ON the 28th of May I had the good Fortune to meet Admiral Boscawen with the fleet and troops coming out of the harbour of Halifax. Lieutenant-General Bragg's regiment, from the Bay of Fundy, joined the fleet this Day.

The 29th we had sine weather; the ships kept well together; the whole consisted of 157 sail. The Dub­lin [which carried over General Amherst] went very sickly into Halifax.

The 30th the wind blew hard in the Afternoon; the ships were greatly dispersed.

The 31st the wind sometimes contrary, obliged us to tack, and it blew fresh.

The 1st of June Capt. Rous, in the Sutherland, came from off the harbour of Louisbourg, and said, two ships [Page 4]had got in the 30th; and that there were thirteen sail in the harbour. We saw the entrance of Gabarous at night.

The 2nd it was foggy in the morning; about twelve saw Louisbourg, and the ships in the harbour. The fleet, with about a third of the troops, anchored in Ga­barous Bay; and this evening, with Brigadier-Generals Lawrence and Wolfe, I reconnoitred the shore as near as we could, and made a disposition for landing in three places the next morning, in case the troops arrived.

The enemy had a chain of posts from Cape Noir to the Flat Point and irregulars from thence to the bottom of the bay; some works thrown up at the places which appeared practicable to land at, and some batteries.

On the 3d, most of the transports came in this morn­ing, all was prepared for landing; but the surff on shore was so great, it was impossible to land. This day Bri­gadier-General Whitmore arrived from Halifax, at which place I have left Colonel Monckton to command. As one bay was found to have less surff than the others, a disposition was made to land the next morning in one place, instead of three.

The 4th the wind and surff were so very high, that Admiral Boscawen told me it was impracticable to land.

The 5th a great swell and fog in the morning, and the Admiral declared it still impracticable to land.

The 6th an appearance of change of weather, in the morning early: I was resolved to seize the first oppor­tunity; the signal was made to prepare to land between five and six o'clock, and at eight all the men were in the boats: the fog came on again, and the swell increa­fed [Page 5]during the time the men were getting into the boats, and the Admiral again declared it impracticable to land. I ordered the troops on board their respective ships, first acquainting them with the reason for so doing.

The 7th the weather bad in the morning; in the afternoon the swell rather decreased, and gave us great hopes of landing at day-break the next morning, for which orders were given; and Bragg's regiment, who were in a number of sloops, to sail under convoy, by the mouth of the harbour, to Lorembec; sending, at the same time, a proportion of artillery destin'd for the light house point, with orders to make all the shew they could of landing, but not to land till further orders, in­tending to draw the enemy's attention on that side.

From the 2nd to this time, the enemy has been re­inforcing their posts, adding to their works, cannonading and throwing shells at the ships, and making all the preparations they can to oppose our landing. Seven transports were now missing with troops on board, three of which came in at night. The Admiral gave all ne­cessary orders for the frigates to cover our landing.

On the 8th the troops were assembled in the boats before break of day, in three divisions; and Commodore 'Durell having viewed the coast by order of the Admiral, and given me his opinion the troops might land, without danger from the surff, in the bay on our left, the Ken­nington and Halifax snow began the fire on the left, followed by the Gramont, Diana, and Shannon Fri­gates in the center, and the Sutherland and Squirrel upon the right. When the fire had continued about a quarter of an hour, the boats upon the left rowed into [Page 6]the shore, under the command of Brigadier General Wolfe, whose detachment was composed of the four eldest companies of Grenadiers, followed by the Light Infantry (a corps of 550 men, chosen as marksmen from the different regiments; they serve as Irregulars, and are commanded by Major Scott, who was Major of Brigade) and the companies of Rangers, supported by the Highland Regiment, and those by the eight remain­ing companies of Grenadiers.

The division on the right, under the command of Brigadier-General Whitmore, consisted of the Royal, Lascelles, Monckton, Forbes, Anstruther and Webb, and rowed to our right by the White Point, as if in­tending to force a landing there.

The center division, under the command of Briga­dier-general Lawrence, was formed of Amberst's, Hop­son's, Otway's, Whitmore's, Lawrence's, and War­burton's, and made at the same time, a shew of land­ing at the Fresh Water Cove. This drew the enemy's attention to every part, and prevented their troops, post­ed along the coast, from joining those on their right.

