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BOSTON MEECHANT 
 
 OP 
 
 1745: 
 
 OR, 
 
 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF 
 
 JAMES GIBSQI^, 
 
 A GBNILEMAN VOLUSIEEK AT THE EXPEDITION TO LOUISBUKG J 
 
 JOURNAL OF THAT SIEGE, NEVER BEEORE PUB- 
 LISHED IN THIS COUNTRY. 
 
 BX ONE OF HIS D E>^ £^ Jl A N T S . 
 
 sLw-t^-n-i 3 X) • 7^ iJ""^^wC'|-<t'' 
 
 BOSTON : 
 KEDDING AND COMTANY. 
 
 1847. 
 
Entered according lo act of Congress, in the year 1847, 
 by Redding & Co., in the Clerk's Office of the Dis- 
 trict Court of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
 ^^o,^ 
 
 0^ 
 
 1> 
 
 Boston : 
 
 Printed by S. N. Dickinson & Co. 
 
 52 Washington Street. 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 TO THE 
 
 congregations 
 
 worshipping in 
 
 "king's chapel" and the "old 
 
 south," also to the young ladies of 
 
 THE "beacon HILL SEMINARY," AND 
 THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON GEN- 
 ERALLY, IS THIS LITTLE 
 WORK RESPECTFULLY 
 INSCRIBED. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 1. Usually when a book is dedi- 
 3ated, it is done " by permission ;" but 
 n the present case, the author justifies 
 limself in doing on his own respon- 
 sibility that which no one would feel 
 luthorized to permit or prohibit. 
 
 2. It will doubtless be enough for 
 he worshipers at King's Chapel to 
 <now that the hero of our story, in 
 3oncert with his friend Gov. Shirley, 
 ivho laid the corner-stone of that edi- 
 ice, was quite as much attached to 
 he church as he was to the crown ; 
 hat this brought him and his amiable 
 md intelligent lady into active mem- 
 
6 I 
 
 bership with the only " Established 
 Church" then existing in the town 
 of Boston ; and that his widow sleeps 
 in the " old church-yard " contiguous 
 to the chapel. 
 
 3. It is a melancholy fact to the 
 writer, that, while he succeeds in find- 
 ing the graves of his progenitors, he 
 can find so little of their history. It 
 is from our grandmother, the only 
 child of Gibson, that we have the 
 manner of his death. She lived to a 
 great age. The writer has in his pos- 
 session a letter that she wrote in her 
 eightieth year, in which she says that 
 there is a family in Boston by the 
 name of Perkins, who knows all 
 about her claims in England, refer- 
 ring to property which Parliament 
 awarded to her father for services per- 
 formed at the capture of Louisburg. 
 
This letter was dated in 1816. It 
 does not mention the given name of 
 I Perkins. Tradition in our family as- 
 I signs them to the congregation wor- 
 I shipping in the " Old South Church." 
 I That there was a family in Boston who 
 ' tenderly cherished the orphan of " Bea- 
 |con Hill mansion house,"=^ ever after 
 I she went into the family of Rev. Mr. 
 Niles of Braintree, we have still further 
 I evidence. If the descendants of such 
 ' a family could be found, perhaps the 
 writer, who is on a kind of pilgrim- 
 ■; age upon the back track of his ances- 
 tors, might meet with some facts 
 which may be quite gratifying to 
 his antiquarian curiosity — which he 
 
 * Near the site of this mansion house the Rev. 
 I Hubbard Winslow has located the " Beacon 
 Hill Seminary," for young ladies. 
 
8 
 
 deems laudable, since he is almost 
 without a relative in New England, 
 belonging either to paternal or mater- 
 nal side, and the only male descend- 
 ant of Gibson's orphan daughter that 
 he knows to be living in the United 
 States. 
 
 4. It may appear somewhat singu- 
 lar, that the writer should have so lit- 
 tie information respecting his imme- 
 diate ancestors, living only one or 
 two generations back ; but the orphan 
 daughter of Gibson dying while he 
 was but a boy, and his mother also 
 when he was quite young, and hav- 
 ing no accessible relatives who can 
 afford him any aid in this behalf, he is 
 indulging the hope, that, by the cir- 
 culation of this little book, he will 
 fall in with some point of interest yet 
 undiscovered. 
 
5. If he should not be able to re- 
 cover any farther information in this 
 country, he does not doubt that the 
 generous citizens of Boston will be 
 gratified to purchase this book in such 
 numbers as to enable him to seek 
 among the descendants of the " an- 
 cient and honorable family of Gib- 
 sons" of the old world the more com- 
 plete story of his ancestors. 
 
 After looking through the most 
 important libraries in New England, 
 the writer became satisfied that he 
 had probably the only copy of this 
 "Journal of the Siege" in America, 
 which is the identical one that Mr. 
 Gibson gave to his daughter on his 
 return from England. Presuming that 
 the Massachusetts Historical Society 
 might deem the "Journal" worthy of 
 
 their consideration, it was submitted 
 2 
 
10 
 
 to the Hon. F. C. Gray, Chairman of 
 the Publishing Committee, who re- 
 turned it with a note from which we 
 make the following extract : 
 
 '•' Dear Sir, — The siege of Louis- 
 burg is an object of so much impor- 
 tance in our provincial history, that 
 an authentic journal kept by an oflicer 
 engaged in that expedition cannot 
 be without interest to our antiqua- 
 rians," &c. 
 
BOSTON MERCHANT 
 
 OF 1745. 
 
 James Gibson was born in London 
 about the year 1700, and belonged, so 
 says the inscription on his coat of 
 arms, " to the ancient and honorable 
 family of Gibson, of Cumberland, 
 Essex, and London," and relative of 
 Edward Gibson, the eminent anti- 
 quarian, and Bishop of London. 
 
 When a young man, he held a 
 commission in the royal army, which 
 was ordered to the island of Barba- 
 does. Here he remained some time, 
 and married a young and wealthy 
 widow, in the month of October, 
 1730. The original of the following 
 certificate is now in the hands of the 
 writer : — 
 
 " These are to certify to whom 
 it may concern, that Mr. James 
 
12 
 
 Gibson and Mrs. Thomazlne Barton, 
 widow, of this parish, were joined to- 
 gether in the holy state of matrimony, 
 according to the canons of the Church 
 of England, on the 30th day of Octo- 
 ber, 1730, by me, 
 
 Thomas Warren, Curate." 
 " Barbadoes, Parish of St. Michael " 
 
 Through this connection, James 
 Gibson became possessor of a large 
 plantation in the island of Jamaica. 
 After a few years, he retired from his 
 situation in the army, and remained 
 in the West Indies. 
 
 Having often heard of the new 
 colonies, and becoming acquainted 
 with merchants who visited the islands 
 for the purpose of trading, he was in- 
 duced to come to New England with 
 his lady; and, being pleased with the 
 thriving appearance of the northern 
 colonies, he brought his wealth and 
 family to Boston, and became an ex- 
 tensive trader between that place and 
 
13 
 
 the islands of Barbadoes and Ja- 
 maica- 
 Mr. Gibson was also a stockholder 
 in the enterprise of building Long 
 Wharf, and inhabited one of the finest 
 buildings then to be seen on Beacon 
 Hill.=^ He had but one child, a daugh- 
 ter. 
 
 In the year ] 744, war was declared 
 between France and Great Britain. 
 George 11. was upon the throne, and 
 Sir William Shirley, then governor of 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 The news reached Cape Breton, by 
 a fast-sailing packet, three weeks be- 
 fore it was received in Boston; and 
 this afforded the French a fine oppor- 
 tunity of making incursions into the 
 
 * It will he seen by referring to the Probate 
 records, at Boston, that tlic administrator had two 
 different times of rendering an invoice of Gib- 
 son's estate. In one of them the building referred 
 to is called " the mansion house on Beacon Hill, 
 Boston." Among other articles, " a brass sword 
 and belt, and a silver snuff-box," are mentioned. 
 
14 
 
 neighboring province of Nova Scotia. 
 In this manner, Canso, a small fishing 
 town, was taken by surprise ; and the 
 inhabitants, and a large number of 
 vessels were captured, and taken to 
 Louisburg, as prisoners of war. 
 
 These early attacks awakened the 
 English colonies to their danger ; and 
 it soon became apparent, that Nova 
 Scotia, and perhaps all the English 
 settlements in North America, de- 
 pended on the conquest of Louisburg, 
 the strong fortress and capital of Cape 
 Breton. 
 
 Some of the colonists, however, in 
 defending the town of Anapolis, in a 
 second incursion from the French, 
 obtained some prisoners, whom they 
 exchanged for the inhabitants of Can- 
 so, taken in the spring, and who 
 brought an accurate account of the 
 strena:lh of the fortifications of Louis- 
 burg, to Boston. 
 
 From this account. Sir William 
 Shirley, governor of Massachusetts, 
 
15 
 
 conceived the idea of taking the city 
 by surprise, before any farther aid 
 could be obtained from France. In 
 this he was encouraged, particularly 
 by those who were engaged in the 
 cod fisheries of Massachusetts and 
 New Hampshire ; as this branch of 
 trade must be utterly suspended, while 
 Louisburg remained in the hands of 
 the French. 
 
