eway, in Nova Scotia, where
they ultimately formed their principal settlement, and built the large
town of Shelburne. Those intending to remove were required to enter
their name, the number in their family, &c., at the Adjutant-General's
Office, that due provision might be made for their passage. They flocked
into the City in such numbers from within the British lines (and many
from within our lines also) that often during that season there were not
houses enough to shelter them. Many occupied huts made by stretching
canvass from the ruined walls of the burnt districts. They banded
together for removing, and had their respective headquarters, where they
met to discuss and arrange their plans. The first considerable company,
some five thousand, sailed on April 27th, and larger companies soon
followed. Many held back, hoping for some act of grace on the part of
our Legislature which would allow them to stay. But the public sentiment
being opposed to it, and expressed in terms too strong to be
disregarded, these at last had to yield to necessity, and find new
homes. The mass of the loyalists went to Nova Scotia and Canada; others
to the Island of Abaco, in the Bahamas; while not a few of the more
distinguished or wealthy retired to England. The bitterness felt towards
this class was to be deplored, but, in truth, the active part taken by
many of them during the war against their country, and above all the
untold outrages committed upon defenceless inhabitants by tories (the
zealous and active loyalists), often in league with Indians, had kindled
a resentment towards all loyalists alike that stifled every
philanthrophic feeling. This exodus was going on when General Carleton,
about the beginning of August, received his final orders for the
evacuation of the City; but it took nearly four months more to complete
it, as a large number of vessels were required to transport the immense
crowds of refugees who left with their families and effects during that
brief period. Hundreds of slaves (ours being then a slave State) were
also induced to go to _Novy Koshee_, as they called it. Their masters
could do little to hinder it, though a committee appointed by both
governments to superintend all embarkations did something towards
preventing slaves and other property belonging to our people from being
carried away. Such negroes as had been found in a state of freedom,
General Carleton held, had a right to leave if they chose to do so, an