The enemy acted very wisely; they did not throw away a shot till the boats were near in shore; and then directed the whole fire of their cannon and musketry upon them. The surff was so great, that a place could hardly be found to get a boat on shore. Notwithstan­ding the fire of the enemy, and the violence of the surff, Brigadier Wolfe pursued his point, and landed just at the left of the Cove, took post, attacked the enemy, and forced them to retreat. Many boats overset, se­veral [Page 7]broke to pieces, and all the men jumped into the water to get on shore.

So soon as the left division was landed, the first de­tachments of the center rowed a proper time to the left, and followed; then the remainder of the centre division, as fast as the boats could fetch them from the ships; and the right division followed the center in like manner.

It took up a great deal of time to land the troops; the enemy's retreat, or rather flight, was through the roughest and worst ground I ever saw; and the pursuit ended with a connonading from the Town, which was so far of use, that it pointed out how near I could en­camp to invest it; on which the regiments marched to their ground, and lay on their Arms. The wind in­creased, and we could not get any thing on shore.

The loss of his Majesty's troops at landing is Capt. Baillie and Lieut. Cuthbert, of the Highland regiment; Lieut. Nicholson, of mine, four serjeants, one corpor­al, and 38 men killed, 21 were of my regiment, (the Grenadiers) of which 8 were shot, and the rest drown­ed in trying to get on shore.

Five lieutenants, two serjeants, one corporal, and 51 men wounded; and of the five companies of ran­gers, one ensign and three private men killed, one wounded and one missing.

On the enemy's side, two captains of grenadiers, and two lieutenants, are prisoners; one officer killed, and an Indian chief: several men likewise killed, and I imagine, about 70 men taken prisoners: they were sent on board as fast as possible. By some of the pri­soners [Page 8]I had intelligence, that M. St. Julien, colonel, commonded in the Cove: that there were five battalions in the town, namely, Bourgogne, Artois Royal, Marine, Cambise, and Volantaires Etrangers, with about 700 Canadians. The three first regiments wintered in Louis­bourg; Volontaires Etrangers, came there not long since with part of the Fleet, and Cambise the night be­fore we landed,

We took from the enemy three 24 pounders, seven nine pounders, and seven six pounders, two mortars, and 14 swivels; all which were placed along the shore, to prevent our landing; with ammunition, tools, and stores of all kinds.

The 9th lieutenant general Bragg's regiment retur­ned in their sloops to Lorembec. The weather con­tinued extremely bad; the surff so great, that we could get only some of our tents on shore in the afternoon.

The 10th the surff still continued, and it was with great difficulty we got any thing on shore.

The 11th the weather grew clear and better, and the light six pounders, which I ordered on shore im­mediately after the troops, were now only landed, and some artillery stores with them.

On the 12th, from intelligence I had received, that the enemy had destroyed the grand battery, and called in their out-posts, I detached Brigadier Wolfe with 1200 men, four companies of grenadiers, three-com­panies of rangers, and some light infantry, round the N. E. harbour to the light house point, with an intention to silence the island battery, and, at the same time, to destroy the ships in the harbour; sending at the same time by sea, the proportion of artillery tools, [Page 9]&c. that had been ordered for this service.

I received this day a report from brigadier Wolfe, that he had taken possession of the light house point, and all the posts on that side the harbour, which the enemy had abandoned, leaving several cannon, which were rendered useless, tools, &c. and a great quantity of fish at Lorembec. The weather continued extremely bad; but we got some tools on shore this night; so that on the 13th, we began to make a communication from the right to the left in the front of the camp, and I ordered three redoubts on the most advantageous ground in the front. A party of the enemy came out this day towards our camp, but were soon beat back by the light infan­try before two piquets could well get up to their as­sistance. We worked at the three redoubts in front all night.

The 14th the enemy cannonaded us a great part of the day. The surff still continued so great, that it was with the greatest difficulty we could land any thing. The fleet, under the command of Sir Charles Hardy, which appeared yesterday for some time, was in the night blown off to sea.

The 15th I sent four more mortars in a sloop to the light-house, but we could not get any artillery landed on this shore. At night two deserters from the Volon­taires Etrangers came in, and said they had 5 killed, and 46 wounded, in the skirmish on the 13th.