 To obtain the opinion of the Gene- 
 ral Court, Sir William, early in Janu- 
 ary, requested its members to bind 
 themselves, under oath of secresy, to 
 receive from him an important com- 
 munication. This was complied with, 
 and he proposed his plan of attacking 
 Louisburg, and asked their consent. 
 This was kept a secret for a number 
 of days from the public. At last it 
 was discovered by an honest deacon, 
 whose whole soul was so filled with 
 the plan of the expedition, that he in- 
 advertently made mention of it at his 
 family devotions, by praying for its 
 
16 
 
 success. The boldness of the propo- 
 sal astonished every one. It was re- 
 ferred to a committee, who reported 
 against it. This report, after some 
 debate, was accepted by a considera- 
 ble majority, and it was supposed that 
 the subject was put to rest. The 
 governor, however, was not thus to be 
 defeated : he was a man of persever- 
 ance as ^vell as decision. James 
 Gibson he knew to be a man of 
 weighty character, as well as weighty 
 purse. 
 
 " After a few days," says Mr. Gib- 
 son, " I saw the governor walking 
 slowly down King Street, with his 
 head bent down, as if in deep study. 
 He entered my counting-room, and 
 abruptly said, ' Gibson, do you feel 
 like giving up the expedition to Louis- 
 burg?' 'I wish the vote might be 
 reconsidered,' was my reply ; ' for un- 
 less the colonies make a bold strike, 
 we may all suffer the same fate of 
 Canso and Anapolis.' 
 
17 
 
 " ' You are the very man I need,' 
 said the governor, springing from his 
 chair. ' I have been thinking, if a pe- 
 tition were drawn np and signed by 
 the merchants of Boston, asking a 
 reconsideration of the whole matter, 
 the result would be successful.' " 
 
 Before he left, Sir William had the 
 pleasure of seeing the petition drawn 
 up and signed by one bold man, and 
 before night it was ready for presenta- 
 tion. 
 
 The next day it was read in the 
 General Court, and another commit- 
 tee voted a reconsideration. This 
 report was argued two whole days ; 
 during which time, its advocates pre- 
 sented the prospect of success, and the 
 advantages Massachusetts would re- 
 ceive from it, the importance of im- 
 mediate action, and the certainty that 
 they would be amply remunerated by 
 Parliament, when it was known to 
 his Majesty what proof of loyalty his 
 American subjects had given. 
 
18 
 
 On the other side, it was argued 
 with much greater plausibility, that 
 the scheme was chimerical, that inex- 
 perienced militia could never reduce 
 so impregnable a fortress, that by rea- 
 son of" fogs and ice the island could 
 not be approached at that season of 
 the year, that they should incur the 
 displeasure of Parliament by such a 
 rash undertaking, that the province 
 was exhausted by previous cam- 
 paigns, and if this were unsuccessful, 
 it would prove its utter ruin. The 
 question was taken on the 26th of 
 January, and the expedition was voted 
 by a majority of a single vote ; sever- 
 al members who were known to be 
 opposed, being absent. No sooner, 
 however, was this done than a degree 
 of unanimity upon the subject gene- 
 rally prevailed ; and those who had 
 previously opposed it, like true patriots, 
 came forward, and gave their aid in 
 carrying it into effect. Never were a 
 people more enthusiastic, or enter- 
 
19 
 
 tained stronger hopes of success, than 
 the people of Massachusetts at that 
 time. Letters were immediately sent 
 to Pennsylvania and other colonies, 
 requesting their assistance. 
 
 Governor Shirley soon made proc- 
 lamation for raising the necessary 
 forces; and measures were taken for 
 equipping the small fleet, then owned 
 by the province, for the purpose of 
 conveying the troops. The governor 
 also sent to the commander of the 
 British fleet at the West Indies, re- 
 questing aid. 
 
 The island of Cape Breton, on 
 which Louisburg is situated, consti- 
 tutes at present a part of the Province 
 of Nova Scotia. It is of triangular 
 form, and eighty leagues in circum- 
 ference. Its western and northern 
 shores are steep, roeky, and inaccessi- 
 ble ; while its south-eastern is indented 
 with beautiful bays and harbors, safe 
 for ships of the largest size. Its soil 
 is barren, and a large portion of the 
 
20 
 
 year the island is either enveloped in 
 fog, or locked up with snow and ice. 
 Its entire population, 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 call- 
 ed the " Dunkirk of America." For 
 a description of it, I use the words of 
 Dr. Belknan: — "It was two miles 
 and a half in circumference, fortified 
 in every accessible point, with a ram- 
 part of stone, from thirty to thirty-six 
 feel high, and a ditch eighty feet wide. 
 A space of two hundred yards was 
 left without a rampart, on the side 
 next the sea, and enclosed by a sim- 
 ple dike and pickets. The sea was 
 so narrow at this place, that it made 
 only a narrow channel, inaccessible, 
 from its numerous reefs, to any ship- 
 ping whatever. On an island, at the 
 entrance of the harbor, which was 
 only four hundred yards wide, was a 
 battery of thirty cannon; and at the 
 
21 
 
 bottom of the harbor, directly opposite 
 to the entrance, was the ground, or 
 royal battery, of twenty-eight, forty- 
 two, and eighteen pound cannon. 
 On a high clifi, opposite the island 
 battery, stood the lighthouse ; and at 
 the north-east 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 cir- 
 cular battery of cannon. 
 
 " These works had been twenly-five 
 years in building, and, though not 
 finished, had cost France not less 
 than thirty millions of livres. It was 
 in peace a safe retreat for the French 
 ships bound homeward from the East 
 and West Indies ; and in war, a source 
 of distress to the northern English 
 colonies ; its situation being extremely 
 favorable for privateers to seize their 
 
22 
 
 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 Ro- 
 mans." 
 
 Such was the place that the people 
 of New England proposed to take by 
 surprise in 1745. It was, perhaps, as 
 impregnable as nature and art could 
 make it, and was probably considered 
 as safe by France then, as Gibraltar 
 is by the English at the present day. 
 Its reduction was suggested and ac- 
 complished by a train of circumstan- 
 ces as remarkable as the event was 
 glorious. It was very properly said 
 by a writer of the day, that "if, in this 
 expedition, any one circumstance had 
 taken a wrong turn on the French 
 side, it must have miscarried." 
 
 In all this preparation, James Gib- 
 son was not an idle spectator. See- 
 ing the difficulty of raising volunteers 
 from the poor and hard-working men 
 
23 
 
 of the colony, he also became a volun- 
 teer. Already possessing the com- 
 mission of captain 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 difficulty to be surmounted 
 was the appointment of a commander- 
 in-chief. This was attended with 
 some difficulty, as they v/ere raw sol- 
 diers, taken 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, then a colonel of the militia, 
 and a merchant of good reputation, 
 known extensively both in Massachu- 
 setts and New Hampshire. 
 
 Before accepting the appointment, 
 Pepperell consulted the famousGeorge 
 Whitfield, who was then travelling 
 through New England, upon its expe- 
 
24 
 
 diency. Whitfield told him he did 
 not think the situation 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 therefore to go, 
 with a single eye, and then he would 
 find his strength proportioned to his 
 necessity." After some time he 
 gave a motto for the flag, which was 
 " Nil desperandum, Christo duce," 
 thereby giving the expedition an air 
 of a crusade. It is said that a large 
 number of the followers of Whitfield 
 enlisted ; and as a proof of the reli- 
 gious feeling by which they were ac- 
 tuated, one of them, a clergyman, car- 
 ried upon his siioulder a hatchet for 
 the purpose of destroying the images 
 in the French churches. 
 
 Few men could leave their families 
 under more trying circumstances than 
 
25 
 
 James Gibson. Without a single 
 relative in North America, nearer 
 than the West Indies, his wife was 
 to endure alone the suspense of this 
 hazardous and doubtful expedition, 
 and remain behind with her little 
 daughter in Boston. But, in the midst 
 of present trial or future solicitude, 
 the firm hearts of the colonists did 
 not quail. Under these circumstances, 
 on the 25th of March, Mr. Gibson 
 took leave of his family, of his tender 
 and confiding wife and child, and 
 joined the troops which on that day 
 left Boston for the island of Nan- 
 tucket, the rallying point of the expe- 
 dition. 
 
 The fleet sailed from Nantucket 
 with 4,300 men, 4,000 being furnished 
 by the colonies, and 300 by Mr. Gib- 
 son. After a prosperous voyage, it 
 appeared in view of the little town of 
 Canso. As it was yet in the early 
 spring, the ice rendered the bay im- 
 passable, and they were thus pre- 
 3 
 
26 
 
 vented from landing at the intended 
 point. In this hour of perplexity, 
 Commodore Warren, the commander 
 of the British troops at the West In- 
 dies, unexpectedly arrived with a 
 man-of-war, to their assistance. This 
 aid inspired the army with new cour- 
 age, and elated them with a prospect 
 of success. On the 29th of April, the 
 ice having broken up, the fleet sailed 
 for Louisburg, a distance of about 
 sixty miles, where they arrived the 
 next morning. 
 
 This was the first notice to the in- 
 habitants of Louisburg of the intend- 
 ed invasion. 
 
 An alarm was instantly given, and 
 our fleet was ushered into the bay by 
 a ringing of bells and discharge of 
 cannon. A detachment of 150 men 
 were sent to oppose their landing, 
 but were soon repulsed by the New 
 Englanders, who without further mo- 
 lestation landed their troops and mili- 
 
27 
 
 tary stores, about four miles below 
 the city. 
 
 On the following night, two mer- 
 chants from the Colonies — James 
 Gibson and Captain Vaughan, with 
 400 men, marched through the woods 
 and round the hills, to the northeast- 
 ern part of the harbor, and burned 
 many large warehouses containing a 
 quantity of wine and brandy, making 
 a fine beacon light. 
 
 This siege continued forty-eight 
 days, and was carried on by undis- 
 ciplined 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 gained a glorious 
 triumph, Mr. Gibson kept a regular 
 Journal, which was published after- 
 ward at London, and a copy pre- 
 sented to King George. A notice of 
 this Journal appeared in a contem- 
 porary number of the " Gentleman's 
 
28 
 
 Magazine,"^ a periodical which has 
 been continued for upward of 200 
 years. 
 
