The Missaguash River (French: Rivière Missaguash) is a small Canadian river that forms the southern portion of the inter-provincial boundary between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick on the Isthmus of Chignecto. It had historic significance in the 18th century as the de facto border between French (to the west) and English-controlled territories.

History

The river's name is from the Mi'kmaq language, likely meaning "marsh river", in reference to the Tantramar Marshes through which it flows. The name can be translated as "muskrat". Musaguash (Morris, 1750); Mesiguash (DesBarres, 1781); Missaguash from 1901 onward.^[1] The river flows south into Cumberland Basin. Its source is in the Missaguash Bog, several kilometres to the north.

About 1672 a small group of Acadians from Port Royal, led by Jacques Bourgeois, formed a settlement on the south bank of the Missaguash near its mouth named Beaubassin. The settlers reclaimed the salt marsh bordering the Missaquash for cultivation by constructing dykes to keep out the sea.

This village grew until 1750. The French priest Jean-Louis Le Loutre led Mi'kmaq warriors to burn down the village to force the Acadians to relocate to French-held territory north of the Missaquash. He wanted to bring French settlers together in a time of increasing national tensions with Great Britain.^[2] In the fall of 1750 the British Army under Major Charles Lawrence established Fort Lawrence on the site of the burned village.

Endnotes

^ Hamilton, William (1978). The Macmillan Book of Canadian Place Names. Toronto: Macmillan. p. 81. ISBN 0-7715-9754-1.
^ The practice of burning one's own residences for military ends was not uncommon. For example, at this same time Le Loutre burned Beaubassin for military reasons, French officer Boishebert burned the French Fort Menagoueche on the Saint John River to prevent it from falling in the hands of the British and to allow Acadians to escape to the forest (see John Grenier. The Edge of Empire. Oklahoma Press. 2008. p. 179). As well, the British burned their military officers own residences at Annapolis Royal to help defeat the French, MI'kmaq and Acadian attacks during King George's War. (See Dunn, Brenda (2004). A History of Port-Royal-Annapolis Royal, 1605-1800. Nimbus. ISBN 978-1-55109-740-4.).

45°50′14.2″N 64°16′28.7″W / 45.837278°N 64.274639°W / 45.837278; -64.274639

Rivers of New Brunswick by drainage system

Bay of Fundy

Cumberland Basin	Missaguash River
Chignecto Bay	Upper Salmon River
Passamaquoddy Bay	Magaguadavic River St. Croix River
Watershed of Saint John River	Aroostook River Becaguimec Stream Canaan River Hammond River Iroquois River Jemseg River Kennebecasis River Keswick River Little Iroquois River Madawaska River Meduxnekeag River Nashwaak River Nerepis River North Branch Meduxnekeag River Oromocto River River De Chute Saint Francis River Saint John River Tobique River Wolastoq
Shepody Bay (Watershed of Petitcodiac River )	Jonathan Creek Memramcook River Petitcodiac River Turtle Creek
Others	Big Salmon River Quiddy River

Gulf of
Saint Lawrence

Chaleur Bay ( Watershed of Restigouche River )	Belle Kedgwick River Gounamitz River Kedgwick River Little Main Restigouche River Little Southeast Upsalquitch River North Branch Gounamitz River Northwest Upsalquitch River Patapédia River Popelogan River Restigouche River South Branch Kedgwick River Southeast Upsalquitch River Upsalquitch River West Branch Gounamitz River
Miramichi Bay ( Watershed of Miramichi River)	Barnaby River Bartholomew River Bartibog River Cains River Dungarvon River Little Southwest Miramichi River Miramichi River Napan River North Pole Stream Northwest Miramichi River Oyster River Renous River Sevogle River Southwest Miramichi River Tuadook River
Northumberland Strait	Buctouche River Kouchibouguac River Kouchibouguacis River Molus River Richibucto River
Watershed of Saint Lawrence River	Rimouski River
Others	Black River Caraquet River Nepisiguit River Pokemouche River Rivière du Nord

Rivers of Nova Scotia by drainage system

Atlantic Ocean

Bedford Basin	Little Sackville River Sackville River
Eastern Shore	East River Sheet Harbour Framboise River Mira River Musquodoboit River St. Mary's River West River Sheet Harbour
South Shore	LaHave River Medway River Mersey River Petite Rivière Shelburne River

Bay of Fundy

Annapolis Basin	Annapolis River Bear River
Cobequid Bay	Salmon River Shubenacadie River Stewiacke River

Cumberland Basin

River Hebert Watershed	Halfway River Maccan River River Hebert
Others	Missaguash River

Gulf of Maine

St. Marys Bay	Sissiboo River
Others	Tusket River

Gulf of Saint Lawrence

Northumberland Strait	East River of Pictou Middle River of Pictou Pugwash River River John River Philip Tidnish River Wallace River
Others	Aspy River Baddeck River Chéticamp River Margaree River Sydney River

Minas Basin

Avon River Watershed	Avon River Halfway River Kennetcook River St. Croix River
Others	Canard River Cornwallis River Farrells River Gaspereau River

History

See also

Endnotes