The 16th the first fine weather, we landed 12 days provisions, and got many things on shore, but could not yet land any artillery.

The 17th I got Colonel Bastide [chief Engineer] on [Page 10]horseback, and with Colonel Williamson and Major M'Kellar, we reconnoitred the whole ground as far as we could; and Colonel Bastide was determined in his opinion of making approaches by the green hill, and confining the destruction of the ships in the harbour to the light-house point, and the batteries on that side. I added two eight inch mortars and three royals to the light-house batteries.

The 18th we had fine weather. Some Indians took three of the transports men at the bottom of Gabarus Bay, who landed there contrary to orders. The road for the artillery was push'd on as fast as possible. We got three 24 pounders on shore, though the surff was great the beginning of the Day.

The 19th the batteries of the Light House were in­tended to have been open'd this night, but could not be got ready so soon. L'Echo, a French frigate of 32 Guns, was brought in to-day; had got out of the har­bour the 13th at night, and was bound to Quebec: By her we have intelligence, that the Bizane got out the day we landed, and the Commette since our arrival off the harbour.

The 20th the Island battery and ships fired at the batteries on the shore, who began their fire this last night. The enemy burnt an old ship at the bottom of the harbour.

The 21st very bad weather, and the surff high. The enemy discovered us making the road for the artillery, and canonaded us; threw some shot into the left of the camp, but did not oblige me to decamp any part. An advanced redoute towards Green Hill was thrown up this night.

The 22d the bad weather continued; we were em­ployed on the roads, and getting up a blockhouse on the left, by the Miry Road, to secure the communica­tion to the N. E. harbour and Light House, and to hinder any parties from going into Town.

The 23d the Admiral assured me there were above 100 boats lost in landing the troops and provisions. This day fine weather; and we have now on shore twelve 24 pounders, and six twelve pounders. The enemy fired a great deal from their shipping and Island Battery, and threw some shot into the left of the camp. Colonel Messervey and most of his carpen­ters taken ill of the small-pox, which is a very great loss to the army. Gabions and facscines are landed, and carried forward as fast as possible, to make an epaulement to Green Hill. The batteries at the Light House fire with success against the Island Battery, and I hope will soon silence it.

On the 24th the enemy fired on the Light House batteries from the town and shipping; and on our ad­vanced redoubt, which was finished; they fired from the town. Colonel Bastide remained fixed in his opi­nion of advancing by Green Hill. We had this day in the park of artillery thirteen 24 pounders, and seven 12 pounders.

The 25th the cannonading continued night and day: in the evening the Island Battery was silenced; their own fire had helped to break down part of their works. Fascines and gabions were forwarded to Green Hill as fast as possible. All the men employed at work, and [Page 12]making the necessary communications. The enemy fired a good deal at our advanced redoute.

The 26th a small alarm on the left of a party that had advanced from the town, had got up to the Block House, which was not quite finished. They had with them a barrel of pitch to set it on fire: the guard on it was not sufficient to oppose a large party; but a de­tachment was sent out so quick, that they were forced to retreat without effecting their design, though two of the men had been in the block house, and they were drove back into the Town very fast. Three hundred pioneers ordered to Green Hill. Admiral Boscawen landed 200 marines, and took the post at Kennington Cove, which is a great ease to the army. I desired of the Admiral four 32 pounders, and two 24 pounders to leave at the Light House, to keep the Island Bat­tery in ruin, that with a proper number of men intren­ched there, Brigadier Wolfe, with his detachment, might be able to come round the harbour, bringing his artillery with him; and to try to destroy the shipping, to advance towards the west gate.

The 27th one brass 24 pounder was lost in twelve fathom water, by slipping off the catamaran, as they were coming from the ship to land it. The cannon I asked of the Admiral were landed this night at the Light House.

The 28th a great many popping shots and cannona­ding. As the post at Green Hill was covered, we be­gan the road over the bog, and throwing up an epaule­ment. Colonel Messervey and his son both died this day; and of his company of carpenters of 108 men, [Page 13]all but 16 in the small-pox, who are nurses to the sick. This is particularly unlucky at this time.

