STATE PAPERS.
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ihe enemy two hours before, it was not thought prudent to make iu The burning of the fhips and of the caferns of the king's and queen's baftions, hindered our making another. A third had not better fuccefs ; we proceeded no farther than the glacis of the covered way, having miiTed the quay of a fmall paffage which it behoved us to turn, in order to take the enemy in flank : fo that of four falJies which were in- tended, only one fucceeded, in which we made 30 grenadiers, and two ofncers prifoners, befides thofe tha.t were killed, among whom was a captain. We had about 350 killed and wounded during the courfe of the uege, including officers. The crews of the king's fhips are not comprehended in that number.
As to the landing, it mull have been effected, by facrificing lives in one part or another; it being impoffible to guard fuch an ex- tent of coaft with a garrifon of 3C00 men, and leave men in the place for the daily duty. We occupied above two leagues and a half of ground in the moil ac- ceffible parts : but there were fome intermediate places we could not guard ; and it was precifelyin one of thefe that the enemy took poll.
The captain of a fliip flrikes when his veffel is difmatled, his ^'ggi"g cut to pieces, and leve- ral fhot received between wind and water. A governor of a towa furrenders the place when the breaches are prafticable, and whea he has no refource by entrench- ing himfeif in the gorges of baf- tions, or within the place. Such was the cafe of Louiftourg. Add to this, that it wanted every ne-
ceffary for fuch operstions : Ge- neral Wolfe himfeif was obliged to place centinels on the ramparts ; for the private men and the futlers entered through the breaches and gaps with as much eafe, as if there had been dnly an old ditch. Of 52 pieces of cannon, which were oppofed to the batteries of the befiegers, 40 were difmounted, broke, or rendered unferviceable. It is eafy to judge what condition thofe of the place were in. Was it poffible, in fuch circumflances, to avoid being made prifoners of war? I have the honour to be. Sec.
Le Chevalier de Drucour.
General Amherfl's letter to the Go- vernor of Louifbourg referred to above.
- In anfsver to the propofal I have
juft now had the honour to receive from your excellency, by the Sieur Loppinot, I have only to tell your excellency, that it hath been deter- mined by his excellency admiral Bofcavven and me, that his fhips fl'.all go in to-morrow to make a general attack upon the town. Your excellency knows very well the fituation of the army and the fleet; and as his excellency the admiral, as well as I, is very defirous to prevent the effufion of blood, we give your excellency one hour after receiving this, to determine either to capitulate as prifoners of war, or to take upon you all the bad con- fequences of a defence againfl this fleet and army.
boscawen. Jeff. Amherst.*
The Governor's anfwer to General Amherft.
- To anfwer your excellencies ia
as few words as polTible, I fhall
N 3 have
