A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

CHAPTER XIX.1745.LOUISBOURGBESIEGED.Seth Pomerot. — The Voyage. — Canseau. — Unexpected Succors.— Delays. — Lodisbourg. — The Landing. — The GrandBattery taken. — French Cannon turned on the Town. —Weakness of Duchambon. — Sufferings of the Besiegers: their Hardihood ; their Irregular Proceedings. —Joseph Sherburn. — Amateur Gunnery. — Camp Frolics. —Sectarian Zeal. — Perplexities of Pepperrell.On board one ofthe transports was Seth Pomeroy,gunsmith at Northampton, and now major of Willard'sMassachusetts regiment. He had a turn forsoldiering, and fought, ten years later, in the battleof Lake George. Again, twenty years later still,when Northampton was astir with rumors of warfrom Boston, he borrowed a neighbor's horse, rode ahundred miles, reached Cambridge on the morning ofthe battle of Bunker Hill, left his borrowed horse outof the way ofharm, walked over Charlestown Neck,then swept by the fire of the ships-of-war, and reachedthe scene of action as the British were forming forthe attack. When Israel Putnam, his comrade in thelast war, saw from the rebel breastwork the oldman striding, gun in hand, up the hill, he shouted,