the conquest of new france-第10章

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British　officer　with　strict　military　ideas　could　not；　perhaps；

have　led　that　strange　army　with　success。　Pepperrell　knew　that　he

had　good　fighting　material；　he　knew；　too；　how　to　handle　it。　In

his　army　of　some　four　thousand　men　there　was　probably　not　one

officer　with　a　regular　training。　Few　of　his　force　had　proper

equipment；　but　nearly　all　his　men　were　handy　on　a　ship　as　well　as

on　land。　In　Louisbourg　were　about　two　thousand　defenders；　of　whom

only　five　or　six　hundred　were　French　regulars。　These　professional

soldiers　watched　with　contempt　not　untouched　with　apprehension

the　breaches　of　military　precedent　in　the　operations　of　the

besiegers。　Men　harnessed　like　horses　dragged　guns　through

morasses　into　position；　exposed　themselves　recklessly；　and　showed

the　skill；　initiative；　and　resolution　which　we　have　now　come　to

consider　the　dominant　qualities　of　the　Yankee。　In　time　Warren

arrived　with　a　British　squadron　and　then　the　French　were　puzzled

anew。　They　could　not　understand　the　relations　between　the　fleet

and　the　army；　which　seemed　to　them　to　belong　to　different

nations。　The　New　Englanders　appeared　to　be　under　a　Governor　who

was　something　like　an　independent　monarch。　He　had　drawn　up

elaborate　plans　for　his　army；　comical　in　their　apparent　disregard

of　the　realities　of　war；　naming　the　hour　when　the　force　should

land　〃unobserved〃　before　Louisbourg；　instructing　Pepperrell　to

surprise　that　place　while　every　one　was　asleep；　and　so　on。　Kindly

Providence　was　expected　even　to　give　continuous　good　weather。

〃The　English　appear　to　have　enlisted　Heaven　in　their　interests；〃

said　a　despairing　resident　of　the　town；　〃so　long　as　the

expedition　lasted　they　had　the　most　beautiful　weather　in　the

world。〃　There　were　no　storms；　the　winds　were　favorable；　fog；　so

common　on　that　coast；　did　not　creep　in；　and　the　sky　was　clear。



Among　the　French　the　opinion　prevailed　that　the　English　colonists

were　ferocious　pirates　plotting　eternally　to　destroy　the　power　of

France。　Their　liberty；　however；　it　was　well　understood；　had　made

them　strong；　and　now　they　quickly　became　formidable　soldiers。

Their　shooting；　bad　at　first；　was；　in　the　end；　superb。　Sometimes

in　their　excess　of　zeal　they　overcharged　their　cannon　so　that　the

guns　burst。　But　they　managed　to　hit　practically　every　house　in

Louisbourg；　and　since　most　of　the　houses　were　of　wood　there　was

constant　danger　of　fire。　Some　of　the　French　fought　well。　Even

children　of　ten　and　twelve　helped　to　carry　ammunition。



The　Governor　Duchambon　tried　to　keep　up　the　spirits　of　the

garrison　by　absurd　exaggeration　of　British　losses。　He　was　relying

much　on　help　from　France；　but　only　a　single　ship　reached　port。　On

May　19；　1745；　the　besieged　saw　approaching　Louisbourg　a　great

French　ship　of　war；　the　Vigilant；　long　looked　for；　carrying　64

guns　and　560　men。　A　northwest　wind　was　blowing　which　would　have

brought　her　quickly　into　the　harbor。　The　British　fleet　was　two

and　a　half　leagues　away　to　leeward。　The　great　ship；　thinking

herself　secure；　did　not　even　stop　to　communicate　with　Louisbourg

but　wantonly　gave　chase　to　a　small　British　privateer　which　she

encountered　near　the　shore。　By　skillful　maneuvering　the　smaller

ship　led　the　French　frigate　out　to　sea　again；　and　then　the

British　squadron　came　up。　From　five　o'clock　to　ten　in　the　evening

anxious　men　in　Louisbourg　watched　the　fight　and　saw　at　last　the

Vigilant　surrender　after　losing　eighty　men。　This　disaster　broke

the　spirit　of　the　defenders；　who　were　already　short　of

ammunition。　When　they　knew　that　the　British　were　preparing　for　a

