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''ii- 1 'h ■ lills^ ■^fsSSi •*«*', f*?* JfM'3«te';*"; The following is a reprint of a part of a publication by Lee and Shepard, of Boston, in i«47, of which my uncle, Rev. L,. D. Johnson, was the author. It is reprinted now for tlie use of the descendants of James Gibson, of whom there are four families living in Washington. Our grand- mother Thomazine Elanchard Johnson, was a grand- daughter of James Gibson. Ju.stin Winsor's Memorial History of Boston mentions him twice in connection with the siege of Louisburg, and gives him credit for promoting the adventure. Drake's History of the siege, printed in 1890, makes honorable mention of him as a tme soldier, and speaks of his Journal, a copy of which is in possession of the American Historical Association. JAMKS BOWEN JOHNSON, Howard University, Washington D. C. Feb., 1894. 1 % '^ ■ .■'*■■ — ■ • . ■ •• ^ ' ^ ^ /- ' * 1 • ' : i 1 1 J "t * lj_ •• c Koe'i on and (Ircat itn Shirley, ckct, throfi the iMCMicli ug province town, was ;r of vessels" ■ar. ' llicir (lan- ?;^rhapsall n the con- e Hreton. 1 of Anap- ;; prisoners, ken in the igth of the Massachu- bcfore any as eneour- id fisheries tn-.de must ind:-; of the n early in ler oath ol ion. This IvOiiisburg, nuniljer of .\st deacon, lition, that otions, I)}- that the ad- sou's cslate. .4se oil Bcac- l, and a sil- praying for its snccess. The lioldness of llie proposal astonished every one. It was referred to a connnitlee, who reported against it. This report, after some debate, was accepted hy a considcrahlc in i- jority, and it was snpp:)s?d that the snhject was pnt to rest. The Governor, however, wis not tlnis to he defeated ; he was a man of jierseverance as well ;is decision. James (ii!)>'.i)n he knew to he a man of we'ghty character as well as weighty purse. "After a few days,".say.s Mr. Hibson, "I .saw the Governor walk- ing slowly down King vStreet, with his head bent down, as if in deep stndy. He entered my connting roo.n, and abruptly said, '(libson, do yon feel like giving uj) the expedition to I.onisbnrg?' 'I wish the vote miglit be reconsidered,' was my rejily ; 'I'or unless the colonic:) make a bold strike, we may all suffer the same fate of Can.so and Anai)olis.' " 'Vou are tlie very man I need,' said the C'.overnor, springing from his chair. 'I have been thinking, if a petition were drawn up and "gned by the merchants of Ho.st.on, asking a reconsideration of the whole matter, tjie result would be successful.' " before he left, .Sir William had t)ie jileasure of seeing the petition drawn up and .signed by one bold man, and before night it was ready tor presentation. The next day it was road in the General Court, and another com mittee voted a reconsider ition. This report was argued two whole days; during which time, its advocates presented the prospect of success, and the advantages Massachu.setts would receive from it, the importance of immediate action, and the certainty that they would be amjily remunerated by Parliament, when it was known to his Majesty what proof of loyalty his American subjects had given. On the other .side, it was argued with nmch greater plausibility, that the scheme was chimerical, that inexperienced militia could never reduce so impregnable a fortress, that by reason of fogs and ice the island could not be approached at that season of the year, that ihey .should incur the di.spleasure of Parliament by such a ra.sh un- dertaking, that the ])rovince was exhau.sted by previous campaigns, and if this were unsuccessful, it would prove its utter ruin. The ques- tion was taken on the 26th of January, and the expedition was voted by a majority of a single vote; several members who were known to be opposed being absent. No sooner, however, was this done than a degree of unanimity upon the .subject generally prevailed; and those who had previously opposed it, like tme patriots, came 1 forwnnt, and j;avc tlicir ai with snow and ice. Its entire i)()pu!ation, at the present time, does not exceed 30,000, most of whom are engaged in the fisheries, and in the coal and lumber trades. Louisburg has frequently been called the "Dunkirk of America." For a description of it, I use the words of Dr. Hclknan. "It was two miles and a half in circumference, fortified in every accessible point, with a rami)arl of stone, from thirty to thirty -.six feet high, and a ditch eighty feet wide. A space of two hundred yards was left with- out a rami)art, on the side next the sea, and enclosed by a simjde dike ar.d pickets. The vas so narrow at this place, that it made only a narrow channel, inaccessible, from its immerous reefs, to any shipping whatever. On an island, at the entrance of the harbor wliich was only four hundred yards wide, was a battery of thirty camion; and at the bottom of the harbor, directly oppo.site to the entrance, was the ground, or royal battery, of twenty-eight, forty-two, and eighteen pound cannon. On a high clift", opposite the i.sland battery, stood the light-hou.se: and at the northeast part of the harbor was a magazine for naval stores. "The town was regularly laid out in .squares. The streets were broad, and the houses mostly built of wood and stone. The entrance to the town was at the west gate, over a draw-bridge, which was protected by a circular battery of cannon. "These works had been twenty five years in building, and, though k Never were i of success, were iiiiine- estinji; their the tieces- siiKill ilect A'eyiiig the the Hritish iiated, cou- ia. It is of Its western :: while its )rs, safe for ! portion of ed up with e, does not ries, and in America." 'It was two sible point, ligh, and a IS left with- )y a sinij)le « ce, that it erous reefs, mcc of the I battery of ly opposite enty-eight, fl", opposite least part of Greets were lie entrance which was md, though . ; not tiiiished, had cost I'rancc not less tlian thirty niillio: ""^ llvrcs. It was in peace a safe retreat for the I'rench shij)s hound homcwant from the i'.ast and West Indies' and in war, a source of distress to the northern I'jiglish colonies, its siluation being extremely favor able for privateers to seize their fishing vessels, and interrupt their coasting and foreign trade, for which reasons, the reduction of it is said to have been as desirable an object as that of Carthage ever was to the Uomans. " vSuch was the place that the people of New ICugland proposed to take by surprise in 1745. It was, perhaps, as impregnable as na- ture and art could make it, and was probably considered as safe by France then, as (iibraltar is by the l^nglish at the present day. Its reduction was .suggested and accomjdished by a train of circumstan- ces as remarkable as the event was glorious. It was very jiroperly said by a writer of the day, that "if, in this expedition, any one circum.statice had taken a wrong turn on the I'reiich side, it uuist have miscarried." In all this preparation, James Gibson was not an idle spectator Seeing the diiViculty of raising volunteers from the poor and hard- workingmen of the colony, he al.so became a volunteer. Already possessing the commission of cajjtain of the royal army, he actually hired a company of three hundred men, whose wages he paid regularly from his own property. Thus four thousand men were raised in the several colonies. The time was appointed for the fleet to sail. The greatest difliculty to be surmonted was the appointment of a commander in -chief. This was attended with some diff'culty, as they were raw .soldiers, tnken from all the New England provinces, and feeling in some degree a jealousy of each other. The choice at length fell upon William Pepperell, of Kittery, than a colonel of the militia, and a merchant of good reputation, known extensively both in Massachusetts and New Hamp.shire. Before accepting the appointment, Pepperell consulted the famous George Whitfield, who was then travelling through New Kugland, upon its expediency. Whitfield told him he did not think the situa- tion very promising ; that the eyes of all would' be upon him ; that, if it should not succeed, the widows and orphans of the .slain would reproach him ; and if it .should succeed, many would regard him with envy, and endeavor to eclipse his glory — that he ought there- fore to go, with a single eye, and then he would find his strength i'*, 8 proportioned to his iiccessitj-. After some time he j^^ave a motto for the Hag, which was "Nil desperandum, Christo duce" thereby giv- ing the expedition an air of a cnisade. It is said that a large nr.nilicr of the followers of Whitfield enlisted : and as a proof of the religions feeling by which they were actnated, one of them, a clergyman, carried upon his shoulder a hatchet for the ])urpose of destroying the images iu the I'rench churches. Few men could leave their familifs under more trying circumstan- ces than James Oibson. Without a single relative in North America, nearer than the West Indies, his wife was to endure alone the suspense of this liazardous and doubtful expedition, and remain behind with her little daughter in Hoston. But, in the midst of present trial or future solicitude, the firm hearts of the colonists did not quail. Under these eircum.stances, on the :! 