 This Journal has never been re- 
 printed 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 soci- 
 eties are seeking to obtain more ex- 
 tended information respecting this 
 expedition, and therefore give this 
 Journal entire to our readers. 
 
 * The " Gentleman's Magazine " is regarded 
 as the greatest periodical in the English lan- 
 guage. 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 indefati- 
 gable proprietor of the Antiquarian Bookstore 
 on Cornhill, the reader can see the original copy 
 of the following Journal. 
 
JOURNAL 
 
 LATE SIEGE 
 
 TROOPS FROM NORTH ABIERICA, 
 
 THE FRENCH AT CAPE BRETON, THE CITY OF 
 
 LOUISBURG, AND THE TERRITORIES 
 
 THEREUNTO BELONGING. 
 
 SURRENDEEED TO THE ENGLISH, ON THE 1 7tH 
 
 OF JUNE, 1745, AFTER A SIEGE OF 
 
 FORTY-EIGHT DAYS. 
 
 BY JAMES GIBSON, 
 
 GENTLEMAN VOLUNTEER AT TUE ABOVE SIEGE. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 FEINTED FOR J. NEWBURT, AT THE BIBLE AND SON, 
 IN ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 
 
 MDCCXLV. 
 
 r-tr 
 
DEDICATION 
 
 To the Commissioned Officers of the Troops at the 
 late Siefje against the City of Louishurg, and the 
 Territories thereunto belonging in North America. 
 
 My Dear 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 plea- 
 sure in the recollection of that signal 
 victory which you obtained, by the 
 blessing of God, through your great 
 courage and good conduct, over your 
 enemies 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 fortunes, your oc- 
 cupations, and whatever else you held 
 
32 
 
 most dear, to enter the field in the 
 service of your country against the 
 strong holds of a potent enemy ; 
 against a well-walled and well-gar- 
 risoned city; against strong batteries, 
 in short, and large cannons, I heartily 
 congratulate you on your good suc- 
 cess, 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 respective 
 callings for no other consideration 
 than fourteen shillings sterling per 
 month, besides the prospect of a little 
 plunder, as occasion 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 con- 
 quest ; for, by the terms of capitula- 
 
33 
 
 tion, the French were not only al- 
 lowed to carry off all their effects 
 without the least molestation, but 
 were transported at our expense to 
 Old France, insomuch that the sol- 
 diers, as I before hinted, had no op- 
 portunity of making any advantage 
 of their good success, which other- 
 wise they might have considerably 
 improved. 
 
 The place, gentlemen, which we 
 have thus happily made our own, 
 may with propriety be called the Icey 
 of Canada and North America. The 
 island is near a hundred miles long ; 
 and has several fine harbors in it, very 
 commodious for the fishery, whereof 
 that at Louisburg is the principal. 
 The city is not only well walled, but, 
 as it has several wide trenches and 
 flankers, it may properly be said to 
 be completely garrisoned. There is 
 likewise a very grand battery, directly 
 opposite to the mouth of the harbor, 
 the ordnance whereof consists of 
 
34 
 
 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 commodious 
 light-house, as well as a noble harbor 
 for the largest ships. 
 
 Near the shore and grand banks, 
 which are about twenty leagues' dis- 
 tance, there are fish in abundance. 
 As to the climate, it is exceeding fine 
 for curing fish, and rendering them fit 
 for a foreign market. Here are mack- 
 erel and herrings in plenty, both fat 
 and large, for baits. 
 
 The land here produces very good 
 wheat, rye, and barley ; and the mead- 
 ows, the best of grass. Besides these 
 commodities, here are fine beach 
 wood and flake for the mutual bene- 
 fit of the industrious fisherman and 
 the farmer. 
 
 This port commands not only Cape 
 
35 
 
 Sable Shore, Canco, and Newfound- 
 land, 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 Chris- 
 tian Majesty nine million and a half 
 of money ; and, since the war com- 
 menced, 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 expedition proposed at 
 Boston in New England by the gov- 
 ernment, 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 Barba- 
 does, by virtue of that commission 
 I voluntarily engaged in this expedi- 
 tion, without the least pay or allow- 
 
36 
 
 ance for my service or provision 
 during tiie whole siege. And no 
 sooner was it over, but I assisted in 
 the transportation of the French in- 
 habitants to Old France ; having 
 passed my word to proceed in a 
 transport both to France and Eng- 
 land. Give me leave here to remind 
 you of my readiness to serve this ex- 
 pedition in all respects. You remem- 
 ber, I doubt not, the tedious marches 
 which I made after the enemy, and 
 the imminent danger I was in at the 
 north-east 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 where our 
 cargo lay, no less than a hundred and 
 forty French and Indians, with a 
 shout, fired a volley against it; where- 
 upon 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 In- 
 
37 
 
 dians entered the house, ihe two other 
 men and myself so happily concealed 
 ourselves as that we were not dis- 
 covered. Some short lime 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 surprise. At last, 
 God be thanked, we arrived safe at 
 the grand battery, and received the re- 
 peated 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 morn- 
 ing, with the assistance 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 
 
38 
 
 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 
 battery, before we could go over to the 
 west side of the harbor, for fear of 
 being discovered by the fire. The 
 French, indeed, fired several times at 
 us ; but we happily received no dam- 
 age. We arrived safe soon after, at 
 the grand battery ; and no sooner had 
 the fire took the powder, but it tore 
 up the decks of the ship, and threw 
 such a quantity of stones 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 dark, 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 light-house, &c., which I hope 
 
39 
 
 will meet with a favorable reception 
 from you, and be thought at the same 
 time an acceptable service to the pub- 
 lic. As to what batteries shall here- 
 after be thought necessary to be built, 
 or what repairs ought immediately to 
 be made to those that are still stand- 
 ing, I hope a true and faithful account 
 thereof will speedily be delivered in 
 to those whom it may more immedi- 
 ately 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 execution. I am, with all due re- 
 spect, gentlemen, 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 James Gibson. 
 
 Dated July 3,1745, in Louishurg Ilarhor, on hoard 
 the Speedwell, hound for France with French inhah- 
 itunts. 
 
 P. S. I shall here take the liberty 
 to transcribe a letter verbatim, which 
 I received from Major William Hunt. 
 
40 
 
 Royal Grand Battery of King George tlie Second, 
 at Cape Breton, in North America, July itk, 1745. 
 
 Capt. James Gibson, — 
 
 I do, in behalf of myself and others, 
 the commissioned officers, return you 
 hearty thanks for the copy of your 
 Journal during the siege against the 
 city of Louisbourg, at Cape Breton ; 
 and as you are going to France with 
 the French inhabitants, and so for Eng- 
 land, we wish you success, and that 
 you may, for your charge and cour- 
 age, have great encouragement, as 
 you did so voluntarily proceed in the 
 above expedition at your own ex- 
 pense. I am, sir, 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 William Hunt, Major. 
 
A 
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SIEGE OF THE CITY OF LOUISBURG. 
 
 Tuesday, April 80th, 1745. 
 
 This day our men of war, priva- 
 teers and transports, arrived safe at 
 Caboruch Bay in Cape Breton, from 
 Canco, where we lay from the second 
 day of this instant April, to the 2Sth, 
 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 fourscore and seven 
 men to prevent their attempt. Our 
 privateers, however, lying at anchor 
 4 
 
42 
 
 near the shore, fired smartly at them ; 
 and in the mean time we landed 
 some hundred of men, who went in 
 pursuit of the enemy. We killed six 
 of them, and took five prisoners, and, 
 in short, totally beat them off. Nay, 
 more, we prevented them from get- 
 ting into the city, and obliged them to 
 fly for shelter into the woods. 
 
 Wednesday^ May 1. Our troops 
 marched towards the grand battery, 
 and set fire to ten houses, the inhabi- 
 tants 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 companies took possession of the 
 place, and at daybreak hoisted up 
 King George's flag. 
 
 Thursday^ 2. The French, perceiv- 
 ing the English flag hoisted up, fired 
 shot and bombs from the island bat- 
 tery, and all the other batteries in the 
 
43 
 
 city, against the grand battery inces- 
 santly, day and night, but to no pur- 
 pose, 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 car- 
 riage 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 unexpected, killed 
 fourteen men. 
 
 Saturday, 4. The city batteries, 
 &c., played as fast as possible with 
 bombs and cannon against our grand 
 battery. As we had two of our guns 
 drilled, we fired against the city with 
 good effect; for we took St. John's 
 and St. Peter's, and burnt them. We 
 took likewise about tw^enty prisoners; 
 but the others made their escape im 
 
44 
 
 the woods. We took, moreover, sev- 
 eral small vessels and some plunder. 
 
 Sunday^ 5. 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 iOOth Psalm, verses 
 4 and 5. In the evening we fired 
 smartly against the city with our two 
 pieces of cannon. 
 
 Monday, 6. Our company, consist- 
 ing of ninety-six men, marched to 
 the north-east harbor, which was ten 
 miles from the grand battery, and 
 drove the inhabitants into the woods. 
 Our grand battery, having several 
 guns drilled, fired smartly against the 
 city and island 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 ex- 
 cellent fish. Though the city and 
 other batteries fired smartly against 
 
45 
 
 the grand battery, yet they did no 
 damage. We, on the other hand, 
 having several guns drilled, fired 
 smartly against the city and island 
 battery, and every gun did execu- 
 tion. 
 
