The royal battery is won-the bear has been taken and his skin secured! The insufficient artillery of the besieging army is now reinforced with thirty guns, nearly all of them forty-two pounders. No time is to be lost until the spikes are drilled out and the pieces turned upon the town. As volunteer troops contain men qualified for any service, Major Seth Pomeroy, from Northampton, (we are told) and about twenty blacksmiths from among the soldiers, are set to work, and soon the cannonading of the city is begun.

The body of the city is now to be besieged; a coup de main being impossible, operations must be carried on in form; but the impatience and confidence of the volunteers overleaped the tediousness of the regular rules of attack. Hutchinson relates that "the men made merry with Mr. Bastide's proposals for zig-zags and epaulements, and went on, void of art, in their own natural way." But when shown the construction of fascines, they perceived their utility, and applied themselves industriously to prepare them. These are large cylindrical bundles of faggots, which, piled in sufficient quantities enable troops to erect a serviceable battery in a single night. Five such batteries were erected and actively served. But before they could be armed, an exhausting labor had to be endured, in conveying cannon to them through the forest and morass. The latter being entirely impassable for beasts of draught, or the wheels of gun carriages, Col. Messerve, of New Hampshire, who was by trade a carpenter, constructed sleds on which the cannon were placed instead of being on wheels. The hardiest and strongest lumbermen who had been practised in moving logs were selected, and with straps on their shoulders patiently toiled, sinking up to their knees in mud, for fourteen successive nights. The distance was about two miles, and it was only during the night, or on foggy days, that the work could be carried on secure from the fire of the walls. But even before this task was completed, so rapid did their progress seem to the besieging army, that at the end of the first week, they summoned the garri son to surrender. By the 23th of the month sixteen cannon were playing from five fascine batteries; the western gate was destroyed, and considerable impression had been made on the great circular battery by which it was defended. In the meantime the weather continued remarkably fine and the troops enjoyed health and spirits.

But the island battery, situated in the middle of the entrance to the harbor and inaccessible except to boats, seemed to bid defiance to every mode of attack. Four unsuccessful assaults had been made, and the troops began to be dissatisfied, and to consider themselves disgraced. A fifth attempt was planned to be made by volunteers who also were to have the privilege of choosing their leader. It was a night attack; but the boats were discovered before reaching the island, and received with a murderous fire. A part only succeeded in landing; these maintained a severe contest for an hour, but were compelled to retire with the loss of sixty

killed, while a hundred and sixteen who in the darkness and confusion are unable to regain the boats, are left to become prisoners. "Providence," writes one, "seemed now remarkably to frown upon our affair."

Still the troops are not discouraged; the island battery must be silenced, if not taken. They toil night and day to erect a battery which shall command it. This they place on the lighthouse point of the harbor, a point directly east from the city, and midway between which point and the city, the island battery is situated.

There is a prospect that the siege will be tedious. "Louisburg," writes Major Seth Pomeroy to his family," is an exceedingly strong place, and seems impregnable. It looks as if our campaign would last long; but I am willing to stay till God's time comes to deliver the city into our hands." The answer of his wife expresses the prevalent feeling in New England. "Suffer no anxious thought to rest in your mind about me" writes the heroic woman. "The whole town is much engaged with concern for the expedition, how Providence will order the affair, for which religious meetings every week are maintained. I leave you in the hand of God."

