458 



BRETON. 



Breton, been estimated at one million sterling. Besides the 

 ^~ IT ' great export offish to Europe, part was sent to the 

 French West India islands ; in return for which they 

 received sugar; coffee, rum, and molasses. As the 

 islanders could not consume all these commodities, 

 they were allowed to export what they did not need 

 to Canada ; and they received in exchange wood, 

 brick, cattle, vegetables, and various kinds of fruit. 



As it was evident that the possession of Cape Bre- 

 ton must at all times, but particularly in a war with 

 France, be a most valuable acquisition to Great Bri- 

 tain, a plan was laid, and successfully executed, for 

 wresting it out of the hands of the French in 1745. 

 The scheme was planned in Boston, recommended by 

 their general assembly, and approved of by his majes- 

 ty. In New England a body of 6000 troops was 

 formed, under the conduct of a Mr Pepperel, a mer- 

 chant of extensive influence in that country, who, 

 though unacquainted with military affairs, had taken 

 an active part in proposing and planning the enter- 

 prise. While the French garrison at Lomsbourg 

 was known to be extremely disaffected to the colony, 

 and to have been for six months almost in open re- 

 bellion against its officers, commodore Warren arri- 

 ved at Causo with ten ships of war, embarked the 

 troops of New England in transports, and landed 

 them in Cape Breton without opposition. The ene- 

 my abandoned their giand battery, which was de- 

 tached from the town, and the immediate seizure of it 

 contributed greatly to the success of the plan. While 

 the 6000 American troops, reinforced by 800 British 

 marines, carried on their approaches by land, the Bri- 

 tish squadron, under the command of that able offi- 

 cer, blocked up the place by sea, so that no succours 

 could be introduced. The town being considerably 

 damaged by the shot of the besiegers, and the garri- 

 son despairing of relief, the governor capitulated on 

 the 17th day of June, and the whole island soon sha- 

 red the fate of Louibbourg, its only bulwark. A few 

 days after its surrender, two French East India ships, 

 and another from Peru, richly laden with treasure, 

 sailed into the harbour, on the supposition that it 

 jtill belonged to France, and became prices to the 

 British squadron. 



This valuable possession was restored to France by 

 the treaty of Aixla-chapelle, in 1748, and was at- 

 tacked a second time by the British in 1758. About 

 12,000 men were destined again to undertake the 

 siege of Fort Louisbourg. General Amherst being 

 ioined by admiral Boscawen with the fleet and forces 

 from England, the armament sailed from Halifax on 

 the 28th of May, and on the 2d of June part of the 

 transports anchored in Gabarus Bay, a few miles to 

 the westward of Louisbourg. The garrison of that 

 town, commanded by chevalier Drucour, consisted of 

 nearly 3000 men. The harbour was guarded by six 

 ships of the line and two frigates; three ships were 

 sunk across its mouth, in order to render it inaccessi- 

 ble to the English navy ; but the fortifications were 

 in bad repair, and no part of the town was secure 

 from the effects of bombardment. The governor had 

 taken every possible precaution to prevent a landing, 

 by establishing a chaiu ot posts for Sv.me leagues 

 along the most accessible parts of the beach, by 

 forming entrenchments, and erecting batteries ; but 



some intermediate places could not be fully guarded, Ens 

 of which the British commander resolved to avail 

 himself. 



The troops destined to make the attack, under the 

 command of the immortal Wolfe, having been driven 

 from their first landing point by a masked battery, 

 which the French opened upon them with a most de- 

 structive fire, he espied a rock at no great distance, 

 which had always been deemed inaccessible. Thither 

 he directed major Scott to repair, and if possible gain 

 possession of it, while he himself was employed in re- 

 embarkiug his troops. That officer instantly carried 

 his men to the spot ; but his own boat sinking at the 

 very moment that he was stepping out, he boldly 

 climbed the ivck alone. With the utmost danger 

 and difficulty he reached the summit, and was follow- 

 ed by t>.-n ot his men. He was instantly attacked by 

 .sixty Frenchmen and ten Indians, and saw two of his 

 men killed, and three mortally wounded. With the 

 remaining five he gallantly maintained his ground un- 

 der cover of a thicket, till his brave companions, re- 

 gardless of danger, came up to his relief, and put 

 him in possession of that important post. As soon 

 as it was gained, the other troops leaped into the wa- 

 ter with the utmost alacrity, and reaching the shore, 

 attacked the enemy with such impetuosity in all 

 quarters, that they soon abandoned their artillery, 

 and fled in the utmost confusion. The British stores 

 and artillery were then landed, and the town of 

 Louisbourg was formally invested. 



The governor prepared for making a vigorous de- 

 fence : he maintained a very severe lire against the 

 besiegers from the town and harbour, and made se- 

 veral sallies ; but all these were of little avuil against 

 the regular approaches to the town, conducted by 

 the engineers under the inspection of general Am- 

 herst, and the destructive batteries raised by detach- 

 ed corps under brigadier-general Wolfe. In the pro- 

 secution of the siege, the admiral and general co-oper- 

 ated with the greatest harmony. In a short time, 

 the ships in the harbour were all taken or destroyed ; 

 several breaches were made in the fortifications; forty 

 pieces of cannon were dismounted, or otherwise ren- 

 dered unserviceable ; and there being no probability 

 of holding out mrch longer, the governor, in conse- 

 qu nee of a petition from the inhabitants, surrender- 

 ed himself and the garrison prisoners of war. Thus, 

 after having four hundred men killed and wounded, 

 the British obtained possession of the whole of this 

 important island ; and found, in the strong town of 

 Louisbourg, two hundred and twenty-one pieces of 

 cannun, eighteen mortars, and a considerable quantity 

 of stores and ammunition. The loss was the more se- 

 verely felt by France, as it was attended with the de- 

 struction of several ships and frigates. This posses- 

 sion was confirmed to Great Britain by the peace in 

 1763; but sj'ice that lime, the fortifications of Louis- 

 bourg have been destroyed. 



This island is of great value to Britain, as it com- 

 mands the Gulf of St Lawrence, and may be consi- 

 dered as the key of Canada. It secures 10 her the 

 exclusive possession of the very valuable fisheries on 

 its toasts. It possesses abundance of iron ..f w.i:ch 

 it does not appear that the inhab.tants have yet .trail- 

 ed themselves. Its extensive coal mines may be 