 Wednesday, 8. The grand battery 
 fired all day against the island bat- 
 tery and city, with good effect; the 
 city and other batteries, hovv^ever, 
 fired but seldom at us. One of our 
 guns happened 1o split, by which ac- 
 cident one of our men was hurt. 
 
 T/ivrsdajj, 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 chim- 
 neys, and the ambeseers of the bat- 
 teries knocked down. 
 
 Friday, 10. A small scout of twen- 
 ty-five men got to the north-east har- 
 bor. I and four more being in a house 
 upon plunder, 140 French and In- 
 
46 
 
 djans came down upon us firet, 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. 
 
 Satvrdai/, 11. A company this 
 day marched to the north-east harbor, 
 and buried ihe men that were killed 
 yesterday. They burnt likewise every 
 house in the place, wilh the mass- 
 house, fish stages, and warehouses. 
 They destroyed, moreover, about 100 
 shalloways, and took forty prison- 
 ers. The grand battery fired smartly 
 against the city. 
 
 Sunday^ 12. Not one gun fired 
 from the island battery this day. The 
 grand battery, however, and our other 
 batteries fired smartly against the city 
 to very good effect ; for not a gun 
 was returned. We had a sermon in 
 the mass-house at the grand battery. 
 
47 
 
 The text was taken from the 27ih 
 verse of the ninth chapter of the He- 
 brews : ' And it is appointed unto 
 men once to die, but after this the 
 judgment. So Christ was once of- 
 fered to bear the sins of many ; and 
 unto them that look for him shall he 
 appear the second time without sin 
 unto salvation.' 
 
 Monday^ 13. At three o'clock this 
 afternoon, a large French snow came 
 round the light-house, the wind being 
 east-norlh-east. She was obliged to 
 run into the harbor of Louisburg. 
 Though our grand battery and other 
 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 fish- 
 ermen. 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 b ittery till the snoxr 
 
48 
 
 grounded. At night we got a large 
 schooner, filled with combustibles, 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 schoon- 
 er, and the grand battery, no less 
 than thirty shot. One of our men 
 was killed by landgrage, and several 
 were wounded. Our gunner like- 
 wise was killed at our fascine battery, 
 through the misfortune of a gun's 
 splitting. 
 
 Tuesday, 14. There was a north- 
 east storm of wind and rain this day. 
 The city fired smartly against our 
 fascine battery. Our batteries, on the 
 other hand, fired against the city with 
 good effect. In order to prevent the 
 loading of our guns at the fascine bat- 
 tery, the French fired small arms, as 
 soon as we had discharged our cannon ; 
 but they did no manner of execution. 
 Wednesday, 15. This day the city 
 
49 
 
 fired several bombs and guns against 
 our fascine battery. We fired twenty- 
 eight guns and several bombs, which 
 did great execution in the city ; for 
 they broke down the wall of the cir- 
 cular battery and the ambuseers. 
 
 Thursday, 16. Our artillery from 
 the Green Hill threw above fifty 
 bombs and balls into the city, which 
 drove down chimneys and roofs of 
 houses. The city, indeed, fired 
 smartly ; but not a gun was heard 
 from the island battery. Two of our 
 guns at the grand battery split, by 
 which misfortune two of our men 
 were wounded. 
 
 Friday, 17. Captain Rouse con- 
 voyed six transports from Boston with 
 four months' provision for our land 
 army. Capt. Gayton, likewise, ar- 
 rived from Boston with military 
 stores. The city fired smartly all 
 day against our fascine battery, and 
 the island battery threw three bombs 
 against the grand battery. W& 
 5 
 
50 
 
 dragged several forty-two pounders 
 from the grand to the fascine battery, 
 notwithstanding it was two miles dis- 
 tant, and the way rough. 100 French 
 went out of the city by water, and 
 landed at the back of the light-house, 
 in order to cut off our men ; but as 
 we were apprised of their inten- 
 tion, we engaged them, killed three, 
 wounded several, and took the cap- 
 tain of their company prisoner. One 
 of our Indian friends was hurt very 
 much by the splitting of one of our 
 guns. 
 
 Saturday, 18. 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 fas- 
 cine battery, as it was but twenty- 
 five roods' distance. 
 
 Sunday, 19. This day a sad acci- 
 dent happened at our fascine battery. 
 Two barrels of powder took fire, and 
 
51 
 
 killed seven of our men. Though all 
 our 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 11th verse of the 17th chap- 
 ter of Exodus: 'And it came to pass 
 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 War- 
 ren and the other ships are still out in 
 chase of a man-of-war. The city 
 fired all day against our fascine bat- 
 tery. 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. 
 200 of our men marched on a scout 
 
52 
 
 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 cap- 
 tives, having first burned the mass- 
 house, and all the other houses ; as 
 also destroyed a considerable num- 
 ber of fishing shallops and the fish 
 stages. Commodore Warren sent 
 in the French man-of-war that had 
 been chased for several days. She is 
 a fine new ship of sixty-four guns, 
 called the Vigilant, and laden with 
 stores, a great number of large guns, 
 and a large quantity of powder, be- 
 sides stores for the city of Louisburg, 
 and other stores for a seventy-gun 
 ship which is building at Canada. 
 A large brigantine arrived this day 
 from France, and came into our fleet 
 through mistake, as the weather was 
 
53 
 
 very foggy. She was laden with 
 brandy and stores. A scout of 200 
 men marched out after some hund- 
 reds of French and Indians who were 
 coming down, as we heard, upon our 
 camp. The scout returned, the ene- 
 my moving off, and brought in seven 
 cows and several calves and goats, 
 &c. Our small battery, with two 
 pieces of cannon, fired on the city, 
 and did great execution ; and notwith- 
 standing our other battery fired smartly 
 against the city with good effect, yet 
 the city did not return a gun ; 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 place 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 Vigi- 
 lant lost sixty men ; wc, only five. 
 Wednesday, 22. This day the city 
 
54 
 
 fired as quick as possible against ns ; 
 we, on the other hand, shot several of 
 the French who were on the city wall, 
 with our small arms from the fascine 
 battery ; and, as the French gunner 
 was luckily killed likewise in the city 
 by another shot, they hoisted their 
 flags half mast upon that occasion. 
 This day a fifty-gun ship joined our 
 fleet. 
 
 Thursday, 23. This day a great 
 number of our men were busily em- 
 ployed in furnishing 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 them- 
 selves 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 
 
65 
 
 were but fourteen men in the island 
 
 battery. , . , 
 
 Fridaij, 24. The fleet this day ap- 
 pearing off the mouth of the harbor, 
 made a gallant show. At night, five 
 of our men and myself went on board 
 a ship which we first filled with com- 
 bustibles, and then carried her under 
 a small sale by the iron battery till we 
 had grounded her against the Kmg's 
 Gate belonging to the city. No soon- 
 er was the train set on fire, but the 
 city fired smartly against us; and 
 when we took boat, we were obliged 
 to row under the mouth of their can- 
 non, till we got on the western side 
 of the harbor. This fire-ship did as 
 much execution as we could rea- 
 sonably expect; for it burnt three ves- 
 sels, and not only beat down the pm- 
 nacle of the 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 
 an uncommon consternation. 
 
56 
 
 Saturday, 25. This day the fascine 
 battery fired smartly against the city 
 wall, and not only beat down a great 
 part of it, but much damaged the cita- 
 del, which gave us great hopes of 
 success. The city, indeed, in return, 
 fired both their cannon and their small 
 arms against the said battery, but to 
 little or no effect. 
 
 Sunday, 26. This day, a scout, con- 
 sisting of 153 men besides myself, 
 marched to the west-north-west part 
 of this island, which is twenty-five 
 miles' distance, 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 hand- 
 some house, and had two large barns, 
 well finished, that lay contiguous to it. 
 Here, likewise, were two very large 
 gardens ; as also, some fields of corn of 
 a considerable height, and other good 
 lands thereto belonging, besides plen- 
 ty of beach wood and fresh water. 
 
•57 
 
 In this house we took seven French- 
 men 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 provis- 
 ions in iheir march against our men, 
 who were at that time possessed of 
 the light-house. These were the very 
 same band, or company, that mur- 
 dered nineteen of our men at the 
 north-east-harbor on the 10th instant, 
 and shot the two men that jumped 
 out of the window, as is more partic- 
 ularly mentioned in the article of 
 that day. At that unhappy juncture 
 they took one Sergeant Cockrin pris- 
 oner ; 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 slit them up to his hand. 
 When this scene of cruelty was over, 
 
58 
 
 they entered upon a new one ; and in 
 the first place cut off the tip of his 
 tongue, and in an insuhing manner 
 bid him speak English; after that, 
 they cut off some part of his flesh, and 
 made one of his 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 
 resentment, threw it into the sea. 
 
 The other house was a fine stone 
 edifice, consisting of six rooms on a 
 floor, all well finished. There was a 
 fine walk before it, and two fine barns 
 contiguous to it, with fine gardens 
 and other appurtenances, besides sev- 
 eral fine fields of wheat. In one of the 
 barns there were fifteen loads of hay, 
 and room sufficient for three score 
 horses and other cattle. At our de- 
 parture from the first farm, we set all 
 we left behind us on fire ; and turn- 
 ing back, at a small distance, we saw 
 some hundreds of the enemy hover- 
 ing round the flames. We likewise 
 
59 
 
 set fire to, and reduced the last farm 
 as well as the first to ruins. Here 
 we took three men in a boat which 
 was laden with provisions and sailing 
 down to the city of Louisburg. This 
 last house was situated on the mouth 
 of a large salmon fishery which was 
 some few roods wide ; and, about half 
 a mile above it, there was a large 
 pond of fresh water, which was near 
 four miles over. 
 