5th of March, Mr. Gib.son took leave of liis family, of his tender and confiding wife and child, and joined the troops which on that day left Boston for the island of Nantucket, the rallying point of the expedition. The fleet sailed from Nantucket with 4,300 men, 4,000 being fur- nished by the colonies, and 300 by Mr. Gi1)son. After a prosperous voyage, it appeared in view of the little town of Can.so. As it was yet in the early spring, tie ice rendered the bay impassable, and they were thus prevented from landing at the intended .point. In this hour of perplexity, Connnodore Warren, the connnar.der of the British troops at the West Indies, unexpectedly arrived with a man-of-war, to their assistance. This aid inspired the army with new courage, and elated them with a prospect of success. On the 29th of April, the ice having broken up, the fleet sailed for Louis- burg, a distance of about sixty miles, where the\ arrived the next morning. This was the first notice to the inhabitants of Louisburg of the intended invasion. \n alarm was instantly given, and our fleet was ushered into the bay by a ringing of bells and discharge of cannon. A detachment of 159 men were sent to oppo.se their landing, but were soon repulsed by the New England ers, who without further molestation landed their troops and military stores, about four miles below the city. On the following night, two merchants from the Colonies, James Gibson and Captain Vaughan, with 400 men, marched through the woods and round the hills, to the northeastern part of the harbor, and burned many large warehouses containing a quatnitj' of wine and brandy, making a fine beacon light. i; gave a motto for lice" thereby giv- said that a large I as a jircof of the , one of them, a ur the jnirpose of trj-ing circuinstan- in North America, endure alone the tion, and remain , in the midst of f the colonists did h of March, Mr confiding '-.vife and ft Boston for the edition. n, 4,000 beuig fur- \fter a prosperous Canso. As it was ipassable, and they ed point. In this onmiar.der of the ly arrived with a red the army with f success. On the it sailed for Louis- , arrived the next [ Louisburg of the s ushered into the in. A detachmen: A-ere soon rejiulsed iiolestation landed below the city, e Colonies, James rched through the •art of the harbor, Liatnitj' of wine and This siege continued forty-eight days, and was carried on by un- disciplined colonists against a well-trained army, and a fortification stronger than almost any in the world. Of the events of this siege, in which our army gamed a glorious triumph, Mr. Gibson kept a regular Journal, which was published afterward at I^ondon, and a copy presented to King George. A no- tice of this Journal appeared in a contemporary number of the "Gen- tleman's Magazine,"* a periodical which has been continued for upward of 200 years. This Journal has never been reprinted in America. After search- ing through the principal libraries of New England, we are certain that few persons have ever seen it in this country. We have learned of late that societies are seeking to obtain mere extended information respecting this expedition, and therefore give this Journal entire to our readers. *The "Gentleman's J.Tagaziue" is regarded as tlie greatest periodical in the English language. Copies of it, for nearly two hundred years, are to be seen in the Boston Athenaeum. Several notices of Gibson and his Journal are to be found in this work. The one alluded to above is in the 15th volume, page 649. By calling on S. G. Drake, Esq., the indefatigable proprietor of the Anti- quarian Bookstore on Cornhill, the reader can see the original copy of the following Journal. a '^i m a.) I I" I A ■ JOURNAL OP THE LATE SIEGE, BY THE TROOPS FROM NORTH AMERICA, AGAINST THE FRENCH AT CAPE BRETON, THE CITY OF LOUISBURG, AND THE TERRITORIES THEREUNTO BELONGING. Surrendered to the English, on the 17TH of June, 1745. AFTER A SIEGE OF FORTY-EIGHT DAYS. BY JAMES GIBSON, GENTLEMA.S VOLUNTEER AT THE ABOVE SIEGE. LONDON Printed for J. Newbury, at the RiblE and Sun, IN St. Paul's Church-yard. MDCCXLV. '4-- [TY OF :S June, 1745. JGE. D Sun, si DKDICATION. TO THE COMMISSIONED OEEICERS OP THE TROOPS AT THE LATE SIEGE AGAINST THE CITY OE LOUISBURG, AND THE TERRI- TORIES THEREUNTO HELONGING IN NORTH AMERICA. My Dew Brethren and Fellow Soldiers : Pursuant to your request, I here present you with a Journal which I kept whilst the siege was laid against the city above mentioned. If it should contribute in the least to your pleasure in the recollec- tion of that signal victory which you obtained, by the blessing of God, through your great courage and good conduct, over your ene- mies at Cape Breton, or be of service to you in any other respect whatever, I shall not think my labor ill bestowed. Gentlemen, as you voluntarily left your families, your fortrnes, your occupations, and whatever else you held most dear, to enter the field in the service of your country against the strongholds of a po- tent enemy; against a well-walled and against a well-garrisdned city; against strong batteries, in short, and large cannons, I heMtilj' con- gratulate you on youi good success, and doubt not but your heroic achievements will be transmitted down with honor to latest posterity. In regard to the poor soldiers, who left their families and their re- spective callings for no other consideration than fourteen shillings sterling per month, besides the prospect of a little plunder, as oc- casion offered, of which they were disappointed, — I hope they will be taken care of, and meet with a reward in some measure propor- tioned to their service and their merit; since their disappointment was wholly owing (as you are sensible) to our generous treatment of the enemy, even when we had secured our conquest; for, by the terms of capitulation, the French were not only allowed to carry off all their effects w-ithout the least molestation, but were transported at our expense to Old France, insomuch that the soldiers, as I be- fore hinted, had no opportunity of making any advantage of their good success, which otherwise they might have considerably im- proved. The place, gentlemen, which we have thus happily made our own, may with propriet3' be called the key of Canada and North America. The island is near a hundred miles long, and has several IS fine harbors in it, very commodious for the fishery, whereof that of Louisburg is the principal. The city is not only well walled, but, as it has wide trenches and flankers, it may properly be said to be completely garrisoned. There is likewise a very grand battery, di- rectly opposite to the mouth of the harbor, the ordnance whereof consists of above thirty pieces of cannon, all forty-two pounders. The Island Battery; moreover, which is planted at the mouth of the harbor, is of equal strength and force; Opposite to the Island Battery there is also a very fine and com- modious light-house, as well as a noble harbor for the largest ships. Near the shore and grand banks, which are about twenty leagues distance, there are fi.sh in abundance. As to the climate, it is ex- ceeding fine for curing fi.sh, and rendering them fit for a foreign market. Here are mackerel and herrings in plenty, both fat and large, for baits, The land here produces very good wheat, rye, and barley; and the meadows, the best of grass. Besides these commodities, here are fine beech wood and flake for the mutual benefit of the indus- trious fisherman and the farmer. This port commands not only Cape Sable Shore, Canso, and Newfoundland, but the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and, by consequence, Canada. It is a safeguard likewise to the whole fishery, as well as to foreign vessels. I have been informed by a French gentleman, that the .settlement of the island of Gaspey cost his Most Christian Majesty nine million and a half of money; and. since the war commenced, the repairs that have been made to all the several batteries have been attended with great expense. As to my own particular part, no sooner was the L ipedition proposed at Boston in New England by the govern- ment, but I instantly promoted the same; and through my means some hundreds entered into the service. And as I had the honor to bear his Majesty's commission in the royal regiment of foot guards in Barbadoes, by virtue of that com- mission I voluntarily engaged in this expedition, without the least pay or allowance for my