Heroes of the Acadian Resistance tells the unique and little-known story of the young men who led an Acadian resistance in 18th century Nova Scotia. They fought valiantly in a guerilla campaign against the British to save their homes and families from destruction and deportation.

Their battle was against a form of ethnic cleansing that saw British soldiers burn every remnant of the Acadian community -- homes, barns and churches. All Acadians who the soldiers were able to round up were forcibly deported.

The French government used missionary priests as government agents to generate resistance amongst Mi'kmaq and Acadian Catholics in an attempt to regain Nova Scotia from British domination. Their efforts were welcomed by some Acadians who had their own reasons for resisting British rule. The guerilla campaign which ensued was well underway before the deportation, and continued after the majority of Acadians had been captured and forcibly exiled.

Heroes of the Acadian Resistance tells the story of that resistance and two young Acadians who proved to be leaders in these battles -- Joseph Beausoleil Broussard and Pierre II Surette. Beausoleil, who like many fellow Acadians ended up in Louisiana, is remembered in the Cajun community as a great Acadian hero. Surette lived out his days in Yarmouth County in Nova Scotia, an area which is still home to many of Surette's descendants.

This book offers a fresh perspective on the tragic events of the Acadian expulsion from 18th century Nova Scotia.

DIANNE MARSHALL considers herself an amateur historian, but her two previous books have won her positive reviews from historians as well as award nominations. She was born, raised and educated in Halifax and worked as a senior civil servant in the Nova Scotia government. She is also the author of and Heroes of the Acadian Resistance, which was nominated for the 2012 Dartmouth Book Award. She appears regularly on CBC Radio's Information Morning telling true stories of Nova Scotia's past and is a frequent contributor to the Sunday Herald.

Dianne Marshall's profile page

"Marshall's well-assembled, clearly written account takes us through the early resistance, the first fall of Louisbourg, the disastrous French effort to retake it, the final Bristish push to quash an Acadian insurgency and the expulsion itself. This straightforward narrative style comes at a cost: I, for one, wanted Marshall to pause and ruminate on the morality of the insurgents and pass judgement in the way they often forced hapless Acadians to support them."

"...her description of the deportation itself is bracing and affecting, a sobering reminder that this was not an orderly queuing up to board ships...the execution was chaotic, harsh and often fatal."

Literary Review of Canada

"The 207-page book that tells the most complete version of the story (of the Acadian Expulsion) so far is Heroes of the Acadian Resistance by Dianne Marshall...The author writes well... It's to be hoped she will treat another historical subject in the same calm, clear way."

Charlottetown Guardian

"...in her new book, Halifax author Dianne Marshall explores a less-reported chapter of this 18th century British campaign against Nova Scotia's early French settlers....chronicles the struggles, strategies and significance of a small but persistent opposition movement battling a British empire."

Chronicle Herald