48 SIE ADAMS ARCHIBALD ON 



was fiuished as rapidly as possible, laden with supplies and despatched to Louisbourg. 

 But all this caused delay, and she did not reach the coast of Isle Royale till May 18th, 

 a little over a fortnight after the arrival of the besieging force. The captain of the 

 " Vigilante," the Marquis de Maison Forte, on approaching the coast, descried the " Mer- 

 maid," one of Warren's small ships of war, and immediately gave chase. The " Mermaid" 

 hoisted all sail and ran for Louisbourg. All of a sudden the Marquis found himself in the 

 middle of Warren's fleet. An action took place in sight of Louisbourg; and though 

 Duchambon himself witnessed the battle, he had no idea how deeply he was interested 

 in it. In a short time the "Vigilante" surrendered, the crew of 650 men becoming 

 prisoners of war. The supplies she carried were of great use to the besiegers. The 

 " Vigilante " herself was repaired, and manned by a British crew, thus adding a powerful 

 ship to the strength of the British fleet. 



The time had at last arrived for bringing the fleet on the scene. Preparatory to that 

 Duchambon must learn the hopelessness of his condition. It was reported in the English 

 camp that the French and their savage allies had treated the British prisoners with great 

 cruelty. De Maison Forte was spoken to on the subject. He was asked to visit the différent 

 ships in which his captive officers and crew were distributed, and see how the prisoners 

 were treated by the English. Finding everything to his satisfaction, he was asked to 

 write to Duchambon, remonstrating against the cruelties alleged to be committed on the 

 French side. He wrote accordingly, and his note was sent under flag of truce. This gave 

 Duchambon the first intimation he had of the loss of the " Vigilante." Though he, himself, 

 had witnessed the hard battle which had ended in the surrender of a ship, as yet it had 

 never occurred to him that the ship was the one that contained his supplies. So the 

 letter fell on Duchambon and his officers like a bomb-shell. 



While the governor and his subordinates were labouring under the depression caused 

 by this intelligence, the besiegers were making preparations for a general assault. This 

 was to be made on June 11th, the anniversary of King George's accession. The grand 

 battery and all the new batteries on the hill side near the west gate, were to open a 

 general cannonade on the fort. The lighthouse battery was to play on the island below, 

 and during the cannonade, the ships of war, at a given signal, were to enter the harbour 

 and join in the grand assault. 



Duchambon saw that the crisis was at hand. A day or two before, he had, according 

 to his own account, received a petition, signed by 1,000 inhabitants, imploring him to 

 spare further bloodshed, by offering a capitulation. He had then held a council of war, 

 who recommended the same course. He then sent a flag of truce to the general and 

 commodore. On their first arrival, they had summoned him to surrender. He had 

 replied proudly, that he would send his answer by the mouth of his guns. But things had 

 changed since then. It was now his place to drop lofty airs and to ask for terms. The 

 conditions were sent. He was obliged to comply, and on June 16th, the fort surrendered. 

 Thus, in the course of less than seven weeks from the time when first the ships were 

 seen from the battlements of Louisbourg, that stronghold was in the possession of the 

 invaders. 



In the preceding autumn, the Marquis de Beauharnois, the governor-general of 

 Canada, having reason to believe that the provinces would take some steps to avenge the 

 capture of Canso, and the raids on Annapolis, had sent a letter to Duchambon, offering 



