the conquest of new france-第13章

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with　provincial　docility；　they　had　almost　come　to　accept　the

estimate。　It　was　well　enough　for　them　to　fight　irregular　French

and　Indian　bands；　but　to　attack　a　fortress　defended　by　a　French

garrison　was　something　that　only　a　few　bold　spirits　among　them

could　imagine。　Such　a　spirit；　however；　was　William　Vaughan；　a

Maine　trader；　deeply　involved　in　the　fishing　industry　and

confronted　with　ruin　from　hostile　Louisbourg。　Shirley；　the

Governor　of　Massachusetts；　a　man　of　eager　ambition；　took　up　the

proposal　and　worked　out　an　elaborate　plan。　The　prisoners　who　had

been　captured　at　Canseau　by　the　French　and　interned　at　Louisbourg

now　arrived　at　Boston　and　told　of　bad　conditions　in　the　fortress。

In　January；　1745；　Shirley　called　a　session　of　the　General　Court；

the　little　parliament　of　Massachusetts；　and；　having　taken　the

unusual　step　of　pledging　the　members　to　secrecy；　he　unfolded　his

plan。　But　it　proved　too　bold　for　the　prudent　legislators；　and

they　voted　it　down。　Meanwhile　New　England　trade　was　suffering

from　ships　which　used　Louisbourg　as　a　base。　At　length　public

opinion　was　aroused　and；　when　Shirley　again　called　the　General

Court；　a　bare　majority　endorsed　his　plan。　Soon　thereafter　New

England　was　aflame。　Appeals　for　help　were　sent　to　England　and；　it

is　said；　even　to　Jamaica。　Shirley　counted　on　aid　from　a　British

squadron；　under　Commodore　Peter　Warren；　in　American　waters；　but

at　first　Warren　had　no　instructions　to　help　such　a　plan。　This

disappointment　did　not　keep　New　England　from　going　on　alone。　In

the　end　Warren　received　instructions　to　give　the　necessary

substantial　aid；　and　he　established　a　strict　blockade　which

played　a　vital　part　in　the　siege　of　the　French　fortress。



In　this　hour　of　deadly　peril　Louisbourg　was　in　not　quite　happy

case。　Some　of　the　French　officers；　who；　would　otherwise　have

starved　on　their　low　pay；　were　taking　part　in　illicit　trade　and

were　neglecting　their　duties。　Just　after　Christmas　in　1744；　there

had　been　a　mutiny　over　a　petty　question　of　butter　and　bacon。

Here；　as　in　all　French　colonies；　there　were　cliques；　with　the

suspicions　and　bitterness　which　they　involve。　The　Governor

Duchambon；　though　brave　enough；　was　a　man　of　poor　judgment　in　a

position　that　required　both　tact　and　talent。　The　English　did　not

make　the　mistake　of　delaying　their　preparations。　They　were　indeed

so　prompt　that　they　arrived　at　Canseau　early　in　April　and　had　to

wait　for　the　ice　to　break　up　in　Gabarus　Bay；　near　Louisbourg；

where　they　intended　to　land。　Here；　on　April　30；　the　great　fleet

appeared。　A　watcher　in　Louisbourg　counted　ninety…six　ships

standing　off　shore。　With　little　opposition　from　the　French　the

amazing　army　landed　at　Freshwater　Cove。

　

