Peregrine Thomas Hopson

Peregrine Thomas Hopson (5 June 1696 – 27 February 1759) was a British army officer who commanded the 40th Regiment of Foot and saw extensive service during the Eighteenth Century and rose to the rank of Major General. He also served as British commander in Louisbourg during the British occupation between 1746–1749, then became Governor of Nova Scotia and later led a major expedition to the West Indies during the Seven Years' War during which he died.

Hopson is perhaps best known for signing the Peace Treaty of 1752 with Mi'kmaq chief Jean-Baptiste Cope which is celebrated (along with other treaties) every year by Nova Scotians on Treaty Day.

Hopson was born on 5 June 1696, the second son of vice admiral Sir Thomas Hopsonn and Elizabeth Timbrell. He initially joined the Royal Marines in 1703, but later transferred to join the British Army. He rose his way up to Lieutenant Colonel by 1743, serving mainly in Gibraltar.

In April 1746 Hopson arrived in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia with a number of reinforcements intending to relieve the existing British garrison. The settlement had only been captured from the French a few months before. From 1747 until 1749 he served as commander of the town, until it was handed back as part of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. On 12 July 1749 he formally handed over the town to the returning French troops.

During Father Le Loutre's War, Hopson served as Governor of Nova Scotia (1752–1754) from the British capital of Halifax. While combating the Mi'kmaq and Acadian raids, he maintained relatively good relations with the French at Louisbourg and Quebec. He created a peace treaty with Jean-Baptiste Cope and sent the delegation that ended in the Attack at Isle Madame.

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