 Monday, 21. This day we returned 
 with our scout, consisting of 154 men, 
 to the grand battery, all well, and in 
 high spirits. At twelve o'clock our 
 whale-boats were well fixed with lad- 
 ders ; and two hundred men at least, 
 if not more, attempted to scale the 
 walls of the island battery. The 
 French discovered the same; and as 
 soon as our boats came near to shore, 
 the French fired their large cannon 
 loaded with landgrage, which des- 
 troyed several of our boats as well as 
 our men. Those that actually landed 
 
60 
 
 fought till sunrise, and then called for 
 quarter. Out of the number that 
 went to the island batlery, 154 of our 
 men were missing. By two that de- 
 serted from the French, we were in- 
 formed 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 bat- 
 teries, fired smartly on the city. We 
 saw the shot beat down several chim- 
 neys, and go through the roofs of sev- 
 eral houses. This day a scout of 400 
 men marched towards Scatteree, upon 
 information 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 har- 
 bor, they came ail on a sudden upon 
 160 French and Indians, who, in a 
 
61 
 
 great conslernation, ran up another 
 hill that was full of trees and fortified 
 with rocks. As our people were only 
 in an open garden, as it were, the 
 French and Indians fired smartly at 
 them; but, notwithstanding their ad- 
 vantageous situation, we killed thirty- 
 seven and wounded forty-one, as we 
 were informed by the French cap- . 
 tain's wife, whom we had taken pris- 
 oner : and they 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 took their shallo- 
 ways laden with provisions, &c. 
 
 Wednesday, 29. This day our 
 scout, consisting of 400 men, marched 
 to Scatteree, where we burnt several 
 houses, and took six men and three 
 women prisoners. Scatteree is about 
 twenty miles from the grand battery. 
 Last night we (for I was amongst 
 
62 
 
 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, 31. Rain and fog. Not 
 a gun was fired this day on one side 
 or the other. 
 
 Saturday, June 1. This day our 
 batteries played smartly against the 
 city with their bombs and cannon. 
 The island battery did not fire a gun 
 for several days together, and the city 
 but a few. 
 
 Sunday, 2. Last night we raised a 
 great part of a new battery at the 
 light-house. 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 as fast as pos- 
 sible with their bombs and cannon 
 
63 
 
 upon them, and obliged them to draw 
 off. One flanker of this battery fronts 
 the sea, and the other is directly op- 
 posite 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 or- 
 der to prevent any of our fireships 
 from annoying the city, or any of 
 our boats from landing. We had a 
 sermon on the following words : * Pre- 
 pare to meet thy God, O Zion I ' 
 
 Monday, 3. This day a vessel ar- 
 rived from Boston with a large mor- 
 tar piece, which was landed, and 
 drawn to the light-house battery. 
 We had advice from the captain that 
 1,000 men were voluntarily raised to 
 reinforce our troops here ; and that 
 we might expect them very soon. 
 We had farther advice that the French 
 fleet of men-of-war were stopt at Brest 
 by our English men-of-war. We 
 
64 
 
 had moreover 600 barrels of powder 
 arrived from Boston, besides stores 
 for the army. This supply of ammu- 
 nition came very opportunely; for we 
 had not powder sufficient for any 
 more than four rounds at the grand 
 battery. This put new life and spirits 
 into all of us. 
 
 Tuesday, 4. This day we fired our 
 cannon and bombs against the city. 
 Both of our mortars proved so defec- 
 tive, that it was not thought safe to 
 make use of them any more. Where- 
 upon a privateer-snow was sent im- 
 mediately to Annapolis for a fresh 
 supply. We heard such a great num- 
 ber of guns fired at sea, that we con- 
 cluded there was a smart engage- 
 ment 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 
 
65 
 
 other stores for the fishery. This was 
 the sliip, it seems, which we heard in 
 the engagement yesterday. The fas- 
 cine battery played smartly with their 
 bombs and cannon, and lo very 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. 
 
 Thursday^ 6. This day the French 
 prisoners that were taken in the Vig- 
 ilant, and some others who were 
 made captives by land, were carried 
 on board Captain Gayton, and seve- 
 ral 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, un- 
 der the convoy of Capt. Gayton and 
 Snelling. Our battery fired smartly. 
 
 Saturday, 8. This day we sent a 
 
 flag of truce to the governor of the 
 
 city of Louisburg, with a letter from 
 
 the captain who was taken in the 
 
 6 
 
66 
 
 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 rea- 
 son why the English did not meet 
 with the like civil treatment and good 
 quarters at the north-east-harbor and 
 island battery, when requested. 
 
 Sunday, 9, Two Switzers last 
 night deserted the French guards in 
 the city, and came to our grand bat- 
 tery, who informed us that there was 
 no meat to be had in all the city ; and 
 that the French subsisted wholly on 
 salt fish, bread and peas. They as- 
 sured us likewise, that there were but 
 about 100 barrels of powder left for 
 all their batteries. To this they added, 
 that the first gun that we drilled and 
 fired from the grand battery killed 
 fourteen of their men. 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 
 
67 
 
 sent to Boston. A large sloop of 110 
 tons, from Canada, laden with pro- 
 visions and bound for Louisburg, was 
 chased by one of our privateers, and 
 ran on shore at the back of the light- 
 house ; about fifty men made their 
 escape. We got the vessel off with- 
 out any damage. 
 
 Monday, 10. This day our new 
 battery at the light-house played with 
 three pieces of cannon against the 
 island battery. Our south planker 
 swept the west platform, so that they 
 could not load their cannon. The 
 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 
 230 men (amongst whom I was one) 
 marched out of the grand battery to 
 
68 
 
 Scalteree ; we being informed by 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 a-nights at the 
 light-house battery. All our batteries 
 fired smartly against the city, and 
 with good effect. As their shot and 
 bombs fell short, we imagined that 
 their powder was near spent. 
 
 Wednesday^ 12. For three nights 
 past, our boats brought in provisions 
 and stores from Caboruch Bay, by 
 the island battery, without the least 
 interruption. This day our scout of 
 230 men returned from their march, 
 and found the enemy were moved 
 
69 
 
 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 num- 
 ber of shot besides, which did no great 
 damage. However, our bombs and 
 shot beat down several chimneys 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. Last night we 
 carried a schooner out of the harbor. 
 Though the island battery fired twenty 
 odd bombs and shot likewise against 
 our light-house battery, yet they did 
 no damage. Our bombs and shot, 
 on the other hand, did considera- 
 ble execution. The ships of war 
 which lay at anchor before the har- 
 bor, are these that follow, viz. Com- 
 modore Warren in the Superb, the 
 Hector, the Altham, the Launces- 
 
70 
 
 ton, the Princess Mary, the Mer- 
 maid, the Chester, the Canterbury, 
 the Sunderland, the Lark. The Vig- 
 ilant, a man-of-war of sixty-four guns, 
 taken from the French. Besides these, 
 several twenty-gun ships from New 
 England ; also snows, brigantines, and 
 sloops of force, in all above twenty ; 
 and moreover 85 transports. Twenty 
 French prizes were taken to this day. 
 
 A large privateer brigantine of 
 eighteen carriage guns, and 120 tons, 
 was fitted out, and was to sail the day 
 we landed; but the French immedi- 
 ately scuttled and sunk her in the 
 harbor. 
 
 Yesterday we got up a fine sloop 
 which the French had sunk, laden 
 with plank and timber, intended for 
 a new platform, the foundation where- 
 of w"as laid at the west part of the 
 grand battery, and was to be finished 
 this year; but we have saved them 
 that charge and trouble. 
 
 Friday, 14. Last night the large 
 
71 
 
 mortar from Boston was conveyed to 
 the light-house battery, which played 
 against the island battery seven pieces 
 of ordnance, and one mortar, which 
 beat down not only the end of the 
 garrison, but all the chimneys 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 disgusted 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. Lad- 
 ders 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 our whole 
 fleet of men-of-war, privateers and 
 
72 
 
 transports, made a gallant appear- 
 ance 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 proposed on our demand of 
 the city, and the territories thereunto 
 belonging, in the name and on the 
 behalf of our Sovereign Lord King 
 George the Second. The considera- 
 tion of so important an affair was 
 postponed till eight o'clock the next 
 morning, at which time the flag of 
 truce agreed to attend. Whereupon 
 all our batteries ceased firing till far- 
 ther orders. 
 
 Sunday, 16. The French flag of 
 truce came out of the city to our 
 camps, at 8 o'clock this morning ; and 
 it was then finally agreed and de- 
 termined, by capitulation, that the 
 French should have all their personal 
 effects, and likewise be transported to 
 France at the expense of the English. 
 The said articles being thus settled 
 
73 
 
 and adjusted, we have now liberty to 
 march into the city with our land 
 army. The men-of-war likewise, the 
 privateers and transports, may now 
 without interruption anchor in the 
 harbor, &c., &c. 
 
 Monday^ 17. This day the French 
 flag was struck, and the English one 
 hoisted up in its place at the island 
 battery. We took possession early 
 in the morning. We hoisted like- 
 wise the English flag at the grand 
 battery, and our other new batteries ; 
 then fired our cannons, and gave three 
 huzzas. At two o'clock in the after- 
 noon, Commodore Warren, with all 
 the men-of-war, as also the prize 
 man-of-war of sixty-four guns; our 
 twenty-gun ships; likewise our snows, 
 brigantines, privateers and transports, 
 came all into Louisburg harbor, which 
 made a beautiful appearance. When 
 all were safely moored, they proceed- 
 ed to fire on such a victorious and 
 joyful occasion. About four o'clock. 
 7 
 
74 
 
 in the afternoon, our land army 
 marched to the south gate of the 
 city, and entered the same, and so 
 proceeded to the parade near the cit- 
 adel ; the French troops at the same 
 time being all drawn up in a very- 
 Tegular order. Our army received 
 the usual salutes from them, every 
 part being performed Avith all the de- 
 cency and decorum imaginable. And 
 as the French were allowed to carry 
 off their effects, so our guards took all 
 the care they possibly could to pre- 
 vent the common soldiers from pilfer- 
 ing and stealing, or otherwise giv- 
 ing them the least molestation. The 
 guard and watch of the city, the gar- 
 risons, &c., were delivered to our 
 troops. 
 