Such were the serious feelings which sustained the undertaking; but sieges are proverbially tedious, and the troops felt the need of recreation and amusement to recruit their strength and spirits after toil. One observer compares their proceedings to a Cambridge commencement! Many of the soldiers, after their return to their own homes, wondered at the preservation of the army, while they laughed at the recollection of their own share in the frolics which went on. Though a formidable front was presented to the enemy, yet the rear was a scene of confusion and sport. When released from their turn of duty at the trenches, they enjoyed themselves in racing, wrestling, pitching at quoits, firing at marks or at birds, or in running after shot from the enemy's guns. For as many cannon balls as they chose to gather, they were paid a bounty by the general, and the shot were used to be sent back to the town. Probably, however, there was less actual imprudence than appear ances indicated. It is related that the garrison had been mutinous, and could not be trusted by their officers in a sortie. If so, some intimations of the fact had not improbably been received by the English. Such accounts of fun and frolic in the army, indeed, indi-: cate little more than that cheerfulness, confidence and alertness of disposition in soldiers, which especially pleases a commander. Besides, whenever they had met the French on open ground, the result had relieved them of all apprehension of another encounter. A sortie on the part of the French could avail them but little, there being no expensive works of the besiegers to be destroyed.

The admiral had the good fortune to capture a French seventyfour, and from the prize an important accession to the supplies of the besiegers was obtained. By successive arrivals his fleet had now increased to eleven men-of-war, and the naval captains were

impatient of inactivity. The island battery was suffering much from the fire which the besiegers kept up from the lighthouse point, and would soon become untenable; the ships prepared to force an entrance into the harbor. Thus the time was rapidly approaching for the land and naval forces to deliver a combined attack. The French garrison becomes discouraged and discontented, their commander despondent, and soon a flag of truce is sent from the town with proposals for a capitulation.

The terms of the surrender were a matter of just triumph to the English; 650 veteran troops, 1300 militia, the crew of the captured seventy-four, amounting to upwards of 500 men, and the principal inhabitants of the city, in all 4130 men, engaged not to bear arms against Great Britain and her allies for a year, and were conveyed in fourteen cartel ships to Rochfort in France. About 300 were supposed to have been killed within the walls. The loss of the New England force was astonishingly small, being but 101 killed, and about 30 carried off by disease.

It was not until they entered the walls and beheld the strength of the works that the troops appreciated the full difficulty and danger of the enterprise which they had so confidently undertaken. They were astonished at their own success, and attributed it to an especial and remarkable Providence of God in their favor. Not the least among their favorable providences was the fact that during the forty-nine days that the siege had continued, the weather had been remarkably fine for the season and for the climate. The day after the surrender, rain began to fall and continued without intermission for ten days. About 1500 were at this time sick with dysentery, many of whom would have died if the surrender had been delayed. A schooner was sent immediately to Boston with the great news and arrived about one in the morning. The bells of Boston were ringing by break of day, and the day and night following were spent in rejoicing. In England, congratulatory addresses were presented to the king upon the success of his majesty's arms, and Pepperell and Warren were made baronets. Bancroft observes that this conquest was the greatest success achieved by England during the war. Belknap remarks that it was the only action which could be called a victory, on the part of the British nation, during the whole war, and afforded them the means of purchasing a peace. Yet with the most shameful ingratitude and disregard of the colonies, Great Britain surrendered Louisburg to France on the conclusion of a peace. It was given up in exchange for Madras in the East Indies, which had been captured by the French during the war.

It will be interesting briefly to trace the subsequent history and ultimate fate of this celebrated strong hold. Additional confirmation will thus be afforded of the wisdom of Governor Shirley and the public of his day in attaching so much importance to their undertaking, perceiving, as they did, that as long as the French

should continue to extend their settlements in North America, the possession of Louisburg would be the key-stone in the arch of their power. The conquest of Canada had been planned and undertaken in previous wars, yet it was not till the recapture of Louisburg was made an immediate preliminary that the effort was successful.