combined　assault　by　land　and　sea；　they　made　terms　and　surrendered

on　the　17th　of　June；　after　the　siege　had　lasted　for　seven　weeks。

The　garrison　marched　out　with　the　honors　of　war；　to　be

transported　to　France；　together　with　such　of　the　civilian

population　as　wished　to　go。



The　British　squadron　then　sailed　into　the　harbor。　Pepperrell's

strange　army；　ragged　and　war…worn　after　the　long　siege；　entered

the　town　by　the　south　gate。　They　had　fought　as　crusaders；　for　to

many　of　them　Catholic　Louisbourg　was　a　stronghold　of　Satan。

Whitfield；　the　great　English　evangelist；　then　in　New　England；　had

given　them　a　mottoNil　desperandum　Christo　duce。　There　is　a

story　that　one　of　the　English　chaplains；　old　Parson　Moody；　a　man

of　about　seventy；　had　brought　with　him　from　Boston　an　axe　and　was

soon　found　using　it　to　hew　down　the　altar　and　images　in　the

church　at　Louisbourg。　If　the　story　is　true；　it　does　something　to

explain　the　belief　of　the　French　in　the　savagery　of　their

opponents　who　would　so　treat　things　which　their　enemies　held　to

be　most　sacred。　The　French　had　met　this　fanaticism　with　a

savagery　equally　intense　and　directed　not　against　things　but

against　the　flesh　of　men。　An　inhabitant　of　Louisbourg　during　the

siege　describes　the　dauntless　bravery　of　the　Indian　allies　of　the

French　during　the　siege：　〃Full　of　hatred　for　the　English　whose

ferocity　they　abhor；　they　destroy　all　upon　whom　they　can　lay

hands。〃　He　does　not　have　even　a　word　of　censure　for　the　savages

who　tortured　and　killed　in　cold　blood　a　party　of　some　twenty

English　who　had　been　induced　to　surrender　on　promise　of　life。　The

French　declared　that　not　they　but　the　savages　were　responsible

for　such　barbarities；　and　the　English　retorted　that　the　French

must　control　their　allies。　Feeling　on　such　things　was　naturally

bitter　on　both　sides　and　did　much　to　decide　that　the　war　between

the　two　nations　should　be　to　the　death。



The　fall　of　Louisbourg　brought　great　exultation　to　the　English

colonies。　It　was　a　unique　event；　the　first　prolonged　and

successful　siege　that　had　as　yet　taken　place　north　of　Mexico。　An

odd　chance　of　war　had　decreed　that　untrained　soldiers　should　win

a　success　so　prodigious。　New　England；　it　is　true；　had　incurred　a

heavy　expenditure；　and　her　men；　having　done　so　much；　naturally

imagined　that　they　had　done　everything；　and　talked　as　if　the

siege　was　wholly　their　triumph。　They　were；　of　course；　greatly

aided　by　the　fleet　under　Warren；　and　the　achievement　was　a　joint

triumph　of　army　and　navy。　New　England　alone；　however；　had　the

credit　of　conceiving　and　of　arousing　others　to　carry　out　a

brilliant　exploit。



Victory　inspires　to　further　victory。　The　British；　exultant　after

Louisbourg；　were　resolved　to　make　an　end　of　French　power　in

America。　〃Delenda　est　Canada！〃　cried　Governor　Shirley　to　the

General　Court　of　Massachusetts；　and　the　response　of　the　members

was　the　voting　of　men　and　money　on　a　scale　that　involved　the

bankruptcy　of　the　Commonwealth。　Other　colonies；　too；　were　eager

for　a　cause　which　had　won　a　success　so　dazzling；　and　some　eight

thousand　men　were　promised　for　an　attack　on　Canada；　proud　and

valiant　Massachusetts　contributing　nearly　one…half　of　the　total

number。　The　old　plan　was　to　be　followed。　New　York　was　to　lead　in

an　attack　by　way　of　Lake　Champlain。　New　England　was　to　collect

its　forces　at　Louisbourg。　Here　a　British　fleet　should　come；

carrying　eight　battalions　of　British　regulars；　and；　with　Warren

in　command；　the　whole　armada　should　proceed　to　Quebec。　Nothing

came　of　this　elaborate　scheme。　Neither　the　promised　troops　nor

the　fleet　arrived　from　England。　British　ministers　broke　faith

with　the　colonists　in　the　adventure　with　quite　too　light　a　heart。