service or provision during the whole siege. And no sooner was it over, but I assisted in the transportation of the French inhabitants to Old France; having passed my word to proceed in a transport both to France and England. Give me leave here to remind you of my readiness to serve this expedition in all respects. You remember, I doubt not, the tedious marches which I made af- 13 reof that of A-alled, but, i said to be battery, di- ice whereof ouiidcrs. the mouth lie and coni- irgest ships. Mity leagues te, it is ex- bra foreign )oth fat and barley; and dities, here )f the indus- Canso, and :onsequence, Y, as well as le settlement ■ nine million , the repairs een attended ) sooner was the govern- h my means mission in the of that com- lout the least whole siege, irtation of the ird to proceed leave here to 1 all respects, ich I made af- nr ter the enemy, and the imminent danger I was in at the north cast harbor, which is about ten miles from the grand battery, where, with four men only, I was loading a .schooner with plunder. Whilst we were busy in the house whore our cargo lay, no less than a hundred and forty French and Indians, with a .shout, fired a volley against it; whereupon two of the men jumped out of the window, and were shot dead, even after they had cried out quarter. After this, though the French and Indians entered the hou.sc, the two other men and my- self .so happily concealed our.selves as that we were not discovered. Some .short time after, they withdrew, and we made our escape to the grand battery, though with great fatigue; for we were forced to take to a thick wood, and run through great swamps, not daring to appear in the road, for fear of .surpri.se. At last God be thanked, we arrived .safe at the grand battery, and received the repeated congratulations of our friends on account of our happy deliverance, which was looked upon as almost miraculous. I hope, gentlemen, I .shall not be thought vain in making mention of one other dangerous exploit, in which likewise I came off with success. At about two o'clock in the morning, with the a.ssistance of but five men, I carried a fire-ship under the guns of the city batteries to the King's gate, where I set fire to the train, and .so quick was the effect of it, that I lost my breath till I got upon deck. After this we went in our boat under the guns of the circular batter;-, before we could go over to the we.st .side of the harbor, for fear of beiiig dis- covered by the fire. The French, indeed, fired several times at us; but we happily received no damage. We arrived safe soon af- ter, at the grand battery; and no sooner had the fire took the pow- der, but it tore up the decks of the ship, and threw such a quantity of stone into the city, that they not only broke down a large spire of the King's Gate, but the end of a large stone house, and burnt three small vessels, &c., besides. As the morning was very daik the inhabitants were strangely surprised at .such an unexpected act of hostility. I have nothing further to add, but that I have prefixed to this Journal a plan of the city, the garrisons, the harbor, and lighthouse, &c., which I hope will meet with a favorable reception from you, and be thought at the same time an acceptable service to the public. As to what batteries shall hereafter be thought necessary to be built, or what repairs ought immediately to be made to those that are still standing, I hope a true and faithful account thereof will speedilv be delivered f-1 V. 14 into those whom it may more immediately concern, and that proper persons who are well wishers to their king and country may be appointed, as soon as conveniently may be, to put the same in exe- cution. T am, with all due respect, gentlemen, Your humble servant, JAMES GIBSON. Dated July 3, 1745, in Louisburg Harbor, on board the Speed- well, bound for France with French inhabitants. P. S. I shall here take the liberty to transcribe a letter ver- batim, which I received from Major William Hunt. Royal Grand Battery of King George the Second, at Cape Breton, in North America, July 4, 1745- Capt. James Gibson : I do, in behalf of myself and others, the commissioned officers, return you hearty thanks for the copy of your Journalduring the siege against the city of Louisburg, at Cape Breton, and as you are go- ing to France with the French inhabitants, and so for England, we wish you success, and that you may, for your charge and courage, have great encouragement, as you did so voluntarily proceed in the above expedition at your own expense. I am, sir. Your most humble servant, WILWAM HUNT, Major. i 15 that proper ;rj may be ;ame in exe- GIBSON. the Speed- , letter ver- , at y 4. 1745- •ned officers, ing the siege you are go- England, we nd courage, cceed in the [T, Major. A JOURNAL OF TIIK SIEGE OF THE CITY OE LOUISBURG. Tuesday, April joth, 1145. — This day our men of war, privateers and transports, arrived safe at Cabonich Bay in Cape Breton, from Canso, where we lay from the second day of this instant April, to the 28th, at which time we anchored within five miles of the City of Louisburg. No sooner were our whale boats got out in order to land our troops, but Capt. Morepang came down from the city with four- score and seven meti to prevent their attempt. Our privateers, however, lying at anchor near the shore, fired smartly at them; and in the meantime we landed some hundred of men, who went in pursuit of the enemy. We killed six of them and took five prison- ers, and, in short, totally beat them off. Nay, more, we prevented ' '^ them from getting into the city, and obliged them to fly for shelter into the woods. Wednesday y May I. Our troops marched towards the grand bat- tery, and set fire to ten houses, the inhabitants being fled into the city. The flames so .surprised the soldiers in the aforesaid battery, that both they and their captain (one Carey by name) made the best of their way by water into the city; whereupon several of our com- panies took possession of the place, and at day break hoisted up King George's flag. Thursday, 2. The French, perceiving the English flag hoisted up, fired .shot and bombs from the island battery, and all the other bat- teries hi the city, against the grand battery incessantly, day and night, but to no purpose, for they all went .over us. Wherever they saw two or three men together, they would send a bomb or a parcel of shot after them. The guns which we found in the grand battery were plugged, and their carriage wheels, &c., cut by the French. Friday, 3. The city and batteries fired smartly all day and night with bombs and cannon against the grand battery. One of our guns being drilled, we fired into the city, and the first shot, being unex- pected, killed fourteen men. Saturday, 4. The city batteries, &c., played as fast as possible with bombs and camion against our grand battery. As we had two if' 1 II t w i6 of our guns drilled, \vc fired against the city with good effect; for we took vSt. John's and St. Peter's and burnt them. We took likewise alxmt twenti- prisoners; but the others made their escape in the woods. We took, moreover, several small vessels and some plundrr. Siimiay, j. The French fired but a few guns and bombs against us. This day the first Protestant .sermon was preached in the mass- house at the grand battery. The text was taken out of the looth Psalm, ver.scs 4 and 5. In the evening we fired smartly against the city with our two pieces of cannon. Monday, 6. Our company, consisting of ninety-six men, march- ed to the north -cast harbor, which was ten miles from the grand battery, and drove the inhabitants into the woods. Our grand bat- tery, having several guns drilled, fired smartly against the city and i.sland battery; they, however, fired but seldom at us. Tuesday, 7. Our scout at the north-east harbor loaded a schooner with plunder, and a shallop with excellent fish. Though the city and other batteries fired smartly against the grand battery, yet they did no damage. We, on the other hand, having several guns drilled, firing smartly again.stthe city and island battery, and every gun did execution. Wednesday, 8. The grand battery fired all day against the is- land battery and city, with good effect ; the city and other batter- ies, however, fired but seldom at us. One of our guns liappened to split, by which accident one of our men was hurt. Thursday, 9. Our grand battery, having twenty guns drilled, and their carriages repaired, fired smartly against the city and island battery. We saw several shots go through the roofs of three houses; as also several chimneys, and the arabeseers of the batteries knocked down. Friday, 10. A small scout of twenty-five r\en got to the north-east harbor. I and four more being in a house upon plunder, 140 French and Indians came down upon us first, and fired a volley, with a