Then　began　an　astonishing　siege。　The　commander　of　the　New　England

forces；　William　Pepperrell；　was　a　Maine　trader；　who　dealt　in　a

little　of　everything；　fish；　groceries；　lumber；　ships；　land。

Though　innocent　of　military　science；　he　was　firm　and　tactful。　A

British　officer　with　strict　military　ideas　could　not；　perhaps；

have　led　that　strange　army　with　success。　Pepperrell　knew　that　he

had　good　fighting　material；　he　knew；　too；　how　to　handle　it。　In

his　army　of　some　four　thousand　men　there　was　probably　not　one

officer　with　a　regular　training。　Few　of　his　force　had　proper

equipment；　but　nearly　all　his　men　were　handy　on　a　ship　as　well　as

on　land。　In　Louisbourg　were　about　two　thousand　defenders；　of　whom

only　five　or　six　hundred　were　French　regulars。　These　professional

soldiers　watched　with　contempt　not　untouched　with　apprehension

the　breaches　of　military　precedent　in　the　operations　of　the

besiegers。　Men　harnessed　like　horses　dragged　guns　through

morasses　into　position；　exposed　themselves　recklessly；　and　showed

the　skill；　initiative；　and　resolution　which　we　have　now　come　to

consider　the　dominant　qualities　of　the　Yankee。　In　time　Warren

arrived　with　a　British　squadron　and　then　the　French　were　puzzled

anew。　They　could　not　understand　the　relations　between　the　fleet

and　the　army；　which　seemed　to　them　to　belong　to　different

nations。　The　New　Englanders　appeared　to　be　under　a　Governor　who

was　something　like　an　independent　monarch。　He　had　drawn　up

elaborate　plans　for　his　army；　comical　in　their　apparent　disregard

of　the　realities　of　war；　naming　the　hour　when　the　force　should

land　〃unobserved〃　before　Louisbourg；　instructing　Pepperrell　to

surprise　that　place　while　every　one　was　asleep；　and　so　on。　Kindly

Providence　was　expected　even　to　give　continuous　good　weather。

〃The　English　appear　to　have　enlisted　Heaven　in　their　interests；〃

said　a　despairing　resident　of　the　town；　〃so　long　as　the

expedition　lasted　they　had　the　most　beautiful　weather　in　the

world。〃　There　were　no　storms；　the　winds　were　favorable；　fog；　so

common　on　that　coast；　did　not　creep　in；　and　the　sky　was　clear。



Among　the　French　the　opinion　prevailed　that　the　English　colonists

were　ferocious　pirates　plotting　eternally　to　destroy　the　power　of

France。　Their　liberty；　however；　it　was　well　understood；　had　made

them　strong；　and　now　they　quickly　became　formidable　soldiers。

Their　shooting；　bad　at　first；　was；　in　the　end；　superb。　Sometimes

in　their　excess　of　zeal　they　overcharged　their　cannon　so　that　the

guns　burst。　But　they　managed　to　hit　practically　every　house　in

Louisbourg；　and　since　most　of　the　houses　were　of　wood　there　was

constant　danger　of　fire。　Some　of　the　French　fought　well。　Even

children　of　ten　and　twelve　helped　to　carry　ammunition。



The　Governor　Duchambon　tried　to　keep　up　the　spirits　of　the

garrison　by　absurd　exaggeration　of　British　losses。　He　was　relying

much　on　help　from　France；　but　only　a　single　ship　reached　port。　On

May　19；　1745；　the　besieged　saw　approaching　Louisbourg　a　great

French　ship　of　war；　the　Vigilant；　long　looked　for；　carrying　64

guns　and　560　men。　A　northwest　wind　was　blowing　which　would　have

brought　her　quickly　into　the　harbor。　The　British　fleet　was　two

and　a　half　leagues　away　to　leeward。　The　great　ship；　thinking

herself　secure；　did　not　even　stop　to　communicate　with　Louisbourg

but　wantonly　gave　chase　to　a　small　British　privateer　which　she

encountered　near　the　shore。　By　skillful　maneuvering　the　smaller

ship　led　the　French　frigate　out　to　sea　again；　and　then　the

British　squadron　came　up。　From　five　o'clock　to　ten　in　the　evening

anxious　men　in　Louisbourg　watched　the　fight　and　saw　at　last　the

Vigilant　surrender　after　losing　eighty　men。　This　disaster　broke

the　spirit　of　the　defenders；　who　were　already　short　of

ammunition。　When　they　knew　that　the　British　were　preparing　for　a

combined　assault　by　land　and　sea；　they　made　terms　and　surrendered

on　the　17th　of　June；　after　the　siege　had　lasted　for　seven　weeks。

The　garrison　marched　out　with　the　honors　of　war；　to　be

transported　to　France；　together　with　such　of　the　civilian

population　as　wished　to　go。



The　British　squadron　then　sailed　into　the　harbor。　Pepperrell's

strange　army；　ragged　and　war…worn　after　the　long　siege；　entered

the　town　by　the　south　gate。　They　had　fought　as　crusaders；　for　to

many　of　them　Catholic　Louisbourg　was　a　stronghold　of　Satan。

Whitfield；　the　great　English　evangelist；　then　in　New　England；　had

given　them　a　mottoNil　desperandum　Christo　duce。　There　is　a

story　that　one　of　the　English　chaplains；　old　Parson　Moody；　a　man

of　about　seventy；　had　brought　with　him　from　Boston　an　axe　and　was

soon　found　using　it　to　hew　down　the　altar　and　images　in　the

church　at　Louisbourg。　If　the　story　is　true；　it　does　something　to

explain　the　belief　of　the　French　in　the　savagery　of　their

opponents　who　would　so　treat　things　which　their　enemies　held　to

be　most　sacred。　The　French　had　met　this　fanaticism　with　a

savagery　equally　intense　and　directed　not　against　things　but

against　the　flesh　of　men。　An　inhabitant　of　Louisbourg　during　the

siege　describes　the　dauntless　bravery　of　the　Indian　allies　of　the

French　during　the　siege：　〃Full　of　hatred　for　the　English　whose

ferocity　they　abhor；　they　destroy　all　upon　whom　they　can　lay

hands。〃　He　does　not　have　even　a　word