Gagetown (2006 population: 719) is a Canadian village in Queens County, New Brunswick. It is situated on the west bank of the Saint John River and is the county's shire town.
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Gagetown was originally named Grimrose by the Acadians and Maliseet, who lived here prior to the Expulsion of the Acadians. The Raid on Grimrose occurred during the St. John River Campaign (1758–59). During the Expulsion of the Acadians many of them had fled from various parts of the Maritimes to villages along the St. John River. The St. John River Campaign occurred during the French and Indian War when Colonel Robert Monckton led a force of 1150 British soldiers to destroy the Acadian settlements on the banks of the St. John River until they reached the largest village of Ste Anne’s Point (present day Fredericton, New Brunswick) in February 1759.[1] There were 2000 Acadians on the St. John River, many of whom were refugees trying to escape the Expulsion of the Acadians.[2]
On November 4, 1778, British Officer, Monckton entered the nearly vacant village and the Rangers chased down and scalped Acadians.[3] They burned 50 buildings, crops and killed the animals.[4]
The name of the village is derived from British General Sir Thomas Gage. Major General Thomas Gage was granted a large tract of land in central New Brunswick in appreciation of his service to the British Empire in the Seven Years' War; this land comprises modern day Gagetown.
It is a historic Loyalist community that served as a stop for river boats during the 1800s and early 1900s.
The village is the birthplace of Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, a Father of Confederation.
The nearby army training centre, CFB Gagetown, takes its name from the village, although its headquarters are in Oromocto. Despite sharing the name, the village of Gagetown has no direct access to the base and its massive training area.
The Gagetown Ferry, a free cable ferry, crosses the Saint John River to Lower Jemseg on the east bank.