 Tuesday, 18. Last night a ship 
 came against the mouth of our har- 
 bor, and lay there becalmed. In the 
 morning a man-of-war towed out, 
 and fired two shot at her. She an- 
 swered with one, and then struck. 
 
75 
 
 Whereupon she was towed into the 
 harbor by our boats. She proved to 
 be a storeship of twenty guns, about 
 300 tons, from France, and very valu- 
 able, 
 
 Wednesday^ 19. This day, upon 
 the nearest computation that could be 
 made, it was agreed on both sides, 
 that since the English had laid siege 
 to the city, &c , that nine thousand shot 
 and six hundred bombs had been dis- 
 charged by the English against the 
 French. 
 
 Thursday, 20. The guns being 
 moved from one of our small batteries 
 to the grand battery, the ambuseers 
 were levelled. 
 
 Friday., 21. The guns being moved 
 from the fascine battery into the city, 
 the ambuseers were levelled. 
 
 Saturday, 22. More guns moved 
 to the city. The guns likewise at the 
 light-house were dismounted. 
 
 Sunday, 23. A sermon preached 
 at the grand battery from the following 
 
76 
 
 words in the third chapter of Revela- 
 tions : " Behold, I stand at the door, and 
 knock: if any man hear my voice, and 
 open the door, I will come in to him, 
 and will sup with him," &c. 
 
 Monday, 24. Very foggy. We 
 heard several guns at sea. It proved 
 to be Captain Rouse from Annapolis, 
 with three mortars, shells, and shot. 
 
 Tuesday, 25. A great number of 
 men were employed to get up the ves- 
 sels which were sunk in the harbor by 
 the French the very first day we 
 landed. We are in hopes they will 
 prove valuable. 
 
 Wednesday, 26. Last night we got 
 off two French vessels that had been 
 hauled ashore. When our men got 
 up, the vessels sunk. 
 
 TJmrsday, 27. This evening sev- 
 eral shallops came in from the island 
 Scatteree with French inhabitants, and 
 surrendered themselves on the terms 
 mentioned in the capitulation with the 
 French in the city. 
 
77 
 
 Friday^ 28. From this day to Jaly 
 the 4th, we were preparing vessels for 
 the transportation of the French in 
 Louisburg to Rochport in France. 
 
 July 4. This day eleven transports 
 set sail, together with the Launceston 
 man-of-war, a forty-gun ship. Captain 
 Man, who was our convoy comman- 
 der. 
 
 There were several occurrences 
 which were very remarkable during 
 the siege. In the first place, all the 
 houses in the city (one only excepted) 
 had some shot through them, more or 
 less ; some had their roofs beat down 
 with bombs. As for the famous cita- 
 del and hospital, they were almost 
 demolished by bombs and shot. The 
 next thing remarkable was, that from 
 the first day we began the siege to that 
 of our marching into the city, it was 
 such fine weather, that we did not lose 
 one single day in the prosecution of 
 our design. And moreover, that, from 
 the 17th of June to the 4lh of July, 
 
78 
 
 (which was the day we sailed for 
 France, with the French inhabitants,) 
 it either rained or the weather was 
 very foggy. Upon which a French- 
 man made the following remark, that 
 the Virgin Mary was peculiarly kind 
 to the English, in sending them fair 
 weather dm-ing the whole siege, 
 and then in changing it to rain and 
 fog as soon as it was over. — I shall 
 conclude my Journal of the late expe- 
 dition, and siege against the city of 
 Louisburg, and the territories there- 
 unto belonging, with the following 
 addition. After we had marched into 
 the city, I waited on a gentleman 
 who was inviolably attached to the 
 King of France in Queen Anne's 
 War. This gentleman had taken the 
 New England Country Galley; he 
 had assisted likewise in the taking of 
 seventy sail of vessels more on the 
 coast of New England ; and now in 
 the above-mentioned siege, he came 
 out of Louisburg with fourscore and 
 
79 
 
 seven men, in order to prevent our 
 troops from landing, but was happily 
 beat off. This gentleman, I say, told 
 me, that he had not had his clothes 
 off his back, either by night or day, 
 from the first commencement of the 
 siege. He added, moreover, that in 
 all the histories he had ever read, he 
 never met with an instance of so bold 
 and presumptuous an attempt ; that 
 it was almost impracticable, as any 
 one would think, for 3,000 or 4,000 
 raw, undisciplined men to lay siege 
 to such a strong, well-fortified city, 
 such garrisons, batteries, &c. ; " for 
 should any one have asked me," said 
 he, " what number of men would 
 have been sufficient to have carried 
 on that very enterprise, I should 
 have answered no less than 30,000," 
 To 4his he subjoined that he never 
 heard of, or ever saw such courage 
 and intrepidity in such a handful of 
 men, who regarded neither shot nor 
 bombs ; but what was still more sur- 
 
80 
 
 prising than all the rest, he said, was 
 this, namely, to see batteries raised in 
 a night's time ; and move particularly 
 the fascine battery, which was not 
 five and twenty roods from the city 
 wall ; and to see guns, that were forty- 
 two pounders, dragged by the Eng- 
 lish from their grand battery, notwith- 
 standing it was two miles distant at 
 least, and the road too very rough. 
 May courage, resolution, life, and vig- 
 or, be for ever conspicuous in all our 
 English officers and soldiers ! for vic- 
 tory, under God, depends principally 
 on their care and conduct : and may 
 the example of the above-named 
 French captain animate us to be 
 bold and daring in a just cause! In 
 a word, may it induce us faithfully to 
 discharge the great, the important 
 trust reposed in us, by virtue of the 
 commissions which we bear under 
 our most gracious Sovereign Lord 
 King George ! 
 
 Should this be the happy effect of 
 
81 
 
 that gentleman's example, then we 
 may daily expect to make large addi- 
 tions to his majesty's dominions ; 
 then we may hope, with just grounds, 
 to defeat the common disturber of our 
 peace and tranquillity; to humble his 
 pride, and make him tributary to us ; 
 then, in short, we may reasonably ex- 
 pect to see halcyon days throughout 
 his majesty's extensive dominions, 
 and secure our most excellent consti- 
 tution both in church and state. 
 
 In order to give our readers a tran- 
 sient idea of the ill-treatment we met 
 with at Rochefort in France, I shall 
 here take the liberty, not only to tran- 
 scribe a letter which I wrote on that 
 subject to an intimate friend, but the 
 petition which twelve of us, in behalf 
 of ourselves and fellow-sufferers, 
 signed, and sent in the most submis- 
 sive manner to Commodore Maclie- 
 marrough, who, like an inhuman sav- 
 age, turned a deaf ear to our com- 
 plaints, and rather added to our mise- 
 ries than any ways relieved us. 
 
82 
 
 [The Copy of the Letter.] 
 
 Honored Sir, — Pursuant to your 
 request, I here give you a true and 
 imparlial account of the cruel and 
 barbarous treatment which we met 
 with from the French at Rochfort in 
 France. 
 
 On the fourth of July last, fourteen 
 cartels, with the Launceston man-of- 
 war, set sail from Louisburg at Cape 
 Breton, for France, with French in- 
 habitants. No sooner were we ar- 
 rived in the roadstead of Rochfort, 
 but Commodore McLemarrough,in a 
 ship of seventy-four guns, obliged us 
 to come to, under his stern, in thir- 
 teen fathom of water. We obeyed, 
 and showed our passports, which 
 when he had read, he insisted that 
 every master should deliver into his 
 hands his particular journal. Some 
 looking on it as an unreasonable de- 
 maud, with resolution opposed it, but 
 
83 
 
 were confined in irons on his ship for 
 their refusal. Soon after, he sent for 
 me on board ; and I attended accord- 
 ingly. Being admitted into the cabin, 
 he ordered me to sit down at his 
 green table, and give an account of 
 my own proceedings in writing; 
 which orders I readily complied with. 
 Having finished my declaration, I de- 
 livered it into his hands; and upon 
 the receipt of it, he told me in direct 
 terms, that the cartels could expect 
 no favor at Rochport; and that, as for 
 my own particular part, since he was 
 credibly informed by several of the 
 passengers, that I had been a very 
 busy, active fellow against the inter- 
 est of his most Christian Majesty at 
 Louisburg, in case he could find out 
 any article whatever that was in the 
 least contradictory to the declaration 
 I had delivered, that he would send 
 me to the tower. Whereupon he im- 
 mediately sent on board for my trunk, 
 and insisted on my giving him the 
 
84 
 
 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 directed 
 for London. Those, indeed, he sealed 
 up again, and, having put them into 
 the trunk, dismissed me. His next 
 orders were, that the cartels should 
 not presume to go on board their 
 convoy, the Launceston, on any pre- 
 tence whatever, without his permis- 
 sion. He charged us likewise not to 
 go on shore, and gave strict orders 
 to the garrison to watch us night and 
 day ; and, in case any of us attempted 
 to set foot on shore, the guards were 
 directed to shoot us without asking 
 any questions about the matter. His 
 severity, in short, extended so far as 
 not to permit a boat to bring us the 
 least supply of any nature or kind 
 whatsoever; insomuch that we were 
 obliged to live wholly on salt pro- 
 visions, and drink water that was ro- 
 py, and very offensive to the smell, 
 
