lone, however, had the credit of
conceiving and of arousing others to carry out a brilliant exploit.

Victory inspires to further victory. The British, exultant after
Louisbourg, were resolved to make an end of French power in America.
"Delenda est Canada!" cried Governor Shirley to the General Court of
Massachusetts, and the response of the members was the voting of men and
money on a scale that involved the bankruptcy of the Commonwealth.
Other colonies, too, were eager for a cause which had won a success so
dazzling, and some eight thousand men were promised for an attack on
Canada, proud and valiant Massachusetts contributing nearly one-half of
the total number. The old plan was to be followed. New York was to lead
in an attack by way of Lake Champlain. New England was to collect its
forces at Louisbourg. Here a British fleet should come, carrying eight
battalions of British regulars, and, with Warren in command, the whole
armada should proceed to Quebec. Nothing came of this elaborate scheme.
Neither the promised troops nor the fleet arrived from England. British
ministers broke faith with the colonists in the adventure with quite too
light a heart.

Stories went abroad of disorder and dissension in Louisbourg under the
English and of the weakness of the place. Disease broke out. Hundreds
of New England soldiers died and their bones now lie in graves, unmarked
and forgotten, on the seashore by the deserted fortress; at almost any
time still their bones, washed down by the waves, may be picked up on
the beach. There were sullen mutterings of discontent at Louisbourg.
Soldiers grumbled over grievances which were sometimes fantastic.
Rumor had been persistent in creating a legend that vast wealth, the
accumulated plunder brought in by French privateers, was stored in
the town. From this source a rich reward in booty was expected by the
soldiers. In fact, when Louisbourg was taken, all looting was forbidden
and the soldiers were put on guard over houses which they had hoped to
rob. For the soldiers there were no prizes. Louisbourg was poor. The
sailors, on the other hand, were fortunate. As a decoy Warren kept the
French flag flying over the harbor, and French ships sailed in, one of
them with a vast treasure of gold and silver coin and ingots from Peru
valued at 600,000 pounds. One other prize was valued at 200,000 pounds
and a third at 140,000 pounds. Warren's own share of prize money
amounted to 60,000 pounds, whil