[120] Sparhawk to Pepperrell,—June, 1745. This is but one of many letters from Sparhawk.
CHAPTER XX.
1745.
LOUISBOURG TAKEN.
A Rash Resolution.—The Island Battery.—The Volunteers.—The Attack.—The Repulse.—Capture of the “Vigilant.”—A Sortie.—Skirmishes.—Despondency of the French.—English Camp threatened.—Pepperrell and Warren.—Warren’s Plan.—Preparation for a General Attack.—Flag of Truce.—Capitulation.—State of the Fortress.—Parson Moody.—Soldiers dissatisfied.—Disorders.—Army and Navy.—Rejoicings.—England repays Provincial Outlays.
Frequent councils of war were held in solemn form at headquarters. On the seventh of May a summons to surrender was sent to Duchambon, who replied that he would answer with his cannon. Two days after, we find in the record of the council the following startling entry: “Advised unanimously that the Town of Louisbourg be attacked by storm this Night.” Vaughan was a member of the board, and perhaps his impetuous rashness had turned the heads of his colleagues. To storm the fortress at that time would have been a desperate attempt for the best-trained and best-led troops. There was as yet no breach in the walls, nor the beginning of one; and the French were so confident in the strength of their fortifications that they boasted that women alone
could defend them. Nine in ten of the men had no bayonets,[121] many had no shoes, and it is said that the scaling-ladders they had brought from Boston were ten feet too short.[122] Perhaps it was unfortunate for the French that the army was more prudent than its leaders; and another council being called on the same day, it was “Advised, That, inasmuch as there appears a great Dissatisfaction in many of the officers and Soldiers at the designed attack of the Town by Storm this Night, the said Attack be deferred for the present.”[123]
Another plan was adopted, hardly less critical, though it found favor with the army. This was the assault of the Island Battery, which closed the entrance of the harbor to the British squadron, and kept it open to ships from France. Nobody knew precisely how to find the two landing-places of this formidable work, which were narrow gaps between rocks lashed with almost constant surf; but Vaughan would see no difficulties, and wrote to Pepperrell that if he would give him the command and leave him to manage the attack in his own way, he would engage to send the French flag to headquarters within forty-eight hours.[124] On the next day he seems to have thought the command assured to him, and writes from the Grand Battery that the carpenters
are at work mending whale-boats and making paddles, asking at the same time for plenty of pistols and one hundred hand-grenades, with men who know how to use them.[125] The weather proved bad, and the attempt was deferred. This happened several times, till Warren grew impatient, and offered to support the attack with two hundred sailors.