85 
 
 for above six weeks successively. 
 When this cruel commodore set sail 
 with his fleet, with about two hund- 
 red sail of merchantmen and seven 
 men-of-war for Hispaniola, another 
 commodore supplied his place. On 
 Sunday eve he sent out a yawl, with 
 orders for all the cartels to unbend their 
 sails. We did as directed, and on 
 Monday morning 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 om* passports every 
 day. At this unhappy juncture, Capt. 
 Robert Man, who was commander of 
 the Launceston, was taken violently 
 ill of a fever; and notwithstanding 
 intercession was made that he might 
 be removed on shore, as the noise on 
 board affected his head too much, yet 
 the favor was inhumanly denied him; 
 and every officer in the ship besides. 
 As to the poor English prisoners, 
 
86 
 
 they were used in a most barbarous 
 manner ; for their principal food was 
 horse-beans, and about an inch of 
 beef once in about twenty -four hours. 
 Besides, they were so close impris* 
 oned, 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 Protes- 
 tant lady, several of them must have 
 been actually starved. Nay, more- 
 over, when any of them were sick, 
 she would visit them, and bring them 
 prayer-books, and other books of de- 
 votion, which she concealed in a chestj 
 under ground ; and then would exhort! 
 them to put their trust and confidence | 
 in God, who in his own due timejj 
 would deliver them out of the hands 
 of their arbitrary and blood-thirsty en-i 
 amies. And if any died, she wouldl 
 send coffins privately by night for thel 
 removal of their bodies, and buryi 
 them at her own expense. One ol]' 
 these poor wretches was in such aj 
 
87 
 
 weak and sickly condition, that, being 
 thirsty, and inclining 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 so weak that they could scarce 
 crawl upon the deck. As our treat- 
 ment from the French was in every 
 respect so cruel and inhuman, a peti- 
 tion or remonstrance to Commodore 
 MacLemarrough was drawn up, 
 and signed on the 25th of August, 
 1745, by twelve of us ; the purport 
 whereof was as follows : 
 
 That the petitioners were taken 
 up at the city of Louisburg, in his 
 Britannic Majesty's service on the 
 20th of June then last past, in order to 
 transport the French inhabitants of 
 that city to Rochfort. 
 
 That the petitioners were well as- 
 sured by General Pepperill and Com- 
 modore Warren, as also by the com- 
 
88 
 
 manding officer of Louisburg, that, 
 as the terms of the capitulation were 
 so generous, in regard to the inhabi- 
 tants, that there was no doubt to be 
 made of their meeting with a like 
 generous treatment in France, and 
 that the petitioners would be dis- 
 patched to England without delay. 
 
 That the petitioners had been ar- | 
 rived above twenty days, and that 
 they and their men suffered very se- 
 verely for want of fresh provisions ; 
 and that great numbers of them lay 
 sick; and that the cause, as they hum- 
 bly conceived, was their living on salt 
 provisions entirely, and drinking noth- 
 ing but ropy water that was noisome 
 to the smell. 
 
 That the petitioners had been de- 
 nied all manner of supplies for their 
 vessels, though never so absolutely 
 necessary. That, if the petitioners 
 had leave to sail directly for England, 
 it would be some considerable time 
 
89 
 
 before they could be dispatched from 
 thence. 
 
 That, as the petitioners' return to 
 New England would at best be very- 
 late in the year, and their voyage by 
 consequence very cold, comfortless, 
 and dangerous, every day was very 
 valuable to them ; and besides, that 
 their being detained so long was very 
 expensive. 
 
 The petitioners therefore prayed, 
 that his honor would take the pre- 
 mises and their unhappy sufferings 
 into his serious consideration, and 
 order such relief, in regard to their 
 provision, necessaries for their ves- 
 sels, and their speedy dispatch, as to 
 his honor should seem most meet. 
 
 Instead, however, of meeting with 
 any favor or indulgence, by virtue 
 of the above petition, all the cartels 
 were ordered to unbend their sails ; 
 their sails were carried on shore into 
 the garrisons, and the guards directed 
 8 
 
90 
 
 to shoot every Englishman that at- 
 tempted to go on shore, without ask- 
 ing any questions whatsoever. 
 I am, Sir, 
 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 James Gibson. 
 
 The news of this victory arrived at 
 Boston on the third of July. The 
 effects it produced are well described 
 in a letter from Dr. Chaney to Gen. 
 Pepperell. He says : " The people 
 of Boston before sun-rTse were as 
 thick in the streets as on election day, 
 and a pleasing joy visibly sat on every 
 countenance." — "We had last night 
 the finest illumination I ever wit- 
 nessed. There was not a house in 
 town, in by-way, lane, or alley, but 
 joy might be seen in its windows. 
 The night was also made joyful by 
 bonfires, fireworks, and other tokens 
 of rejoicing. Besides this, an enter- 
 
91 
 
 tainment was given to the people. 
 The 18th of July was observed 
 through the Commonwealth as a day 
 of thanksgiving for this event ; and it 
 was universally observed in a manner 
 becoming a people who saw in it the 
 hand of an over-ruling Providence." 
 
 Dr. Prince preached a sermon on 
 that occasion at the " Old South 
 Church," which exhibits more freely 
 than any other the religious feeling 
 of those engaged in it. " When they 
 embarked," he tells us, " their lan- 
 guage to their friends whom they 
 were about leaving Avas : ' Pray for 
 us, and we ivill fight for you I ' " 
 
 After narrating the most remarka- 
 ble events in the enterprise, he con- 
 cludes in this somewhat extravagant 
 language : " Let us not only rejoice 
 in our own salvation, but let our joy 
 rise higher, that hereby a great sup- 
 port of anti-christian power is taken 
 away, and the visible kingdom of 
 Christ enlarged. Methinks when the 
 
92 
 
 southern gales of Louisburg were 
 opened, and our army with their ban- 
 ners were marching in — the gates 
 were lifted up, and the King of glory 
 went in with them." 
 
 On returning to Boston, James 
 Gibson was joyfully received by his 
 little family, and the citizens gene- 
 rally, to whom he had rendered so 
 important services. At the close of 
 the siege, the treasury of the prov- 
 ince of Massachusetts was completely 
 exhausted. England, on hearing of 
 the service rendered by the colonies, 
 sent on a ship laden with specie to 
 reimburse the expenses of the siege. 
 The rate of indemnities was thus ex- 
 pressed in a resolution passed in Par- 
 liament, April 1, 1748: — 
 
 Resolved, 1st, That it is just and 
 reasonable that the several provinces 
 and colonies of Massachusetts Bay, 
 New Hampshire, Connecticut, and 
 Rhode Island, be reimbursed the ex- 
 
93 
 
 penses they have been at, in taking 
 and securing to the crown of Great 
 Britain, the island of Cape Breton 
 and its dependencies ; therefore, re- 
 solved to grant for this purpose, — 
 
 2d, To the Province of Massachu- 
 setts Bay, £183,649. 2s. 7^^ 
 
 3d, To that of New Hampshire, 
 £16,355. 136% 4d. 
 
 4th, To that of Connecticut, £28,- 
 863. 195. ^d. 
 
 5th, To that of Rhode Island, £6,332. 
 125. lOd. 
 
 6lh, To James Gibson, Esq., on 
 ditto account, £547. 155. 
 
 The amount due Massachusetts 
 and New Hampshire was all paid at 
 one time, in silver and copper, there 
 being sent over 215 chests of silver 
 and 100 of copper. This was a great 
 relief to the treasuries of the colonies. 
 
 But the amount allowed by Parlia- 
 ment to James Gibson was not paid 
 with the other reimbursements, and 
 
94 
 
 we have no evidence that it has ever 
 been paid to this day. 
 
 The inhabitants of the colonies ex- ■ 
 pected, that, for their distinguished ! 
 services, the officers in this siege } 
 would be noticed and rewarded by i 
 the crown. But in all this they were | 
 disappointed ; the order of knighthood j 
 conferred on Gen. Pepperell was all 
 the mark of distinction received from 
 the English government. 
 
 The amount sent over to the colo- 
 nies fell far below the actual expense, 
 which is said to have amounted to 
 ^£500,000 sterling. The English re- 
 ceived three times this amount from 
 the French taken at Louisburg. 
 
 When Mr. Gibson was in London, 
 on his return from France, he left a 
 bill of the amount which he had actu- 
 ally given from his own purse for the 
 expedition, which amounted to ^547. 
 15s. 
 
 In volume 18 and on page 223 of 
 the Gentleman's Magazine, we find 
 
95 
 
 in a report of the proceedings of Par- 
 liament the following statement: — 
 
 " To show the sense of the House 
 of Commons in it, he gives the ex- 
 penses of taking Louisburg, and ex- 
 plains the article of £547 voted to 
 James Gibson, Esq., who sought no 
 reward for his services but a small 
 office vacant in one of our planta- 
 tions. But it was given to a domes- 
 tic of the king, under whom Mr. 
 Gibson might have enjoyed it ; but he 
 refused the favor of serving under His 
 Grace's serving-man." 
 
 After his return to Boston, Mr. Gib- 
 son again resumed his business, in 
 which he continued several years. 
 During this time, he occasionally went 
 to the West Indies. 
 