The 29th cannonading continued, the frigate fired constantly at the epaulement; we pursued working at the road, which cost a great deal of labour: at night the enemy sunk four ships in the harbour's mouth; Apollo, a two-decked one, La Fidelle of 36 guns, La Chevre, and la Biche, of 16 guns each, and they cut off most of their masts. Remain in the harbour five of the line of battle, and a frigate of 36 guns.

The 30th at night some firing at Kennington Cove: the marines thought they saw Indians: the firgate fired all night at the epaulement, as the men worked in the night time.

The 1st of July the enemy creeped out in the mor­ning to get some old pallisades and wood. Brigadier Wolfe and Major Scott's Light Infantry pushed them in with a very brisk fire; and the Brigadier took posts on the hills, from whence it was intended to try to de­molish the shipping; we marched forward on the right, forced the enemy back to Cape Noir with a smart fire.

The 2nd the epaulement and road went on heavily, from the extreme badness of the ground: The enemy continued their cannonading, and threw some shells; we skirmished all Day with parties out of the town.

The 3d a great cannonading from the town and shipping, on the batteries. Brigadier Wolfe was mak­ing an advanced work on the right, thrown up 650 yards from the cover'd way, with an intention of erect­ing a battery to destroy the defences of the place, it being pretty well on the capital of the citadel bastion; [Page 14]and the falling of the ground from this place, towards the works, would hinder discovering as much of the works as would be necessary to do them any damage. In the evening the sea officers thought some of the ships would try to get out of the harbour. The bat­teries on the left immediately play'd on them, but it grew so dark they could not continue.

The 4th a great fog; when there were glares of light, the cannonading began; 500 men kept conti­nually making fascines.

The 5th very bad weather; the epaulement was hastened on as much as possible; it swallowed up an immense number of fascines, cost some men, as the frigate cannonaded on it without ceasing.

The 6th a sloop sailed out of the harbour with a flag of truce to Sir Charles Hardy, to carry some things to their wounded officers and prisoners.

The many difficulties of landing everything in al­most a continual surff, the making of roads, drawing & passing of bogs, and putting ourselves under cover ren­der our approach to the place much longer than I could wish.

On the 7th we had very foggy weather; cannon­ading continued all day, and a good deal of popping shots from the advanced posts.

The 8th I intended an attack on some advanced posts at Cape-Noir, but it did not take place. Colonel Bast­ide got a contusion by a musket ball on his boot, which laid him up in the gout.

The 9th, in the night, the enemy made a sally where Brigadier Lawrence commanded; they came from Cape Noir, [Page 15]and tho' drunk, I am afraid rather surprized a company of grenadiers of Forbes's, commanded by Lord 'Dundonald, who were posted in a fleecke, on the right, Major Murry, who commanded three companies of gre­nadiers, immediately detached one, and drove the enemy back very easily. Whitmore's and Bragg's grenadiers behaved very well on this occasion. Lord Dundonald was killed. Lieut. Tew wounded and taken prisoner, Capt. Bontein, of the engineers, taken prisoner: 1 cor­poral, 3 men killed; 12 missing; 17 men woun­ed. The sally was of five picquets, supported by 600 men; a captain, Chevalier de Chavelin, was killed; a lieutenant wounded and taken prisoner; 17 men killed; 4 wounded, and bro't off prisoners; besides what woun­ded they carried into the town: one of which, a captain, died immediately. The enemy sent out a flag of truce to bury their dead, which when over, the cannonading be­gan again. The frigate was so hurt, she hauled close to the town; the ships fired very much against Brigadier Wolfe's batteries.

The 10th the road at the epaulement went on a little better; the enemy fired a great deal, and threw many shells.

The 11th a waggoner was taken off by some Indians, between the block-house and the left of the north-east harbour.

The 12th it rained very hard all night; not a man in the detachment could have a dry thread on; we made an advanced work to Green-Hill; at night the waggoner who had been taken, luckily made his escape; said, they were 250 Canadians. The citadel bastion fired very smartly.

The 13th the enemy threw a great many shells; we perfected our works as fast as we could; had rainy wea­ther; the enemy was at work at Cape Noir, to hinder our taking possession near that point, which is of no con­sequence; some deserters came in said a sloop from Miray, got in three days ago.