great noise. Two jumped out of the window, and were shot dead. With great difficulty the other two and myself got safe to the grand battery. They afterwards killed nineteen of the remaining twenty. Saturday, 11. A company this day marched to the northeast har- bor, and buried the men that were killed yesterday. They burnt likewise every house in the place, with the mass-house, fish stages, and warehouses. They destroyed, moreover, about 100 shalloways \^' ty fleet; for we 3ok likewise scape ill the )nie pluiidr r. iiibs against in the mass- f the looth rtly against nen, niarch- 1 the grand r grand bat- the city and d a schooner .igh the city ery, yet they guns drilled, very gun did gainst the is- other batter- ms liappened guns drilled, the city and the roofs of )eseers of the he north-east r, 140 French oUey, with a re shot dead. ; safe to the he remaining lortheast har- They burnt e, fish stages, 00 shalloways n' and took forty prisoners. The grand battery fired smartly against the city. y^unday, 12. Not one gun fired from the island battery this day. The grand battery, however, and our other batteries fired smartly again.st the city to very good effect; for not a gun was returned. We had a sermon in the mass house at the grand battery. The text was taken from the 27th verse of the ninth chapter of the Hebrews : "And it is appointed uuto men once to die, but after this the judgment. So Christ was once oflered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Mi'ihiay ij. At three o'clock this after-noon, a large French snow* came around the light-house, the wind being east-north-east. She was obliged to run into the harbor of Louisburg. Though our grand battery and another battery fired at her, yet she kept close aboard the Island battery and the city, till she grounded against the king's gate. This vessel came from France, laden with stores for the fi.shermen. This was the only vessel that got in after we had taken possession of the grand battery. The city and island battery fired as fast as possible against the grand battery till the snow grounded. At night we got a large schooner, filled with com- bustibles, put a small sail on her, and carried her between the island battery and the city. So soon as the fire took the train, the French fired from the city and island battery against the schooner, and the grand battery, no less than thirty shot. One of our men was killed by landgrage, and several were wounded. Our gunner likewise was killed at our fascine battery, through the misfortune of a gun's split- ting. Tuesday, 14. There was a north-east storm of wind and rain this day. The city fired smartly against our fascine battery. Our bat- teries, on the other hand, fired against the city with good effect. In order to pre^'^nt the loading of our gtins at the fascine battery, the French fired small arms, as soon as we had discharged our can- non ; but they did ao manner of execution. Wednesday, 15. This day the city fired several bombs, and guns against our fascine battery. We fired twenty -eight guns and sev- eral bombs, which did great execution in the city ; for they broke down the wall of the circular battery and the ambuseers. Thursday, 16. Our artillery from the Green Hill threw above fif- •vessel. 0\ mmmtmm '■ I ty l.om'is uiifl l);ills into Oie cit\', which dro/e down chimneys, aim roofs of houses. The city, iiuU'ed, fired smartly; but not a ^Min was heard from the island battery. Two of our guns at the grand bat- tery spUl, by which misfortune two of our men were wounded. /'y/i/'iv, 17. Captain Kouse convoyed six transports from Ho-iton with four months' provision for our land army. Capt. Oayton, like- wise, arrived from i'.oston with military stores. The city fired smaitly all day against our fascine battery, and the island battery threw three lioml)S against the grand battery. We dragged several forty two pounders from the grand to the fascine battery, notwith- standing it was two miles distant, and the way rough. 100 French went out of tlie city by water, and landed at the back of the light- house, in order to cut off our men; but as we were ai)prised of their intention, we engaged them, killed three, wounded .several, and took the ca])tain of their company prisoner. One of our Indian friends was hurt very nmch by the splitting of one of our guns. S.jfiinfjv, iS. The city fired as fast as possible against our fascine battery and artillery at the Green Hill. We, on the other hand, shot several of the French with our small arms, at the city wall from our fascine battery, as it was but twenty-five roods' distance. Sunday, n). Thi.« day a .sad accident happened at our fa.scine battery. Two birrels of powder took fire, and killed seven of our men. Though all cur batteries fired smartly against the city, yet the island battery did not fire a gun for several days; and the last shells they threw were half filled with bran; from whence we might reasonably conjecture, that they grew .short of powder. We had a sermon preached to-day, and the text was the nth verse of the 17th chapter of Exodus; "And it came to pa.ss when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed." Monday, 20. Two French ships and a snow were taken and sent into Caboruch Bay. Commodore Warren and the other ships are still out in chase of a man-of-war. The city fired all day against our fascine battery. All our batteries fired so smartly against the city, that some of the ambuseers on the south side were beaten down at the circular battery. Two-hundred of our men marched on a scout to the north-east harbor. Captain Fletcher sent his boat ashore to take in water, ten were killed, and four escaped. Tuesday, 21. This day the .scout of 200 men returned to the grand battery, and brought with them a French doctor, and seven other tmnej'S, ami ot a gwn was ■ grand bat- jiinded. from lioston ^.aytoii, likc- ic city fired iland battery gged several ry, notwith- loo I'"" reach of the light- riscd of their several, and f our Indian ■ our guns, against our on the other , at the city ids' distance. t our fascine seven of our tlie city, yet and the last ice we might . We had a e of the 1 7th s held up his and, Ainalek ken and sent her ships are ly against our iu'st the city, 'aten down at ed on a scout oat ashore to 1 to the grand d seven other } >9 captives, having fust burned the mass house, and all the other houses; as also destroyed a ojusideraMe nu'nbLTorri.>hing shallops and the fish .stages. Conuuodore Warren sent in the I'rench man-of-w.ir that had been chased for several days. Slie is a fine new ship of sixty- four guns, called the Vigiliuit, and laden willi stores, a great num- ber of large guns, and a large (juaulily of powder, bcvsidcs stcnes for the city of I^ouisburg, and oUier stores for a seventy gun ship, wliieh is building at Canaila. A large brigautii\e arrived this day from Kranee, and came into our fieet through mistake, as the weather was very foggy. She was laden with brandy and stores. A .scout of joo men marched out after .some Hundreds of I-'rench and Indians who were coming down, as we heard upon our camp. The scout returned, the enemy moving off, and brought in seven cows and several calves and goats, «.S:c. Our snuill battery, with two pieces of can- non, fired on the city, and did great execution ; and notwithstanding our other battery fired smartly against the city with good effect, yet the city did not return a gmi ; neither had the island battery fired a gun for several days. At the King's Wharf, we found thirty pieces of cannon sunk, from .six to twelve pounders. This is the pkice where the men of war heave down. It is a long wharf, that is planked for spreading and mending of sails ; and a large .ship may lie along side of it. The Vigilant lost sixty men, we only five. IVciinesiiay, 22. This daj- the city fired as quick as possible against us ; we, on the other hand, .shot several of the I"rench who were on the city wall, with our small arms from the fa.scine battery; and, as the French gunner was luckily killed like-wi.se in the city by another shot, they hoisted their flags half mast upon that occa- sion. This day a fifty-gun .ship joined our fleet. Thursday, 22,. This day a great mnnber of our men were busily employed in furni.shing near fifty of our whale boats with paddles, ladders, &c. ; and, about twelve o'clock, 500 men of the land army and marines embarked from on board the'man of-war, with a view of making thenuselves masters of the island battery; but at that time there arose .such a prodigious fog, that they could not see where to land, notwithstanding they were in the nut of the shore. When it began to clear up, they were obliged to draw ofl", though at that time there were but fourteen men in the island battery. Friday, 24. The fleet this day appearing off the mouth of the harbor, made a gallant show. At night, five of our men and my- self went ou board a ship which we first filled with combustibles, 1 ! 