 A man in the Island of Jamaica 
 had been the occasion of heavy losses 
 in property to Mr. Gibson. He there- 
 fore was obliged to leave his family 
 in Boston, and go out to settle his af- 
 fairs in the West Indies. With this 
 
96 
 
 I 
 man Mr. G. had some collision ; but i 
 on the day he was to have returned i 
 to America, he came forward, and, ■ 
 acknowledging he had done him I 
 much injustice, promised a satisfac- ! 
 tory adjustment, and with artful dis- 
 simulation invited him to dine with 
 him. The invitation was accepted by 
 the forgiving Gibson. He went to 
 dinner, and immediately after set sail 
 for the north, when in three hours he 
 was suddenly taken ill, and, in great 
 agony, died. Suspicions were in- 
 stantly entertained that he was poi- 
 soned at the dinner. 
 
 The stroke was too severe for his 
 afflicted widow, who soon died of 
 grief, leaving her young and lovely 
 daughter alone without a relation in 
 Massachusetts. The event of her 
 death was recorded in the records of 
 King's Chapel in Boston, where she 
 had long been a member, as occur- 
 ring on the 13th of November, 1752. 
 A portrait of Mr. Gibson is still in 
 
97 
 
 llie possession of his descendants, set 
 in a curiously carved and gilded frame 
 of expensive workmanship. Also, 
 his coat of arms, presented to J. Gib- 
 son as a memento of respect and af- 
 fection by Bishop Gibson, with the 
 autograph of the Bishop on the re- 
 verse of the picture. The device em- 
 braces a view of land and sky, with 
 three storks rising on the wing, and a 
 crest from a ducal coronet. 
 
 By the death of her parents, Mary 
 Gibson was left at the age of fourteen 
 an orphan, without any protection but 
 such as the law provides in such 
 cases. 
 
 A man by the name of Butler was 
 appointed her guardian, iipon whom 
 the settlement of the property de- 
 volved. 
 
 This person placed Mary under the 
 care of the Rev. Mr. Niles of Brain- 
 tree, with whom he made an agree- 
 ment that she should receive a good 
 9 
 
98 
 
 education, and left funds in his hands 
 for this purpose. 
 
 It was most providential for Mary, 
 that she was thus placed under the 
 guidance of so excellent a man. 
 
 Having thus disposed of the young 
 orphan, Butler returned to manage 
 the property, of which she was the 
 only heir, in a manner suited to his 
 corrupt and fraudulent designs. 
 
 The laws of probate in the infant 
 colonies being slightly managed at 
 that time, Butler rendered the estate 
 of Gibson insolvent! 
 
 While a member of Mr. Niles's 
 family, Mary imbibed those religious 
 principles which ever after influenced 
 her life. She was early united to a 
 gentleman by the name of Hayden, 
 and became a member of the church 
 at Brain tree. 
 
 She lost her husband, however, a 
 short time after her marriage. 
 
 She was subsequently united to 
 Nehemiah Blanchard, and became 
 
99 
 
 the mother of three daughters. Her 
 husband made great exertions to ob- 
 tain a portion of the property so frau- 
 dulently disposed of by her guardian 
 Butler. 
 
 This man seemed to be followed 
 by the judgment of God, and when 
 thrown into jail for some crime, sent 
 for Mary, now Mrs. Blanchard, and, 
 while suliering much mental remorse, 
 confessed he had robbed her ; at the 
 same time delivering to her certain 
 papers, relating to her father's prop- 
 erty, some of which w^as in lands ly- 
 ing in a place then called Slroud- 
 waler, near Portland, Maine, and 
 other lands in Maine. These papers 
 are still extant. 
 
 Mr. Blanchard made a journey to 
 the province of Maine, for the pur- 
 pose of ascertaining the value of a 
 tract of land owned by Mr. Gibson. 
 But while attempting to cross the 
 Kennebec River on the ice, in the 
 spring time of the year, he fell into an 
 
im 
 
 air-hole m the river, and was drowned. 
 'Uis valise was found on the ice, near 
 the spot where he disappeared. 
 
 Mrs. Blanehard, disheartened at the 
 loss of her husband in this unhappy 
 manner, and so unfortunate in obtain- 
 ing any portion of her father's estate, 
 desisted from any further attempt to 
 recover it; trusting herself in the kind 
 care of the widow's God, never after- 
 ward attempting to make use of the 
 papers in her possession. 
 
 A third time was she united in 
 marriage, to Dr. Carter, and removed 
 to Charlestown, to lay in the m-ave 
 her third husband! 
 
 She spent most of the remainder of 
 her life with her daughter ; and after 
 having endured the trying fortunes of 
 a varied life, with a firm and un- 
 changing reliance in the wise and 
 good Director of the Universe, she 
 died universally esteemed, in the 
 eighty-eighth year of her age, in Ban- 
 gor, New York. 
 
101 
 
 The son-in-law of this lady, who is 
 now living and eighty-four years of 
 age, affirms that, in the year 1790, he 
 fovind on the leaf of an old magazine, 
 which was sent to the widow Mrs. 
 Blanchard, an advertisement, author- 
 ized by the British Parliament, stat- 
 ing that, if there were any heirs of 
 James Gibson, Esq., in the United 
 Slates, the British government had 
 money for them, awaiting their plea- 
 sure. 
 
 The gentleman above alluded to, 
 residing in the State of Vermont, 
 commenced jDreparations for going to 
 England, and endeavoring to recover 
 the debt so rightfully due to James 
 Gibson. But for want of means at 
 the time, he gave it up, and it has been 
 suffered to lie dormant ever since.^ 
 
 * This gentleman, son-in-law to the only heir 
 of James Gibson, says that there resided a family 
 in Boston by the name of Perkins, members of 
 the Old South Church in that city, who knew 
 more than any one in America of the history of 
 
102 
 
 James Gibson. With the hope of finding a I 
 more complete account of his life than that now 
 in our possession, we have endeavored to find the ! 
 descendants ofsuch a family; but all these efforts; 
 have hitherto been fruitless. Should the peru- 
 sal of this little sketch be the occasion of re- 
 covering any information that would add a sm- 
 gle historical fact to the incidents here narrated, 
 the descendants would be greatly obliged. Any 
 such communication addressed through the Bos- 
 ton Post Office, would reach them directed to 
 L. D.J. 
 
Memoria Technica; 
 
 Or, the Art of Abbreviating those Studies which give 
 the greatest labor to tlie Memory ; including Num- 
 bers, Historical Dates, Geography, Astronomy, Gravi- 
 ties, &c. ; also, Kules for Memorizing Technicalities, 
 Nomenclatures, I'roper Names, Prose, Poetry, and 
 Topics in general. Embracing all the available Rules 
 found in Mnemonics or jMnemotechny, of Ancient 
 and Modern Times. To which is added a Perpetual 
 Almanac for Two Thousand Years of Past Time and 
 Time to Come. Adapted to the u.se of Schools — to 
 be used as an aid to the studies of History, Geogra- 
 phy, &c. &c. By Lorenzo D. Johnson. Second edi- 
 tion, revised and improved. Price, fifty cents. 
 
 In presenting to the public the "Memoria Technica," 
 which, in some respects, may be said to contain a new 
 theory of instruction, the publishers beg leave to direct 
 attention to some of its peculiarities. 
 
 Jt is the first work of the kind which has ever been 
 prepared for the use of Schools; although it is true 
 that Whelpley and Worcester, in preparing their Com- 
 pends of Universal History, (for the want of something 
 better,) introduced an abstract of Gray's System of 
 Mnemonics, which, like Gouraud's, relates only to the 
 memory oi figures. 
 
 Heretofore, the professors of Mnemonics, instead of 
 directing their elforts to promote general education, 
 liave reserved to themselves the privilege of explaining 
 the bases of their systems by public lectures, and to se- 
 lect classes at charges (|uite exorbitant. This work is 
 so arranged and simplified, that every school teacher 
 may him.self become " I'roiessor " of all the Mnemonics 
 lliat can be made available to the pupils under his care. 
 
 The Figure Alphcibet is also SO constructed that no one 
 can thoroughly learu it without becoming familiar with 
 
the analyses of sounds and articulations, as taught by j 
 the most distinguished rrofessors. 
 
 This work is not intended to take the place of any 
 school book now in use, nor is the system calculated to 
 supersede any study now pursued in schools, but intro- 
 duced as an auxilary to them all. 
 
 As a demonstration of the wonderful aid to the mem- 
 ory which may be deri\ed from a knowledge of this 
 system, it is only necessary to give the result in the case 
 of a boy, now fourteen years of age, (who has been em- 
 ployed most of his days in a Cotton Factory,) as a 
 specimen of what others who study the system may ac- 
 complish. This lad has frequently, in public assemblies, 
 and will at any time, on being called upon, answer 
 more than six thousand questions where the answers 
 are contained in figures, embracing topics in History, 
 (ieography, Astronomy, the dates of Discoveries and 
 Improvements, and in Biography. 
 
 In BoTANv, he will give the class and order of any 
 one of 160;)/<i)!<.«, according to Linna' us, a.iid the senti- 
 nmnt assigned to it in the Ijanguage of Flowers. 
 
 Memort lie will commit as many names of a mis- 
 cellaneous audience as any one may please tocalloffto 
 him, and will lehearse them in tlie order in which they 
 were gi\ en, or at random, when the number ot the name 
 is given. 
 
 I'lie work contains a vast amount of important infor- 
 mation ; which, aside from its value as a system of in- 
 struction, renders it, as hsis been justly said by many 
 who ha\e examined it, well worth the price of the work 
 as a mere book of reference. 
 
 GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN, Tublishers, 
 
 59 Washington street. 
 
 The Memoria Tochnica is already introduced, as a 
 te.vt-book, into several of the Boston Schools. 
 
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