George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 4, 15th edition.

[296] among the officers, heroism pervading mariners and

chap. XIII.} 1758.

soldiers, carried forward the siege, during which Barre by his conduct secured the approbation of Amherst and the friendship of Wolfe. Of the French ships in the port, three were burned on the twenty-first of July; in the night following the twenty-fifth, the boats of the squadron, with small loss, set fire to the Prudent, a seventy-four, and carried off the Bienfaisant. Boscawen was prepared to send six English ships into the harbor. But the town of Louisburg was already a heap of ruins; for eight days, the French officers and men had had no safe place for rest; of their fifty-two cannon, forty were disabled. They had now but five ships of the line and four frigates. It was time for the Chevalier de Drucour to capitulate. The garrison became prisoners of war, and, with the sailors and marines, in all five thousand six hundred and thirty-seven, were sent to England. On the twenty-seventh of July, the English took possession of Louisburg, and, as a consequence, of Cape Breton and Prince Edward's Island. Thus fell the power of France on our eastern coast. Halifax being the English naval station, Louisburg was deserted. The harbor still offers shelter from storms; the coast repels the surge; but only a few hovels mark the spot which so much treasure was lavished to fortify, so much heroism to conquer. Wolfe, whose heart was in England, bore home the love and esteem of the army. The trophies were deposited with pomp in the cathedral of St. Paul's; the churches gave thanks; Boscawen, himself a member of parliament, was honored by a unanimous tribute from the House of Commons.