Stories　went　abroad　of　disorder　and　dissension　in　Louisbourg

under　the　English　and　of　the　weakness　of　the　place。　Disease　broke

out。　Hundreds　of　New　England　soldiers　died　and　their　bones　now

lie　in　graves；　unmarked　and　forgotten；　on　the　seashore　by　the

deserted　fortress；　at　almost　any　time　still　their　bones；　washed

down　by　the　waves；　may　be　picked　up　on　the　beach。　There　were

sullen　mutterings　of　discontent　at　Louisbourg。　Soldiers　grumbled

over　grievances　which　were　sometimes　fantastic。　Rumor　had　been

persistent　in　creating　a　legend　that　vast　wealth；　the　accumulated

plunder　brought　in　by　French　privateers；　was　stored　in　the　town。

》From　this　source　a　rich　reward　in　booty　was　expected　by　the

soldiers。　In　fact；　when　Louisbourg　was　taken；　all　looting　was

forbidden　and　the　soldiers　were　put　on　guard　over　houses　which

they　had　hoped　to　rob。　For　the　soldiers　there　were　no　prizes。

Louisbourg　was　poor。　The　sailors；　on　the　other　hand；　were

fortunate。　As　a　decoy　Warren　kept　the　French　flag　flying　over　the

harbor；　and　French　ships　sailed　in；　one　of　them　with　a　vast

treasure　of　gold　and　silver　coin　and　ingots　from　Peru　valued　at

600；000　pounds。　One　other　prize　was　valued　at　200；000　pounds　and

a　third　at　140；000　pounds。　Warren's　own　share　of　prize　money

amounted　to　60；000　pounds；　while　Pepperrell；　the　unrewarded

leader　of　the　sister　service；　piled　up　a　personal　debt　of　10；000

pounds。　Quarrels　occurred　between　soldiers　and　sailors；　and　in

these　the　New　Englanders　soon　proved　by　no　means　the　cowards

which　complacent　superiority　in　England　considered　them；　rather；

as　an　enlightened　Briton　said；　〃If　they　had　pickaxe　and　spade

they　would　dig　a　way　to　Hell　itself　and　storm　that　stronghold。〃



Behind　all　difficulties　was　the　question　whether；　having　taken

Louisbourg；　the　British　could　continue　to　hold　it。　France

answered　with　a　resolute　〃No。〃　To　retake　it　she　fitted　out　a

great　fleet。　Nearly　half　her　navy　gathered　under　the　Duc

d'Anville　and　put　to　sea　on　June　20；　1746。　If　in　the　previous

summer　God　had　helped　the　English　with　good　weather；　by　a　similar

proof　His　face　now　appeared　turned　a　second　time　against　the

French。　In　the　great　array　there　were　more　than　sixty　ships；

which　were　to　gather　at　Chebucto；　now　Halifax；　harbor；　and　to　be

joined　there　by　four　great　ships　of　war　from　the　West　Indies。

Everything　went　wrong。　On　the　voyage　across　the　Atlantic　there

was　a　prolonged　calm；　followed　by　a　heavy　squall。　Several　ships

were　struck　by　lightning。　A　magazine　on　the　Mars　blew　up；　killing

ten　and　wounding　twenty…one　men。　Pestilence　broke　out。　As　a

crowning　misfortune；　the　fleet　was　scattered　by　a　terrific　storm。

After　great　delay　d'Anville's　ship　reached　Chebucto；　then　a　wild

and　lonely　spot。　The　expected　fleet　from　the　West　Indies　had

indeed　come；　but　had　gone；　since　the　ships　from　France；　long

overdue；　had　not　arrived。　D'Anville　died　suddenlysome　said　of

apoplexy；　others　of　poison　self…administered。　More　ships　arrived

full　of　sick　men　and　short　of　provisions。　D'Estournel；　who

succeeded　d'Anville　in　chief　command；　in　despair　at　the　outlook

killed　himself　with　his　own　sword　after　the　experience　of　only　a

day　or　two　in　his　post。　La　Jonquiere；　a　competent　officer；

afterwards　Governor　of　Canada；　then　led　the　expedition。　The

pestilence　still　raged；　and　from　two　to　three　thousand　men　died。

One　day　a　Boston　sloop　boldly　entered　Chebucto　harbor　to　find　out

what　was　going　on。　It　is　a　wonder　that　the　British　did　not

descend　upon　the　stricken　French　and　destroy　them。　In　October；　La

Jonquiere；　having　pulled　his　force　together；　planned　to　win　the

small　success　of　taking　Annapolis；　but　again　storm