In response, William Shirley, the Governor of Massachusetts, made preparations for an assault on Louisbourg. By 1744, France, Spain, Bavaria, and Prussia had formed an alliance to face the combined forces of Britain, Holland, Austria, and Saxony. The force was divided into three divisions: Red, commanded by James Wolfe, Blue, commanded by Charles Lawrence and White commanded by Edward Whitmore. Most historians regard the British actions of 25 July as the "straw that broke the camel's back". Louisbourg, former town, Cape Breton county, northeastern Nova Scotia, Canada, on the east side of Cape Breton Island, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Sydney. [5], On 26 July the French surrendered. The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War (known in the United States as the French and Indian War) in 1758 that ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada and led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.[4]. Pepperell's men promptly turned the captured cannon on Louisbourg. Weather conditions in the first week of June made any landing impossible and the British were only able to mount a bombardment of the improvised shore defenses of Gabarus Bay from a frigate. A stiff breeze fanned the fire, and shortly after the L'Entreprenant caught fire, two other French ships had caught fire. View of Louisbourg when the city was besieged in 1758. The British raiders eliminated the last two French ships of the line, capturing the Bienfaisant and burning the Prudent, thus clearing the way for the Royal Navy to enter the harbour. The administrative center was called Louisbourg in honor of King Louis XIV and had the great advantage of being located on an ice-free harbor. The invasion fleet reached Louisbourg on 30 April 1745. Since 1995 it has been part of Cape Breton Regional Municipality. In 1758, Parliament planned an attack on the Fortress of Louisbourg, which stood in the way of a large-scale British attack on the rest of Quebec using the St. Lawrence River. Drucour ordered trenches to be prepared and manned by some 2,000 French troops, along with other defences, such as an artillery battery, at Kensington Cove. Edmonton web design by Chinook Multimedia Inc. From Louisbourg, British forces spent the remainder of the year routing French forces and occupying French settlements in what is today New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. This page describes the Siege of Louisbourg in the French and Indian War. In the meantime, Wolfe was sent with 1,220 picked men around the harbour to seize Lighthouse Point, which dominated the harbour entrance. Louisbourg had held out long enough to prevent an attack on Quebec in 1758. The Cambis regiment refused to honour the terms of surrender, breaking their muskets and burning their regimental flags rather than hand them over to the British victors.[6]. Its destruction eroded confidence and reduced morale in the French troops and their hopes to lift the British siege. On 21 July a mortar round from a British gun on Lighthouse Point struck a 74 gun French ship of the line, L'Entreprenant, and set it ablaze. Founded in 1713 by French settlers from United States - Highway State Welcome Signs, United States - 50 States Postage Stamps Coloring Pages, United States - Land (Physiographic) Regions, United States - Postage Stamp Coloring Pages for the 50 States, United States - State Quarter Coloring Pages. The British battery consisted of seventy cannon and mortars of all sizes. It marked a change of strategy in how the British fought the war. After several setbacks in the Ohio River Valley, British Prime Minister William Pitt decided that the best strategy for winning the war would be to attack New France in Canada. The Anglo-American troops landed unopposed and quickly seized the Royal Battery, a fortified artillery position outside the French fortress. Louisbourg was used in 1759 as the staging point for General Wolfe's famous Siege of Quebec ending French rule in North America. The Royal Navy blockaded the harbour and intercepted the Vigilant, a French ship carrying ammunition and reinforcements to the beleaguered fortress. "The Assault Landing at Louisbourg, 1758,". After an expedition against Louisbourg in 1757 led by Lord Loudon was turned back due to a strong French naval deployment, the British under the leadership of William Pitt resolved to try again with new commanders. Commodore Peter Warren of Britain commanded the naval forces. They were under the command of Jeffrey Amherst. Pitt assigned the duty of capturing the fortress to Major General Jeffrey Amherst. Although the attack on Annapolis Royal failed, the French force returned to Louisbourg with captured British ships and their cargos. Meanwhile, the French had become embroiled in the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748). Space - Moons, Stars, Amazing Wonders, and More! James Cook, who later became famous as an explorer, took part in this operation and recorded it in his ship's log book. After eleven days, on 19 June, the British artillery batteries were in position and the orders were given to open fire on the French. Eventually, however, their soldiers managed to secure the shore, and the constant pounding from British cannons and guns penetrated the walls of the great fortress, setting large sections of it ablaze.