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BLUPETE'S HISTORY OF NOVA SCOTIA: 1600-1763.

The English and French Fleets at Louisbourg: 1758.

Introduction:
In 1758, the English determined, as part of a larger project known in history as the Seven Years War to launch an attack against Louisbourg. Fifteen thousand army men, ten thousand of which were regulars, were to be employed in the expedition against Louisbourg and they were under the command of Jeffrey Amherst. These troops were to be transported over great distances. The English fleet to be employed had to be one of the largest ever drawn together: 120 transports and other auxiliary vessels, together with 23 men-of-war and 16 smaller vessels, mounting 1,842 guns, and carrying crews of about 14,000 men.1 Naval operations were under the command of Edward Boscawen.

Hardy, Boscawen's second in command, had preceded him to take up the blockade of Louisbourg with eight ships of the line and two frigates. Hardy left England on January 20th, 1758, in the Captain. Upon his arrival, Hardy listed 10 naval vessels that were then at Halifax: Terrible, Defiance, Sunderland, Somerset, Kingston, Boreas, Captain, Northumberland, Orford and Arc en Ciel. My belief is that all of these, with the exception of the two that came in with Hardy from England (Captain and the Boreas), had wintered over at Halifax. After sending two of these vessels to New York in order to escort the transports which had aboard the soldiers who had wintered over there, Hardy took the remainder up the coast in order to blockade Louisbourg Harbor and was in position by April 16th. Boscawen was to bring out a large and fresh fleet from England, and while they were underway at the end of February, they did not arrive at Halifax until May 12th. By June 2nd the entire force was afloat and at anchor in Garbarus Bay, just below Louisbourg.

As for the French, being the masterful sailors that indeed they were, they were able, in spite of Hardy's early start, to get six French men-o-war under the command of Commodore Desgouttes (Marquis Desgouttes) across the Atlantic and into the safety of Louisbourg Harbour. Two of the men-of-war were en flûte, that is to say stripped down with many of their guns removed so as to accommodate the transport of supplies and men. Another French squadron, consisting of "five warships and a frigate"2 under Du Chaffault de Besné almost got themselves into Louisbourg Harbour, but were obliged, in order to avoid Hardy's squadron which by this time was patrolling along the coast, to sail north along the top of Cape Breton Island to Port Dauphin (Ste Ann's). (See map: 11, 15 & 17.) This second French fleet was carrying the Cambis Regiment. This regiment eventually found its way to Louisbourg, arriving overland just a day or so before the English made their landing at Garbarus Bay. The fleet under Besné then carried on to Quebec.

By June the 8th, 1758, the British had affected a landing on the shores just below Louisbourg and the Siege of Louisbourg of 1758 was underway.

GO TO >>> A Listing Of The English Ships

GO TO >>> A Listing Of The French Ships