A Spectator

Authentic Account of the Reduction of Louisbourg in June and July 1758 A Spectator

The Siege of Louisbourg was a significant success in Britain's conquest of Canada from the French during the Seven Years War. This is a brief contemporary account of the dramatic siege, ordered by Britain's aggressively expansionist Prime Minister, William Pitt the Elder. An amphibious force was formed in Halifax to attack and reduce the French fortresss of Louisbourg on Novia Scotia. The military force was commanded by General Jeffrey Amhurst, while Admiral Edward Boscawen commanded the strong Fleet that accompanied the soldiers, one of whose commanders was the youthful James Wolfe who later achieved fame in the hour of his death by conquering Quebec. On the first day of the siege, June 8th, 1758, British troops succeeded in breaching the French defences, and French spirits were further lowered when their flagship L'Entreppenant was hit by a mortar, caught fire and blew up taking two other vessels with her. When the port's Governor Drucour offered to surrender at the end of July he was refused the honours of war by Amhurst, and the French retaliated by destroying their weapons rather than handing them over to the British. Upon receiving the French capitulation the British systematically destroyed the port, ensuring that it would never be fortified by the French again. This book gives a day by day account of the siege and should be read by all those interested in 18th century warfare and the building of British Canada.