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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.] EFFECT OF THE ENGLISH FIRE. 129"would be a most happy event for bis Majesty'sservice."^Pepperrell kept his temper under this thrust, <strong>and</strong>wrote to the commodore with <strong>in</strong>v<strong>in</strong>cible courtesy:" Am extremely sorry the fogs prevent me from thepleasure <strong>of</strong> wait<strong>in</strong>g on you on board your ship," add<strong>in</strong>gthat six hundred men should be furnished fromthe army <strong>and</strong> the transports to man the "Vigilant,"which was now the most powerful ship <strong>in</strong> the squadron.In short, he showed every disposition to meetWarren <strong>half</strong>way. But the commodore was beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>gto feel some doubts as to theexpediency <strong>of</strong> thebold action he had proposed, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>formed Pepperrellthat his pilots thought it impossible to go <strong>in</strong>to theharbor until the Isl<strong>and</strong> Battery was silenced. Infact, there was danger that if the ships got <strong>in</strong> whilethat battery was still alive <strong>and</strong> active, they wouldnever get out aga<strong>in</strong>, but be kept there as <strong>in</strong> a trap,under the fire from the town ramparts.Gridley's artillery at Lighthouse Po<strong>in</strong>t had beendo<strong>in</strong>g its best, dropp<strong>in</strong>g bombshells with such precision<strong>in</strong>to the Isl<strong>and</strong> Battery that the French soldierswere sometimes seen runn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to the sea to escapethe explosions. Many <strong>of</strong> the Isl<strong>and</strong> guns were dismounted,<strong>and</strong> the place was fast becom<strong>in</strong>g untenable.At the same time the English batteries on the l<strong>and</strong>side were push<strong>in</strong>g their work <strong>of</strong> destruction withrelentless<strong>in</strong>dustry, <strong>and</strong> walls <strong>and</strong> bastions crumbledunder their fire. The French labored with energyVOL. II. — 9^ Warren to Pepperrell, 29 May, 1 745.

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