30 nnd tluMi carried lifr under n siiiull sail l>y tlie ir(»ti 1)nttery til! we gromidcd lier a^uiiist llu- Kind's (late l)el()ii;;iiig to the city. No sooner was the train set on fire, Imt Ih*.' city fired sn>!irtly against us; nnd when we took l)oat, we were ohlin;ed to row under tiic month of their camion, till wc got on the western side of the liarbor. This fire ship did as much execution as we could reasonably expi-ct ; for it l.iirnt three vessels, and not only heat down the iiinnacle ofthc King's gate, but great part of a stone house in the city; and as this was transacted in the dead of the night, it put the inhabitants into nil uncommon consternation. SiiiNnfuy, .75. This day, the fascine battery fired .smartly against the city wall, and not only beat down a great part of it, but much dam- aged the citadal. which gave us <;reat hopes of .success. The city, indeed, in return, fired bcjth their cannon, and Ihcir small arms against the said battery, but to little or no effect. Siitidny, j6. This day, a scout, con.sisting of 15; men besides my- self, marched to the we.st-north-west part of this island, which is twenty-five miles' distancj, or thereabouts, from the grand battery. We found two fine farms upon a neck of land that extended near seven miles in length. The first we came to was a very handsome house, and had two large barns, well finished, that lay contiguous to it. Here, likewise, v.'erc two very large gardens; as also, .some fields of com of a considerable height, and other good land .sthereto belonging, besides plenty of beech wood and fresh water. In this hou.se we took seven Frenchmen and one woman, prisoners. It was not much more than five hours before our arrival, that 140 French and Indians had been killing cattle here, and baking bread, for pro- visions in their march against our men, who were at that time pos- sessed of the light-house. These were the very same band, or company, that murdered nineteen of our men at the north-east har bor on the loth instant, and shot the two men that jumped out of the window, as is more particularly mentioned in the article of that day. At that unhappy junction they took one sergeant Cockriii pri.soner; and notwithstanding he had made it his whole study from that time to humor and oblige them, yet, after a dance this day, they fell upon him and in a most barbarous manner cut off the ends of his fingers; after that they had split them up to his hand. When this scene of cruelty was over, they entered upon a new one; and in the first place cut off the tip of his tongue, and in an insulting maimer bid him speak English; after that, they cut off some part tt ttery till \vc e city. No irtly aj;aiiist r the lunnth irl)or. This ,1)ly expect ; luiaclc of the and as this ;ihit!iiits into irtly against itnutchdnnj- . Tlic city, small arms besides my- iid. which is •and battery. :tended neaf ry handsome ;ontignous to s also, .some land sthereto ter. In this ners. It was t 140 French read, for pro- iiat time pos- me band, or )rth-east har mnped out of .rticle of that jant Cockriii le study from ce this day, t off the ends land. When lew one; and an insulting off some part of his llesh, and m:u1e one of l:is fellow prisoners eat It; they then cut his carcass up like a parcel of inhuman butchers, and, to show their last marks of malice and re.scntment, threw it into the sea. The other house was a fine stone edifice, consisting? of six roon\s on a floor, all well finished. There was a fine walk before it, and two fine barns contiguous to it, with fine ^;!l^lens and apiMirtenances. besides several fine fields of wheat In one of the barns there were fifteen loads of hay, and room .sulhcicnt for threescore horses and other cattle. At our dejiarture from the first farm, we set all we left behind us on fiie; and Inrniuj^ back, at a .small distance, we saw some himdreds of the eneniy hovering round the flames. NVc like- wise set fire to, and reduced the last farm as well as the first to ruins. Here we took three nicn in a boat which was laden with provision, and sailing down to the city of I.ouisbu'-g. This last hou.se was sit- uated on the mouth of a large salmon fishery, which was .some few roods wide; and, about half a mile above U, there was a large pond of fresh water, which was near four miles over. Monday, 2y. This day we returned with our scmn, con.si.sting of 154 men, to the grand battery, all well, and in high spirit. At twelve o'clock our whale boats were well fixed with ladders; and two hun- dred men at least, if not more, attempted to scale the walls of the i.sland battery. The French di.scovered the .same; and as soon as our boats came near to shore, the French fired their large cannon loaded with landgrage, which destroyed several of our boats as well as our men. Those that actually landed fought till .sunrise, and then called for quarter. Out of the number that went to the island battery, 154 of our men were mis.sing. By two that deserted from the French, we were informed that 118 of our men were taken and carried prisoners into the city; so that in that bold attempt we lost only .six and thirty men. The French who were at that time in the battery, were between 300 and 400. Tuesday, 28. This day, not only the grand battery, but our other batteries, fired smartly on the city. We saw the shot beat down several chimneys, and go through the roofs of several houses. This day a scout of 400 men marched towards Scatteree, upon in- formation that a great number of French and Indians were marching towards our camps in order to cut them off. As our scout was march- ing down a hill at the north-east harbor, they came all on a sudden upon 160 French and Indians, who, in a great consternation, ran up another hill that was full of trees and fortified with rocks. As our i:iiririB»ii rsarramivvs 22 people were only in an open garden, as it were, the French and In- dians fired smartly at them; but, notwithstanding their advantageous situation, we killed thirty-seven and woi.nded forty-one, as we were informed by the French captain's wife, whom we had taken prisoner; and tuey killed only ten of ours. The French and Indians made off in such a hurry, that they did not stay to bury their dead. This was the same company that was at the west-north-west neck of land on Sunday the 26th instant. We Look their shalloways laden with provisions, &c. IVtdntsa'a'.', 2g. This day our scout, consisting of 400 men, marched to Scatteree, where we burnt several houses, and took six men and three women prisoners. vScatteree is about twenty miles from the grand battery. Last night we (for I was amongst them) lodged in the woods. The French and Indians drew off. Our batteries fired smartly against the city. Thursday, 30. This day our scout, above mentioned, of 400 men, returned to the grand battery, well and in high spirits, &c. Friday, jr. Rain and fog. Noc a gun was fired this day on one side or the other. Saturday, June i. This da>- our batteries played smartly against tlie city with theii bombs and cannon. The i.sland battery did not fire a gun for several days together, and the city but a few. Sunday, 2. Las: night we raised a great part of a new -battery a^ the lighthouse. Two hundred men were at work upon it. The French at the island battery, when they saw it in the morning, were not only surprised, but so incensed at the progress our men had made, that they fired a? fast as possible with their bombs and cannons and obliged them to draw off. One flanker of this battery fronts the sea, and the other is directlj- opposite to the island battery; so that we can sweep the platform of the island battery; and command all the shipping that goes in or comes out. The French laid a boom from the east battery to that of the west, in order to prevent any of our fireships from annoying the city, or any of our boats from laud- ing. We had a sermon on the following words : 'Prepare to meet thy God, O /^ion.' Monday, J. This day a vessel arrived from Boston with a large mortar piece, which was landed, and drawn to the lighthouse bat- tery. We had advice from the captain that r,ooo men were volun- tarily rai.sed to reinforce our troops here; and that we might expect them very soon. We had farther advice that the French fleet of 1\ ench and In advantageous i, as we were kca prisoner; udians made • dead. This neck of land ,-s laden with of 400 men, ,es, and took about twenty was amongst ans drew off. i, of 400 men, , &c. is day on one inartly against )attery did not, L a few. ;iew -battery al; upon it. The morning, were lien had made, and cannons battery fronts id battery; so and command ch laid a boom prevent any of jats from land- epare to meet n with a large lighthouse bat- en were volun- might expect 'reuch fleet of incn of-war were stopped al Brest by our English men-of-war. We had moreover 600 barrels of pov.