12.07.2015 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

1745.] CAPITULATION. 131Warren was to hoist a Dutch flag under his pennant,at his ma<strong>in</strong>-top-gallant mast-head, as a signal that hewas about to sail <strong>in</strong> ; <strong>and</strong> Pepperrell was to answerby three columns <strong>of</strong> smoke, march<strong>in</strong>g at the sametime towards the walls with drums beat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>colors fly<strong>in</strong>g. 1The French saw with dismay a large quantity <strong>of</strong>fasc<strong>in</strong>es carried to the foot <strong>of</strong> the glacis, ready to fillthe ditch, <strong>and</strong> their scouts came <strong>in</strong> with reports thatmore than a thous<strong>and</strong> scal<strong>in</strong>g-ladders were ly<strong>in</strong>gbeh<strong>in</strong>d the ridge <strong>of</strong> the nearest hill. Toil, loss <strong>of</strong>sleep, <strong>and</strong> the stifl<strong>in</strong>g air <strong>of</strong> the casemates, <strong>in</strong> whichthey were forced to take refuge, had sapped thestrength <strong>of</strong> the besieged. The town was a ru<strong>in</strong> ; onlyone house was untouched by shot or shell. "Wecould have borne all this," writes the <strong>in</strong>tendantBigot; "but the scarcity <strong>of</strong> powder, the loss <strong>of</strong> the'Vigilant, ' the presence <strong>of</strong> the squadron, <strong>and</strong> theabsence <strong>of</strong> any news from Mar<strong>in</strong>, who had beenordered to jo<strong>in</strong> us with his Canadians <strong>and</strong> Indians,spread terror among troops <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>habitants. Thetownspeople saidthat they did not want to be put tothe sword, <strong>and</strong> were not strong enough to resist ageneral assault. "^ On the fifteenth <strong>of</strong> June theybrought a petition to Duchambon, begg<strong>in</strong>g him tocapitulate.^On that day Capta<strong>in</strong> Sherburn, at the advanced1 Warren to Pepperrell, 11 June, 1745. Pepperrell to Warren, 13June, 1745.2 Bigot au M<strong>in</strong>istre, 1 Aout, 1745.8 Duchambon au M<strong>in</strong>istre, 2 Septemhre, 1745.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!