Siege of Louisbourg (1758) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Louisbourg
Part of the French and Indian War
Burning of the French ship Prudent and capture of Bienfaisant, during the siege of Louisbourg in 1758, Richard Paton
Date 8 June – 26 July 1758 Location Louisbourg, Île-Royale, French Canada 45°55′17″N 59°58′13″W / 45.92139°N 59.97028°W / 45.92139; -59.97028 Result British victory
Belligerents
Great Britain British America	France Mi'kmaq Acadians
Commanders and leaders
Jeffery Amherst James Wolfe Charles Lawrence Edward Whitmore Edward Boscawen Robert Rogers	Augustin de Drucour Jean Vauquelin Beaussier de l'Isle
Strength
26,000 40 warships 150 transport vessels	7,000 5 ships of the line
Casualties and losses
172 killed 355 wounded	102 killed 303 wounded 6,600 captured 4 ships of the line destroyed 1 ship of the line captured

The Siege of Louisbourg was a very important battle in 1758. It was part of a bigger war called the Seven Years' War. In America, this war was known as the French and Indian War. This battle ended French control in Atlantic Canada. It also helped the British capture Quebec in 1759. After that, the British took over the rest of French North America.

Why Louisbourg Was Important

The British government knew that the Fortress of Louisbourg was a problem. As long as the French controlled it, the British navy could not safely sail up the St. Lawrence River. This river was the main way to attack Quebec.

In 1757, the British tried to attack Louisbourg. But a strong French navy stopped them. So, the British, led by William Pitt, decided to try again. They chose new commanders for the job.

Major General Jeffery Amherst was put in charge of capturing the fortress. His main helpers were Charles Lawrence, James Wolfe, and Edward Whitmore. Admiral Edward Boscawen led the naval part of the attack.

The French also planned to defend Louisbourg with many ships. But the British stopped the French fleet from leaving Toulon. They also defeated a French rescue force in a battle near Cartagena.

Because of this, the French could not send more ships to Louisbourg. Only 11 ships were there to fight the British. Most of the French cannons and soldiers were moved inside the fort. Five French ships were even sunk to block the harbor entrance. This left only five ships in the harbor for the French.

British forces gathered in Halifax. They spent May training together. On May 29, the large British fleet left Halifax for Louisbourg.

Who Fought in the Siege?

The British fleet was huge. It had 150 transport ships and 40 warships. Almost 14,000 soldiers were on these ships. Most were regular soldiers.

The British force was split into three groups. James Wolfe led the "Red" group. Charles Lawrence led the "Blue" group. Edward Whitmore led the "White" group. On June 2, the British ships arrived near Louisbourg. They anchored about 3 miles (5 km) away.

The French commander was Chevalier de Drucour. He was also the governor of Île-Royale (New France). He had about 3,500 regular soldiers. He also had about 3,500 marines and sailors from the French warships. But the French navy was much smaller than the British one.

Drucour ordered trenches to be dug. About 2,000 French troops defended these trenches. They also set up an artillery battery at Kennington Cove.

British Soldiers and Leaders

Major General Jeffery Amherst was tasked with the capture of the French Fortress of Louisbourg

General Jeffery Amherst led the British forces. He had about 11,000 regular soldiers and 200 American rangers.

• Rogers' Rangers (3 companies)
• Gorham's Rangers (1 company)
• Louisbourg Grenadiers (special group of soldiers)
• Artillery and Engineers:
  • Captain Ord's Company, Royal Artillery
  • 11 Miners
  • 11 Engineers
  • 100 Carpenters
  • Royal Train of Artillery (324 men)
• Brigadier Whitmore's Brigade led by Brigadier General Edward Whitmore
  • 1st Battalion, 1st Regiment of Foot
  • 22nd Regiment of Foot
  • 40th Regiment of Foot
  • 48th Regiment of Foot
  • 3rd Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot
• Brigadier Wolfe's Brigade led by Brigadier General James Wolfe
  • 17th Regiment of Foot
  • 35th Regiment of Foot
  • 47th Regiment of Foot
  • 2nd Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot
• Brigadier Lawrence's Brigade led by Brigadier General Charles Lawrence
  • 15th Regiment of Foot
  • 28th Regiment of Foot
  • 45th Regiment of Foot
  • 58th Regiment of Foot
  • 78th Regiment (Fraser's Highlanders)

French Soldiers and Ships

The French garrison inside the Fortress of Louisbourg was led by Augustin de Boschenry, Chevalier de Drucour. Their numbers grew to about 6,000 troops before the siege.