-der arrived from Boston, besides stores for the army. Thi.s .supply of amnumition came very oppor- tunely; for we had not powder sufficient for any more than four rounds at the grand batterj-. This put new life and spirits into all of us. 7'in\(//,;v, 4. This day v/e fired our cannon rnd boml)S again.st the city. Both of our mortars proved so defective, that it was not thought safe to make use of them any more. Whereupon a privateer-.snow w.ns setit immediately to Annapolis for a fresh supplj'. We heard such a great number of guns fired at sea, that we concluded there was a smart engagement between our men-of-war and the French. Wednesday, 5. Last night was taken and brought In a French ship of fourteen carriage guns, and above 300 ton, laden with beef, pork, butter, cheese, pease, beans, brandy, salt, and other stores for the fishery. This was the ship, it seems, which we i.^^ard in the engage- ment yesterday. The fascine battery play> ' smartly with their bombs and cannons, and to verj' good effect. In the morning, the French drank to us from the city wall, we being so near that we could speak to each other. Tliiirsday, 6. This day the French prisoners that were taken in the Vigilant, and s"»me others who were made captives by land, were carried onboard Captain Gayton, and several other transports, and the prizes bound for Boston, being in number upwards of 1,000 men. Friday, 7. This day the prizes and prisoners set sail for Boston, under the convoy of Capt. Gayton and Snelling. Our battery fired smartly. Saturday, 8. '^his day we sent a flag of truce to the governor o' the city of Louisburg, \vith a letter from the captain who was taken in the Vigilant man-of-war, wherein he gave advice that both he and his men were treated in a handsome manner by the English, and desired to know the reason why the English did not meet with the like civil treatment and good quarter ; at the north-east-harbor and island battery, when r^nuested. Sunday, 9. Two Switzers last night deserted the French guards in the city, and came to our grand battery, who informed us that there was no meat to be had in all the city; and that the French subsisted wholly on salt fi.sh, bread and pease. They assured us likewise, that there were but about 100 barrels of powder left for '% 'f-^ wntmrnmrnmi^s^!* I ::- 24 • all tlieir batteries. To this they added, that the first giin that we drilled and fired from the grand battery killed fourteen of theirmen. This day our men of-war went in chase of a large ship, which proved to be a man-of-war, to join our fleet from England. Two valuable prizes were taken and sent to Boston. A large sloop of 110 ions, from Canada, laden with provisions and bour.d for Loui.sbnrg, was chased by one of our privateers, and ran on shore at the back of the light house; about fifty men made their escai)e. We got the vessel off without any damage. Monday, 10. This day our new battery at the light-house played with three ]ncces of cannon against the island battery. Our south pla-iiker swept the west platform, so that they could not load their cannon. Tlie French would have, jumped out of the ambuseers into the sea, but when they found we had but three guns mounted, they fired bombs and shot as fast as possibly they dared to load, from the north flanker. It was all to no purpose, however; for we beat down part of their garrison house. Tuesday, 11. This day a scout of 250 men ( amongst whom 1 was one) marched out of the grand battery to Scatteree; we being in- formed l)y some prisoners,that several hundreds of French and Indians were coming down upon our camps. Two of our transports landed some ordnance and provisions at the light house. Though the French at the island battery fired bombs and shot in the morning as fast as possibly they could, yet they did no manner of damage. Last night two boats came safe into the harbor with powder and ball. We had 200 men at work o'nights at the light-house battery. All our batter- ies Sred smartly against the city, and with good effect. As their shot and bombs fell short, we imagined that their powder was near spent. Wedt'csday, 12. For three nights past, our boats brought in pro- visions and stores from Caboruch Bay, by the island battery, with- out the least interruption. This day our scout of 230 men returned from their march, and found the enemy were moved off. Yesterday two men-of-war from England joined our fleet. The city threw sixty-two bombs against uS from three o'clock in the afternoon to eight the next morning, and a great number of shot besides, which did no great damage. However, our bombs and shot beat down several chinmeys and roofs of houses, &c. Thursday, 13. Yesterday the city fired seventeen bombs and shot against a small battery which we had erected about a mile from the grand battery. Five of them were forty-two pounders. as t giiii that we of their men. which proved Pwo valuaVile } of no ions, ouisbiirg, was e back of the 50t the vessel -house played y. Our south not load their mbuseers into nouiited, they load, from the we beat down t whom 1 was ; we being in- ch and Indians nsports landed gh the French ning as fast as e. Last night aall. We had All our batter- As their shot ■as near spent, irought vn pro- battery, with- ) men returned (ff. Yesterday he city threw le afternoon to besides, which LOt beat down ;n bombs and about a mile two pounders. Last nigh!: Vv-c rartied a schooner out of the harlior Though the island battery fired twenty odd bombs and shot lilcewise against our light-house battery, yet they did no damage. Our bon.lis and shot, un the other hand, did considerable execution. The .ships of war which lay at anchor before the harbor, are these that follow, viz.: Connnodore Warren in the vSuperb, the Hector, the Allham, the Launcestou, the Princess Mary, the Mermaid, the Chester, the Can- terbury, the Sundeiland, the Lark. The Vigilant, a man-of war of sixty-four guns, taken frora tlie French. Besides the;"-e, several twenty-gun ship., from New Fngland; also snows, brigantincs, and .sloops of force, in all above twenty; and moreover 85 transports. Twenty French pri/,e.s VNcre taken to this day. A large private l)riganline of eighteen carriage guns, and 120 tons, was fitted out, and w^,s to sail the day we landed; but the French innuediately scuttled and .sunk her in the harbor. Yesterday we got up a fine .sloop which the French had .sunk, laden with plank and tiiiiber, intended for a new platform, the foundation whereof was laid at the west jiart of the grand l)attery, and was to be finished this year; but we have saved them that charge and trouble. Friday, 14. Last night the large mortar from Boston was con- veyed to the light-house battery, which played again.st the i.sland battery seven pieces of ordnance, and one mortar, which beat down not only the end of the garrison, but all the chinmeys and part of the roof; as also the north ambuseers, and dismounted several guns. When the French saw a bomb coming, they would jump out of the ambuseers into the sea. As the city was highly di.sgusted at this battery, they fired forty-six bombs and as many shot. On the other hand, our several batteries played all day long, and fired 160 bombs besides shot. Ladders are at this time fitting in order to scale the walls of the city. A great number of shalloways likewise are now fitting in order to land men from the fleet, or take up men in case a man-of-war should be sunk as she came into the harbor. Saturday, 15. This day om- wiiole fleet of men-of-war, privateers and transports made a gallant appearance before the harbor. A flag of truce came from the city, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, to our camps, and offered to deliver up the city on the terms we pro- posed on our demand of the city, and the territories thereunto be- longing, in the name and on the behalf of our Sovereign Lord King George the Second. The consideration of so important an affair was postponed till 8 o'clock the next morning, at which time the irf^ a6 I it ' Bit flag of truce agree to attci-.d. Wliercupou all our batteries ceased firing until further onkrs. SinitLiv, i6. The Prencli flag of truce came out of the city to our camps, at 8 o'clock this morning; and it was theii finally agreed and detcrniincd, by capitulation, that the rrench slumld have all their personal effects, and likewise be transported to iM-ance at the expen.