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

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

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1745.] RESULT OF THE FIRE. IllThe follow<strong>in</strong>g is the <strong>in</strong>tendant Bigot's account <strong>of</strong>the effect <strong>of</strong> the New Engl<strong>and</strong> fire: "The enemyestablished their batteries to such effect that theysoon destroyed the greater part <strong>of</strong> the town, brokethe right flank <strong>of</strong> the K<strong>in</strong>g's Bastion, ru<strong>in</strong>ed theDauph<strong>in</strong> Battery with its spur, <strong>and</strong> made a breach atthe Porte Dauph<strong>in</strong>e [West Gate], the neighbor<strong>in</strong>gwall, <strong>and</strong> the sort <strong>of</strong> redan adjacent."^ Duchambonsays <strong>in</strong> addition that the cannon <strong>of</strong> the right flank<strong>of</strong> the K<strong>in</strong>g's Bastion could not be served, by reason<strong>of</strong> the cont<strong>in</strong>ual fire <strong>of</strong> the enemy, which broke theembrasures to pieces ; that when he had them repaired,they were broken to pieces (cUmantihuUs) aga<strong>in</strong>, —<strong>and</strong> nobody could keep his ground beh<strong>in</strong>d the wall <strong>of</strong>the quay, which was shot through <strong>and</strong> through <strong>and</strong>completely riddled. ^ The town was ploughed withcannon-balls, the streets were raked from end to end,nearly all the houses damaged, <strong>and</strong> the people drivenfor refuge <strong>in</strong>to the stifl<strong>in</strong>g casemates. The resultswere creditable to novices <strong>in</strong> gunnery.The repeated accidents from the burst<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> cannonwere no doubt largely due to unskilful load<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>the practice <strong>of</strong> double-shott<strong>in</strong>g, to which the overzealousartillerists are said to have <strong>of</strong>ten resorted.^1 Bigot au M<strong>in</strong>istre, 1 Aout, 1745.2 Duchamhon au M<strong>in</strong>istre, 2 Septembre, 1745.8 " Another forty-two pound gun burst at the Gr<strong>and</strong> Battery.All the guns are <strong>in</strong> danger <strong>of</strong> go<strong>in</strong>g the same way, by double-shott<strong>in</strong>gthem, unless under better regulation than at present." — Waldoto Pepperrell, 20 May, 1745.Waldo had written four days before ": Capta<strong>in</strong> Hale, <strong>of</strong> my regiment,is dangerously hurt by the burst<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> another gun. He was

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