• 2nd Battalion, Regiment of Artois (520 Troops)
• 2nd Battalion, Regiment of Burgundy (520 Troops)
• 2nd Battalion, Regiment of Cambis (650 Troops)
• 2nd Battalion, Regiment of Foreign Volunteers (660 Troops)
• 1,000 soldiers from the Compagnies Franches de la Marine
• 120 gunners
• 700 "burgher militia" (local citizens helping to defend)
• Some Native allies
• Crews from the French fleet

Many French naval ships were supposed to come to Louisbourg. But most did not arrive in time. The British blocked them. The French ships that were in the harbor included:

• Prudent (74 guns) – Captured and burned
• L'Apollon (56 guns) – Sunk by the French
• Diane (24 guns) – Sunk by the French
• Fidèle (24 guns) – Sunk by the French
• Chèvre (10 guns) – Sunk by the French
• Entreprenant (74 guns) – Burned
• Célèbre (64 guns) – Exploded
• Capricieux (64 guns) – Exploded
• Bienfaisant (64 guns) – Captured by the British

The Siege Begins

Bad weather in early June made it impossible for the British to land. They could only fire cannons from a ship at the French defenses. But the weather got better.

On June 8, Amherst launched his attack. British boats, organized into seven groups, headed for shore. At first, the French defended well. James Wolfe even ordered a retreat after many losses. But then, a group of light infantry (from Rogers' Rangers) found a hidden rocky spot. It was safe from French fire. They landed there. Wolfe quickly sent the rest of his group to follow. The French were outflanked (attacked from the side) and quickly went back to their fortress.

Moving heavy siege equipment over the wet ground was hard. This delayed the start of the main siege. Meanwhile, Wolfe took 1,220 men to capture Lighthouse Point. This spot was important because it overlooked the harbor entrance. They took it on June 12.

After eleven days, on June 19, the British cannons were ready. They had seventy cannons and mortars of all sizes. They began firing at the French. Within hours, the British guns had broken down walls and damaged buildings.

On July 21, a British mortar shell hit a 64-gun French ship, Le Célèbre. It caught fire. A strong wind spread the fire. Soon, two other French ships, L'Entreprenant and Le Capricieux, also caught fire. L'Entreprenant sank later that day. This was a big loss for the French.

Another blow to French spirits happened on July 23. A British "hot shot" (a heated cannonball) set the King's Bastion on fire. The King's Bastion was the main headquarters of the fortress. It was the largest building in North America in 1758. Its destruction made the French troops lose hope.

Naval Attack in the Harbor

Many historians believe the British actions on July 25 were the final blow. Admiral Boscawen used a thick fog to hide his attack. He sent a special team to destroy the last two French ships in the harbor. The British raiders captured Bienfaisant and burned Prudent. This cleared the way for the British Royal Navy to enter the harbor. James Cook, who later became a famous explorer, was part of this mission.

The French Surrender

On July 26, the French gave up. They had fought bravely. They expected to be given "honors of war." This meant they would be allowed to march out with their weapons and flags. But Amherst refused. He remembered stories of bad things done by France's Native allies in other battles.

The French defenders were told to give up all their weapons, equipment, and flags. This made the French commander, Drucour, very angry. But he accepted the terms to keep the people of Louisbourg safe. One French regiment, the Cambis regiment, refused. They broke their muskets and burned their flags instead of giving them to the British. Brigadier-General Whitmore became the new Governor of Louisbourg. He stayed there with four regiments.

What Happened After the Siege?

Louisbourg held out long enough to stop a British attack on Quebec in 1758. But the fall of the fortress meant France lost control of land across Atlantic Canada.

From Louisbourg, British forces spent the rest of the year taking over French areas. These included parts of what is now New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. This also led to a second wave of the Acadian expulsion. The British forced many Acadians to leave their homes.

Losing Louisbourg meant New France had no naval protection. This opened the St. Lawrence River to attack. Louisbourg was used in 1759 as the starting point for Wolfe's famous siege of Quebec. This battle ended French rule in North America.

After Quebec surrendered, British forces destroyed the fortress of Louisbourg. They used explosives to make sure France could never use it again. By 1760, the fortress was just piles of rubble. In 1763, the Treaty of Paris officially gave Canada, including Cape Breton Island, to the British. By 1768, the last British soldiers left, along with most of the remaining people.

British Navy Ships in the Siege

Images for kids

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  Brigadier General James Wolfe at the siege of Louisbourg

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  A map of Louisbourg during the siege

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  View of Louisbourg when the city was besieged by British forces in 1758

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  English propaganda against New France and Louisbourg, 1755

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  The fall of Louisbourg brought a second wave of the Acadian expulsion, as the British engaged in a series of campaigns to deport the Acadians

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  French cannons captured from Louisbourg in Toronto

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  The statue of Jean Vauquelin

See also

In Spanish: Batalla de Louisbourg para niños