is
refusal to join, instructions which had been sent off from the British
Government, approving of the attack upon Louisbourg, as proposed by
Governor Shirley, and which Pepperell had gone to attack, without
waiting for Imperial approval, had reached Commodore Warren, and
without loss of time he proceeded direct to Canso, whither it was
reported the Colonial fleet had gone. His arrival was the cause of
great joy among the colonists. After a short consultation with General
Pepperell, the Commodore sailed to cruise before Louisbourg, and was
soon followed by the colonial fleet and army, which, on the 30th April,
arrived in Cap Rouge Bay. It was not until then that the French were
aware that an attack upon them was meditated. Every attempt was made to
oppose the landing. They sent detachments to the landing places. But
General Pepperell deceived them. He made a feint of landing at one
point, and actually landed at another. The story reminds us of
Sebastopol. Next morning 400 of the English marched round behind the
hills, to the north west of the harbour, setting fire to all the houses
and stores, till they came within a mile of the Royal Battery. The
conflagration of the stores, in which was a considerable quantity of
tar, while it concealed the English troops, increased the alarm of the
French so greatly, that they precipitately abandoned the Royal battery.
Upon their flight, the English troops took possession of it, and by
means of a well directed fire from it, seriously damaged the town. The
main body of the army now commenced the siege. For fourteen nights they
were occupied in drawing cannon towards the town, over a morass, in
which oxen and horses could not be used. The toil was incredible, but
men accustomed to draw the pines of the forests, for masts, could
accomplish anything. By the 20th of May, several fascine batteries had
been erected, one of which mounted five forty-pounders. These
batteries, on being opened, did immense execution. While the siege was
being proceeded with, Commodore Warren captured the French ship of war
"Vigilant," of 74 guns, with her 560 men, and a great quantity of
military stores. This capture was of very great consequence, as it not
only increased the English force and added to their military supplies,
but seriously lessened the strength of the enemy. Shortly after this
important capture, the English fleet was considerably augmented by the
arrival of several men of war. A combined attack