The Society of Colonial Wars

in The British Isles

EVENTS - Historical Background to the Capture of the French Fortress town of Louisbourg on the 17th June 1745

The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, which settled the War of the Spanish Succession (known in America as Queen Anne's War) resulted in France retaining the island wilderness of Cape Breton.

Their other land at Nova Scotia (formerly Acadia) and Newfoundland were surrendered to the English.

The French, desiring to protect the remnants of French Canada, selected a strategic site at Louisbourg on the rocky coast of Cape Breton, and in 1720 began to build a Fortress. Over the next few years this became a massive fortress that included a French garrison town and a fishing village.

Louisbourg as developed commands the approaches of the St. Lawrence River, gateway to French Canada. It is also adjacent to the important sea-lanes and the rich fishing banks to the south, which have always been of such value to New England.

In 1744, England and France were again at war; this time in the War of the Austrian Succession (known in America as King George's War). Word of the war reached Louisbourg before Boston, and the French saw an opportunity for a surprise attack.

French troops, numbering 600, captured 60 English fishermen at the fishing village of Canso 50 miles to the southwest and burned the place to the ground. Thus emboldened, they headed for Annapolis Royal, the major Nova Scotia settlement, and in August began their siege.

Two ships carrying supplies and reinforcements were daily expected from Louisbourg, but help from Boston appeared first and the French withdrew to Louisbourg in late September 1744.

The major result of this aborted attack was to arouse the incensed New Englanders to think the impossible - the capture of Louisbourg, a massive fortress constructed over a 25-year period by King Louis XV.

William Shirley, Royal Governor of Massachusetts, was an enthusiast for a surprise counter-attack. He consulted the General Court in an unprecedented secret session, but was rebuffed. In the next few weeks, however, two other factors would come into play.

1. Boston merchants presented a petition in support of the attack; and



2. The Canso fishermen, who had been captured by the French, taken to Louisbourg and released, arrived in Boston. They reported that the French had near mutinous troops and scanty provisions at the fortress.

Governor Shirley was now able to convince the General Court to reverse its decision, but only by a single vote.

Many at the time felt that raw militia in the open field would be no match for veteran troops behind massive fortifications. But the decision had been made and preparations were vigorously begun.

Governor Shirley chose for Commander William Pepperrell of Kittery, with rank as Lieutenant General.

On March 24, 1745, Pepperrell set sail for Cape Breton with about 4,300 men on board about 13 vessels. Commodore Peter Warren of the British Navy was able to rendezvous with Pepperrell at Canso with three ships after receiving orders from the Admiralty to protect Nova Scotia and the fisheries.

Now that a port blockade could be established, prospects of success were improved substantially. Arriving at Canso, the New Englanders learned that the harbor and bay at Louisbourg were so ice-bound as to make landing impossible.

For 3 weeks they waited and did exercise drills. On April 29,1745 they sailed from Canso, but a lack of wind delayed their arrival at Louisbourg until the next morning.

Pepperrell sent his boats in a feint towards Flat Point, then, by signal from his flagship, directed a landing 2 miles west at Fresh Water Cove.

One hundred advance troops were thus able to land and take cover before the eighty French defenders could run over from Flat Point.

When the French did appear, there was a brief skirmish. This resulted in the French retreating to the fortress, leaving 6 of their number dead and 6 captured.

Pepperrell had gained a foothold at a cost of only 2 wounded. By nightfall over 2,000 men had landed, and the remaining 2,000 landed the next day. They were less than four miles from Louisbourg.

On May 2, 1745 a party of 13 men skirted west of Louisbourg and located the Royal Battery (also known as the Grand Battery), one-mile to the north and across the harbour from the fortress. Any ship entering Louisbourg harbour did so from the east and had to contend with two defensive batteries.

At the entrance of the harbor was a passage about a half a mile wide. On the south side of this passage was Battery Island. Facing the harbor entrance was the Royal Battery. It was this last battery that the New Englanders had located.

Nearby they also found extensive naval stores, which they torched. The burning pitch and tar raised a dense black smoke, which blew over the Royal Battery. The 13 men decided that perhaps they should withdraw, fearing a French attack.