^e of the Knglish. The said articles being thus settled and adjusted, we have now liberty to march into the cily with our land army. The men of war likewise, the privateers and transports, may now without interruption anchor in the harbor, ik.c., ivic. Mouddx, 17. This day the French flag was struck, and tlie Eiig- lisli one hoisted up in its place at the island battery. We took pos- session early in the morning. V/e hoisted likewise the Ivnglish fl;ig at the grand battery, and our other new batteries; then fired our can- nons, and gave three hu/./.as. At two o'clock in the afternoon. Com- modore Warren, with all the men of-wai , as also the prize man-of-war of sixty-four guns; our twenty-gun .ships; likewise our snows, brigan- tines, privateers and transjjorts, came into Loui.sburg harbor, which made a beautiful appearance. Wlieu all were safely moored, they proceeded to fire on .such a victorious and joyful occasion. About four o'clock in the afternoon, our laud army marched to the south gate of the city, and entered the same, and so proceeded to the pa- rade near the citadel; the French troops at the .same time being all drawn up in a very regular order. Our army received the usual sa- lute from them, every part being performed with all the decency and decorum imaginable. And as the French were allowed to carry ofir their ehocts, so our guard took all the care they possibly could to pre- vent the couiiuou soldiers from pilfering and .stealing, or otherwise giving them the least molestation. The guard and watch of the city, the garri.sons, &c., were delivered to our troops. Tucschy, 18. Last night a ship came against the mouth of the harbor, and lay there becalmed. In the morning a man- jf-war towed out, and fired two shot at her. .She answered with one, and then struck. Whereupon sh". was towed into the harbor !iy our boats. She proved to be a storeship of tv.-enty guns, about 300 tons, from France, and very valuable. IFt'dnrsihiy, 19. This day, upon the nearest computation that could be made, it was agreed on both .sidos, that .since the Fnglish had laid siege to the city, &c., that nine thousand shot and six hundred bombs had been discharged by the Knglish against the French. . I" if tteries ceased )f the city to finally agreed )uld have all France at the IS settled and with our land ansports, may c. and tlie Eng- \Ve took pos- ic IvngUsh llig I fired our can- ternoon, Coni- x.c man-of-war snows, brigan- harbor, which ■ moored, they asion. About to the soutVi ded to the pa- time being all 1 the usual sa- le decenc)' and ed to carry off y could to pre - g, or otherwise watch of the mouth of the II- jf-war towed one, and then !iy our boats. 300 tons, from ition that could LC r.nglish had nd six hnndred lie French. , ['■ Thursday, 20. The guns being moved from one of our small bat- teries to the grand battery, the ambuscers were levelled. Friday, 2\. The guns being moved from the fascine battery into the city, the amijuseers were levelled. Saturday, 22. More guns moved into the city. The guns likewise at the light-house were dismounted. Sunday. 2j. A sermon preached at the grand l)at'i.ery from the following M'ordsin the third chapter of revelations: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the duor, I will come in to him, and will sup with him," ;i, and sicj^i^ :r.nto belong;- :Vicd into Uie tached to the lan had tal;cn kcwise in the of New Kng- out of Loiiis- r.il our troops cnian, I say, ck, eitlier by :;c. lie add- ud, he never attempt; that , for 3,000 or •ong, well -for - my one have .vc been sulTi- havc answer - c never heard 1 a handful of ,hat was still lamely, to see rticularly the from the city ■',, dragged by ng it was two May courage, I all our h'ng- ;pends princi- of the above - ing in a just irge the great, e commissions gn Lord King an's example, o his majesty's to defeat the h common disturi er of our peace and traminilily ; to humble his pride, and make him tril)utary to u.,; then, in short, we may reason;;' ly expect to see halcyon days thnjughout his majesty's extensive dominions, and secure our most excellent constitution both in chtn-cli and state. In order to give our readers a transient idea of the ill-treatment we met with at RDchhjrt in France, I shall here take tlie lil)erty, not only to tran.seribe a letter which I wrote on that subject to an intimate friend, l.-'t the petition which twelve of lis, in I'elialf of ourselves and fellow-sufferers, signed, and sent in the most .submissive maimer to Connnodore MacLemairougli, who, like an inl'.mnan savage, turned a deaf ear to our comi)laints, and rather added to our mi.sery than an\- ways relieved us. TlITv COPY OP TIIK LKTTKK. HoxoKKD SiK : — Pursuant to your request, I here give you a true and impartial account of the cruel and barl)arous treatment which we met with from the iM-ench at Koelifortin France. On the fourth of July la.st, fourteen cartels, with the Launceston man- of-war, set sail from lyoui.sburg at Cape Breton, for France with French inhabitants. No .sooner were we arrived in the roadstead of Rochfort, l)ut Connnodore MacLemarroi'gh, in a ship of seventy- four guns, obliged us to come to under his stern in thirteen fathoms of water. We obej'cd, and showed our passports, which when he read, he in.sisted that every master .should deliver into his hands his particular journal. Some looking on it as an unreasonable demand, with resolution oppo.sed it, but were confined in irons on his .ship for their refusal. Soon after, he .sent for me on board; and I attend- ed accordingly. Being admitted into the cabin, he ordered me to sit down at his green table, and give an account of my own proceed- ings in writing; Vvhich orders I readily comnlied with. Having fini.shed my declaration, I delivered it into his hands; and upon the receipt of it, he told me in direct terms, that the cartels could ex- pect no favor at Rochfort; and that, as for my own particular part, since he was credibly informed b3' several of the pa.ssengers, that I had been a very bus5% active fellow against the interest of his most Christian Majesty at Louisburg, in case he could find out any article whatever that was in the least con*^radictory to the declaration I had delivered, that he would send me to the tower. Whereupon he im- mediately sent oil board for my trunk, and insisted on my giving him the key. I did, and he took out all my papers, and read them over in the first place. After that, he broke open the letters which I had If** i^ 'V .?o directed for Loiidoi;. Those, indeed, he scaled n\) again, and, hav- ing pnt them into the trunk, dismissed nic. His next orders were, thai the cartels sliould not presume to go on l)o;ird their convoy, the Launeestoii, on anj' ]'tetence wl'.atcver, without his ])ennission. He charged us Hkewise not to go on shore, and gave strict (M-dersto the garrison to wateh us night and day; and, incase any ot us at- tem])led to set fool on shore, the guards were directed to shoot us without asking any (juestions ahout the matter. His severity, in short, extended so far as not to permit a lioat to hrirg us the least sujiply of any nature or kind whatsoever; insomuch that we v.ere obliged to li\e Vvdiolly on salt jirovisions, and drink water that was ropy, and very offensive to the smell, for above six weeks successive- ly. When this cruel connnodore set sail with Ins fleet, witli about two hundred sail of merchantmen and seven mcnof-war for llispan- iola, another commodore supplied his place. On Sunday eve he sent out a yawl, with orders for all the cartels to uidjend their sails. ^Vc did as directed, and on Monday nujrning his men came in their long-boat, and carried all our sails on .shore into the garrison; which surprised us to the last degree, as we had been detained so long, and lived in expectation of our passports every day. At this un- happy junction, Capt. Robert Man, who was commander of the Launccston, was taken violently ill of a fever ; and notwitlistanding intercession was made that he might be moved on .shore, as the noise on board affected his head too uuich, yet the favor was inhu- manly denied him ; and every oflicer in the ship besides. As to the poor luiglish prisoners, they were used in a most barbarous maimer; for their principal food was horse-beans, and about an inch of beef once in about twenty-four hours. Besides, they were so close im- prisoned, that some of them fainted away for want of air; and had it not been for the private charitable relief which they received from a good old protcstant lady, several of them nui.st have been aqluully starved. Nay, moreover, when any of them were sick, she would visit them, and bring them prayer-book,'-^, and other books of devotion, which she concealed in a chest under ground; and then would exhort them to put their trust and confidence in God, who in his own due time would deliver them out of the hands of their arbi- tary and blood-thirs'y enemies. And if any died, she would send Collins privately by night for the removal of their bodies, and bury them at her own expen.se. One of these poor wretches was in such a week and sickly couditiou, that, being