilde Poirier Leblanc- Mathilde's mother
Charles Lebanc- Mathilde's Father
Bernard and Janette Landry
Gerald Landry who has a sailboat.
Jacques, Pascal and Joseph Leblanc - Mathilde's brothers

Local Commanders at Fort Beausejour
1749 - 1750 - Chevalier Jean-Louis La Corne
1752 - 1753 - Jean-Baptiste Mutigny de Vassan 
1754 - 1755 - Louis Du Pont Duchambon Vergor

The English

English Soldiers & Officials
*Edward Cornwallis is a high-born governor of Nova Scotia who tries to engage the Acadians and have them stay and continue to be productive farmers. When this fails, he brings in several thousand Protestant settlers to try and generate revenues for his Board of Trade sponsors. 

*Charles Lawrence - Lieutenant Colonel of the British Army who attacks Fort Beausejour and builds a fort (in his name) near the site of the former French settlement in Beaubassin. He eventually is appointed Governor of Nova Scotia and becomes a fierce adversary of the French people.

*Colonel John Gorham is a wealthy soldier from Massachusetts who was appointed to organize a company of rangers: irregular soldiers who fought as guerrillas and were a mixture of white men and Mohawk warriors. He is succeeded by his brother *Joseph Gorham.

* Robert Monckton is an English nobleman and in charge of the Regular English soldiers at Fort Lawrence / Beausejour. He is despised by the leader of the New England Militia, John Winslow who finds him pompous and unpleasant.

*John Winslow raises the force of 2,000 militia from New England. He is a country gentlemen who relishes his occasional appointments to conduct violence against his enemies.

*Benoni Danks is a Captain of rangers under the command of John Gorham who is racist, violent and effective. He earns huge income from scalping his adversaries and has no scruples. 

*Captain Edward How is a British soldier with a French mother who has an affinity for the Acadians and is often used as a translator.

*Hezekiah King is an English ranger and sub-altern to Benoni Danks

Josiah Higgins is an English ranger and sub-altern to Benoni Danks

*Joseph Gorham is the younger brother of John who eventually assumes his leadership of Massachusetts Fencible Militia.

*Joseph Frye is a New England military leader.

*Alexander Murray, a New England officer.

*George Scott, a New England officer who is closely connected to Thomas Pichon.

*Nathan Adams, a Massachusetts soldier.

*Apthorp and Hancock, merchants in Boston who supplied the expeditionary force to Nova Scotia. 

*Sylvanus Cobb, a New England official.

Charlie Hollis is an English ranger and sub-altern to Benoni Danks

*Peregrine Hopson succeeds Cornwallis as Governor of Nova Scotia for a short period.
 
English Allies 
Virgil and Charles Labreque - are children of a Jesuit priest and a Mi'gma woman who were raised by the priest and treated brutally. Since they escaped they have become vicious opponents of the Church and the French people. 

Local Commanders at Fort Lawrence 
Charles Lawrence
Robert Monckton
George Scott