The blessings of peace had been enjoyed but five years before war again commenced on this side the Atlantic in 1754, although it was actively prosecuted for two years before it was for mally declared between France and Great Britain. The year 1756 became an era in our history from being that in which, with the concurrence and encouragement of the British ministry, a congress was appointed by the colonists to combine the action of the provincial governments. Though this congress proposed that the colonies should take upon themselves the whole charge and responsibility of their own defence, yet the jealousy of the ministry would not suffer them to accept the offer. On the contrary an incompetent British general was made commander-in-chief of all the colonial forces: in consequence, the whole of the year 1756 was lost in endeavoring to fit out expeditions against Niagara and Crown Point, which were finally unable to take the field in season for successful operations. But in 1757 there appeared some prospect of better counsels and more effective efforts. Louisburg was again made the chief object of the campaign. Before the end of July, a powerful fleet and an army composed of 5,000 British regulars and 6,000 provincials sailed for the place. But the French could securely rely for its defence, on 6,000 regular troops, 3,000 colonists, and 1,300 Indians: in the harbor were seventeen ships of the line and three frigates: and the town was abundantly supplied with provisions, ammunition and military stores of every descrip tion. The enemy wished for nothing more than an attack. But as was usual with expeditions fitted out by the ministry or their agents, instead of by the colonial governments, the season was now too far advanced for commencing a regular siege, and the troops were not even disembarked. After conveying the transports back, the British admiral strengthened his naval force by a reinforcement of several ships, and again appeared before the harbor, offering battle to the French fleet. But now it was the French commander's turn to be prudent, and he did not venture a battle, the loss of which might expose all the colonies to the attacks of the English. The British fleet was shattered by a terrible storm on these dangerous coasts, and compelled to return to England for repair of damages.

By this time the French had made alarming progress on all our northern and north-western frontiers. But in 1758, the celebrated Pitt, Lord Chatham, became minister, and the prospect of affairs was changed. He sent encouraging and energetic circulars to all the colonial governments, and such was the confidence he excited, that Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire had fifteen

thousand troops ready to take the field as early in the season as May. Upon the recapture of Louisburg the resources of the whole British empire were ready to be lavished. An armament was sent of no less than 151 sail of vessels and 14,000 men. Gen. Wolfe, soon to become the hero of Quebec, was the second in command. The siege was regularly prosecuted, and though the resources of the place were ample, and the resistance vigorous, the city was compelled to capitulate, surrendering 6700 men as prisoners of war. Of eleven men of war which were in the harbor at the commencement of the siege, five ships of the line and four frigates were taken or destroyed. This was the first great triumph of the war, and by giving the English the command of the gulf of St. Lawrence, prepared the way for the reduction of Quebec, which was effected the next season, and the conquest of Canada which soon followed and put an end to the strife.

The rejoicings which took place in England on receiving the news of the second capture of Louisburg, were proportionate to the importance of the event." By order of the king, eleven pair of colors were carried in joyful parade, escorted by detachments of horse and foot guards, with kettle-drums and trumpets, from the palace of Kensington to St. Paul's Cathedral, where they were deposited as trophies, under a discharge of cannon and other expressions of triumph and exultation. Indeed the public rejoicings were diffused through every part of the British dominions, and congratulations sent to his majesty from various parts of the empire."

The conquest of Canada was followed by the transfer of all the settlements and forts on the lakes and the Ohio to the English. The Indian tribes on all our frontiers then became friendly, and after a period of more than two generations had been passed in ceaseless danger and anxiety, our forefathers had rest in their borders the midnight war whoop ceased to herald the burning of dwellings and the massacre of women and children. Thus ended the long series of what are popularly called the old French wars. The period in which they were waged constitutes the heroic age of our country. We had already passed from youth to manhood as a nation, when a judicial blindness was inflicted by Providence on the British government and people, the result of which was the establishment of the United States as a nation. Thus only can we account for the madness which suffered them to attempt an insolent and contemptuous tyranny over a people who had so lately proved their title to the respect and esteem of their brethren and of the world.

Louisburg having been so famous, and of such importance and interest in the last century, many of our readers will enquire as to its subsequent fate, and why its name does not appear either in history or geography since the peace of 1763. So great was the fear of the British ministry that it might again become a stronghold of the French, that they caused its fortifications to be dis mantled and suffered the place to become a heap of ruins. We