thirsty, and inclining ! :iiii, and, liav- : orders were, r convo}', the s j)cnuission. ilrJct orders to any ot us at- d to shoot us s scveritj', in g us the least that we were ater that was ks sueccssive- t, with about ir for Hispan- ay eve he sent d their sails. came in their irrison; which lined so long, . At this un- nander of the Jtwitlistanding shore, as the ivor was inha- les. As to the arous manner; n inch of beef e so close im- F air ; and had they received i.st have been 111 were sick, id other l)ooks mnd ; and then u God, who in s of their arln- he would send dies, and bury etches was in , and inclining 31 his head to drink out of a stone font, he had not strength to raise it again, and by that means was unhappily strangled. All, in short, that lived to come on board, were fo weak that they could scarce crawl UjHMi the dock. As our treatment from the iMX-nch was in every ro;>peet so ciuel and inliuman, a i)t'titir)n or remonstrance to ComiiKMlore MacLeniarnnigh was drawn \\\\ and signed on tlie 25th of August, I7.J5, by twelve of us, the purport whereof was as fol lows : That the petitioners Morc taken up at the city of Louisburg, in his Hril;innic Majesty's .service on the ;oth of June tlicn last past, in order to tran-port the iM-ench inhabitants of that city to Roch- fort. That the petitioners were well assured by General Peppcrell and Commodore Warren, as also 1)y the' commanding oOicer of I- euibarked," he tells. us, "their language to their friends whom they were about leaving was: Trayjt'r iiir, and 7c'i- ik'HI ji;:,ht for yoii /' " After narrating the most remarkable events in the enteriirise, he concludes in this somewhat extravagant language : "J,ct us not oidy rejoice in our own salvatitm, but let our joy rise higher, that hereby a great su])port of anti-ehristian power is taken away, and the visible kingdom of Christ enlarged. Methinks when the southern gates of L(niisburg were opened, and our armv with their banners were marching in, the gates were lifted up, and the King of Glory went in with them." On returning from Boston, James Gibson was joyfully received by his little family, and the citizens generally, to whom he had ren- dered .so important services. At the close of the .seige, the treasury of the province of Massachusetts was completely exhausted. Eng- land, on hearing of the .service r-^ndercd by the colonies, sent on a ship laden with specie to reimlnirse the expenses of the siege. The rate of indcnmities w.as thus expressed in a resolution passed iu Parliament, April i, 1748: Resolved, 1st. That it is just and reasonable that the several prov- inces and colonies of ]\Iassachu.setts Bay, New Hampshire, Con- necticut, and Rhode l.sland, be reimbursed the exjjenses they have been at, in taking and securing to the crown of Great Britain, the island of Cape Breton and its dependencies ; therefore, resolved to grant for this purpose — 2d. To the Province of Mas.^achusetts Bay, ,-/Ji33,649. 2s. y^jd. 3d. To that of New Hampshire /?i6,355. 13s. 4d. 4th. To that of Connecticut, ^^28,863. 19s. id. 5th. To that of Rhode Island ^^6,332. 12s. lod. 6th. To James Gibson, Esq. , on ditto account, ^{^548. 15s. > third of July. IkT tVoiii I Jr. i)i' r»().st()ii 1)0- ii)ii (lay, and a : lui(i last nij^lit not a house: iix 11 lis wiii'lo'.vs. ks, iuul oilier asyivcu to the 'omiiionwefillh iiivcrsally ob- t Ihu hand of le "Old South r the iel!j.;i()ns '1 : ' . ; ■ • 1 , 1 ' i \ • 4 f , jr i ■ ' (V ; I APPENDIX. TIIK JAMKS GinSON COAT OK ARMS. The original, Itcaiilifiilly drawn and colored, on parcluncnt, of evident antiquity, lunig on the wall of the log house in which I was born, in the wilderness of Oakland County, Michigan, ivum ."^6 to about the year iSfJo. My father, James Ciibson Johnson, was then the only descendant of Captain James Oibson, wlio bore the name. Kev. James Gibson Johnson, D, D., of Chicago, sou of Lorenzo Dow Johnson, has the Coat of Arms at present. Dr. James Gibson Johnson, druggist, of Traverse City, Michigan, son of my brother John Reed John.son, of same i)lace, and James Gib.sou John.son, infant son of Jo.seph Quick Joimson, of Detroit, Michigan, are the only descendaiits of that name now living. The last mentioned :3 the graud.son of my father. The following description is on the back of the board on which the Coat of Arms is fastened : "The Ancient and Honorable family of Gibson : 77t/rf llumircd Years. "Azure, three .storks rising on the wing. Argent beaked and lege'd gules, the tip of the wings sable. CREST. "Out of a Ducal Coronet, or Lyons Claw, gules holding an engine of war, called a Holy Water Sprinkler ; zone spiked and tipped argent. MOTTO. "Courage. Virture. Charity." r 34 THE FAMILY IN THK UNITED STATES. James Gibson, as stated on page 4, had hut one child, a daughter, named Mary Duesbury. The date of her birth is given in the New- England Historical and Genealogical Register as Dec. 7, 1737. Her mother died Nov. 13, 1752, as we learn from the records of the Old King Chapel, where she was a member. Her father died at .sea only a .short time before. After the death of her parents Mary was placed in the family of Rev. Sanuiel Niles, who was born in Rhode Lsland in 1673 ; graduated from Harvard 1711 ; preached over 50 years, and died in Braintree in 1762. In order to enable the descendants of Jpmes Gibson to keep a record of their ancestry more fully I append the following : His only child, Mary Duesbury, married Nehemiah Blanchard, of Braintree, Mass., al)out the year 1757 or 1758. He was born there Feb. 10, 1736. vSon of Nathaniel Blanchard (of Al)ington and Braintree,) and Hannah Thayer, daughter of Ephraim Thayer. He v.-as born May 19, 1701; she was born Jan. 13, 1698. They were married April 14, 1724. They were descendants of Samuel Ba.ss, who came from England to Roxbury in 1630, to Braintree in 1640; of Thomas Blanchard, who came to Charlestown in 1639, with four .sons, and settled there, his immediate descendants .set- tling in u few years in Weymouth, Abington and Braintree ; of Thomas and Margery Thayer, who came, in 1640, with three children ; and of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, of Mayflower fame. The desendants of Capt. James Gibson, can find complete genea- logical histories of their ancestors in the memorial histories of the Alden, the Thayer, the Blanchard and Bass families, and in the his- tories of the towns of Roxbury, Quincy (Old Braintree), Abington and We} month. Also in Wimsor's Memonal History of Boston, and in the New England Genealogical and Historical Register. It is also traced from Nehemiah Blanchard back to the above mentioned Emigrant Ancestors in Vol. 8, American Ancestry, pub- lished by Joel Munsell's Sons, Albany, N. Y. Pages 88 and 95. The line of descent from Nehemiah Blanchard and Mary Dues- bury Gibson to the writer is as follows : Their daughter, Thomazin Blanchard, born in Braintree, Sept. 29, 1765, was married to Jeremiah John.son (also born in Braintree in 1763) about 1786, in Charlestown, New Hamp.shire, where he i Ji. 35 .TES. ild, a daughter, ,'en in the New Dec. 7, 1737. 1 the records of er father died of her parents , who was born 711 ; preached )Son to keep a owing : 1 Blanchard, of was born there Al)ington and hraim Thaj'er. ;, 169.S. They uits of Samuel 3, to Braintree istown in 1639, ascendants set- Braintree ; of .0, with three , of Maj'flower was discharged from the army of the revohition in Jan., 1783, hav- ing enlisted at the age of 17, in Capt. Moody Dustin's Company, ist Regiment New Hamp.shire line, commanded by Col. Cilley. They settled in the town of Weathersfield, near tne village of Reading, where, after raising a family of children, both died, she at the age of 63, and he at the age of 83. On the breaking out of the war of 18 12 he enlisted at the age of 49, in Jan., 1S13, in Capt Marston's Company, 2i.st Regimejit U.S. Infantry, and served until Oct. 5, 1814, when he was discharged at Fort Erie, Canada, on surgeon's certificate of di.sability. His son-in-law, Robert White, lost both arms b\' a cannon shot at the battle of Fort Erie, Canada, not far from Buffalo, N. Y., in August, 1 8 14. His family consisted of the following : Mary, who married Robert White, and settled in Ohio, and later in Bureau Co., 111. Sarah, who married Bemiss, and settled in Ontario Co., New York, where she died soon after. James Gibson, born Sept. 29, 1799, and settled in Michigan. Thoma^jin, who married Calvin Grandy, and settled in Vermont. Lorenzo Dow, born Aug. 21, 1S05, and settled in Mass. Susan, who married Linas Thayer, and settled in Ohio. Thomas, the youngest, vvho also settled in Ohio. 3mplete genea- listories of the and in the his- ree), Abington 3ry of Boston, , Register. to the above Ancestry, pub- s 88 and 95. id Mary Dues- raintree, Sept. rn in Braintree ire, where he