As they withdrew the next morning, it was noticed that the Royal Battery flew no flag and had no smoke coming from its chimneys. They soon discovered that it bad been abandoned!

Word was quickly sent to Pepperrell for reinforcements and a flag to replace the red coat, which had been run up the flagpole. A French attempt to retake the battery was held off by the 13 new defenders until reinforcements arrived.

The New Englanders' task was now to place several batteries around the fortress and begin the siege. In addition to the Royal Battery, they planned 5 batteries :-

1. About one mile west of the fortress;
2. A spot 600-700 yards closer to the fortress, within range of the Citadel;
3. A hillock 440 yards from the west gate;
4. A spot only 250 yards from the west gate;
5. To the northwest of the town.

The tactical problem in building these batteries was the transport of the cannon to these points over the vast marshland that covered the area.

Sledges of timber, each 16 feet X 5 feet, and holding one cannon, were designed. Each was dragged over the marsh by a team of 200-300 men, harnessed and wading in the mire up to the knees. Horses or oxen could not be used, as they would simply founder in the marsh.

The work had to be done under cover of night or fog as they were within easy range of cannon from the fortress. Within 4 days the men, in tatters and many barefooted, working under almost incredible hardships, had completed the first battery. The second battery was placed in another week.

On May 7, the French rejected a call for surrender, still feeling that their fortifications were impenetrable.

By May 20, 1745, all five batteries were in place. During this time, the French appeared but once from behind the fortress walls to challenge their besiegers.

Once each battery was in place, Commodore Warren loaned experienced gunners to train the willing militiamen and the siege was underway.

On May 26, an ill-fated attack on the island battery was launched. A militia force of 300 men with untested leadership was no match for the heavily fortified island, defended by 180 Frenchmen and 30 cannon. Nearly half the New England forces were killed, drowned, or captured. This was the only French success.

The New Englanders were now more determined than ever to capture or silence Battery Island. Cannon and mortars were set up at Lighthouse Point, directly across the mouth of Louisbourg Harbor, and the destruction of Battery Island began. While the French watched Battery Island become more and more crippled, they received word of the capture of the French ship "Vigilant" of 64 guns and 540 men.

The "Vigilant" had been carrying munitions and stores for Louisbourg. It was now to be used against the French. In desperation, the French sortied to harass the besiegers, but nearly always without success.

By June 15, Pepperrell and Warren were confidant that Battery Island and the town batteries were so crippled that a joint attack by land and water could succeed.

The French commander, seeing the preparations for the attack, asked for a cease-fire to allow him to draw up proposals for capitulation. Pepperrell and Warren gave him until 8 o'clock the next morning to make his proposal.

On June 16, the French surrendered, and on the following day, June 17, 1744, the fortress was turned over to Pepperrell and Warren.

The siege of Louisbourg by New England militiamen had ended in complete and astonishing success. Pepperrell was made a Baronet and Warren promoted to Admiral. The New England colonies were reimbursed over 235,000 pounds sterling for the costs of the expedition.

Louisbourg was now British. It remained so until King George's War (The War of Austrian Succession) ended in 1748. By the Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle, the British government returned Louisbourg to the French in exchange for Madras, in South-Eastern India.

In 1756, England and France were again at war. The Seven Years War (or as it was known in America, The French and Indian War) reopened the struggle for control of Louisbourg.

Major General Jeffery Amherst and Brigadier General James again put Louisbourg under siege, this time with 11, 000 British regulars, and it fell to the British on July 26, 1758.

In February 1760 George II ordered the fortifications to be demolished. By October 17, the job was done, and all that remained was a rubble strewn, windswept wilderness.

Louisbourg had been founded, settled, fortified, besieged, captured, returned, retaken, and destroyed, all within the span of 45 years!

Interest in Louisbourg as a Historical Site was rekindled after this SCW's New York State Society arranged for an Obelisk to be planted there on the Royal Battery. This resulted in Louisbourg being rebuilt as a historical site.

Louisbourg was rebuilt by the Canadians in the 1960's from the original Louis XV plans. The fortress, landing points, battlegrounds and battery emplacements for both the 1745 and 1758 sieges have been reconstructed.