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

1745.] MUTINOUS MILITIA. 147Louisbourg and bring the mutineers back to duty.Accordingly, on the sixteenth ofAugust he arrivedin a ship-of-war, accompanied by Mrs. Shirley andMrs. Warren, wife of the commodore. The soldiersduly fell into line to receive him. As it was not hishabit to hide his own merits, he tells the Duke ofNewcastle that nobody but he could have quietedthe malcontents, — which is probably true,as nobodyelse had power to raise their pay. He made them aspeech, promised them forty shillings in Massachusettsnew-tenor currency a month, instead of twentyfive,and ended with ordering for each man half apint of rum to drink the King's health. Thoughpotations so generous might be thought to promiseeffects not wholly sedative, the mutineers werebrought to reason, and some even consented toremain in garrison till the next June.^Small reinforcements came from New England tohold the place till the arrival of troops from Gibraltar,promised by the ministry.The two regiments raisedin the colonies, and commanded by Shirley andPepperrell were also intended to form a part of thegarrison; but difficulty was found in filling theranks, because, saysShirley, some commissions havebeen given to Englishmen, and men will not enlisthereexcept under American officers.Nothing could be more dismal than theconditionof Louisbourg, as reflected in the diaries of soldiersandothers who spent there the winter that followed^ Shirley to Newcastle, 4 December, 1745.