The 14th, the batteries were traced out last night with an intention to place twenty 24-pounders, divided in four different batteries, to destroy the defences: and a battery of 7 mortars, with some twelve-pounders, to ricohet the works and the town.

The 15th the cannonading and firing continued; the enemy tried to throw some shells into camp, sup­posed to be intended against our powder magazines: At ten at night the light-house battery fired some rockets as a signal of ships sailing out of the harbour; Sir Charles Hardy answered it; the frigate got out, and Sir Charles Hardy's Fleet got under sail and went to sea. Before day-break, Capt. Sutherland, posted at the end of the north-east harbour, was attacked, and there was a great deal of firing; the grenadiers of Brigadier Wolfe's corps marched to sustain him, and all the light infantry; it was over before they could get up, and, by a diserter from the enemy, they were only 100 men come from Miray, where they left Mons. de Boisbiere, who had, on the other side of the water, 300 men, with boats to pass. Major Scott, with the light infantry, pursued, but could not get up with them. I encamped a corps forward.

The 16th, towards night, Brigadier Wolfe pushed on a corps and took possession of the hills in the front [Page 17]of the barasoy, where we made a lodgment; the ene­my fired very briskly from the town and shipping.

The 17th a great fire continued from the town and shipping; we resolved to extend the parallel from the right to the left. The fleet returned.

The 18th, all last night the enemy fired musketry from the covert-way, and tried to throw shells into the camp.

The 19th I relieved the trenches by battalions, the 14 battalions formed 3 brigades; a smart fire from the covert-way; the batteries on the left fired against the bastion Dauphine with great success.

The 21st one of the ships in the harbour had some powder blown up in her, made a great explosion, and set the ship on fire, which soon caught the sails of two more; they burned very fast, and we kept firing on them the whole time, to try to hinder the boats and people from the town, to get to their assistance; the Entreprenant, Capricieux, and Superb, were the three burned ships; the Prudent and Bienfaisant remained.

The 22d two batteries on the right opened with 13 24-pounders, and another with 7 mortars, and fired with great success; the enemy fired very well from the town for some time, and threw their shells into our works. Our shells put the citadel in flames. I or­dered Col. Williamson to confine his fire as much as he could to the defences of the place, that we might not destroy the houses. A lieutenant of the Royal-Ameri­cans, going his rounds on an advanced post, lost his way, and was taken prisoner near Cape Noir. A battery was begun on the left for four 24-pounders.

The 23d the cahorns were used at night and the French mortars sent to throw stones from the trenches. The enemy fired all sorts of old iron, and any stuff they could pick up. Col. Bastide was out to-day for the first time since he received the contusion. Our batteries fired with great success. This night the shells set fire to the barracks, and they burnt with great violence.

On the 24th the fire was very brisk on our side, and the enemy's decreased. The admiral gave me 400 seamen to help work at the batteries, and 200 miners added to a corps of 100 already established, that we might make quick work of it, and they were imme­diately employed. The 4 gun battery opened, and another of 5 erecting. One of the men of war in the harbour, the Bienfaisant, fired at our trenches at high water, and the citadel and bastion Dauphine fired against the 4 gun battery; but our men firing small-arms into the embrazures, beat the enemy off their guns.

The 25th the batteries fired with great success. The admiral sent me word, he intended to send in boats with 600 men, to take or destroy the Prudente and Bienfaisant, in the harbour. I ordered all the batteries at night to fire into the works as much as possible, to keep the enemy's attention to the land. The miners and workmen went on very well with their approaches to the covered way, tho' they had a con­tinued and very smart fire from it, and grape shot, and all sorts of old iron from the guns of the ramparts. We continued our fire without ceasing, and a ricochet: The boats got to the ships at one in the morning, and [Page 19]took them both: They were obliged to burn the Pru­dente, as she was a-ground; and they towed off the Bienfaisant to the north-east harbour.

The 26th the admiral came on shore, and told me he proposed sending 6 ships into the harbour the next day. Just at this time I received a letter from the governor, offering to capitulate, and the articles were agreed upon. The troops remained in the trenches this night as usual.

The 27th three companies of grenadiers, under the command of Major Farquhar, took possession of the west gate; and I sent in brigadier general Whitmore, to see the garrison lay down their arms, and post the necessary guards in the town, on the stores, magazines, &c. And I had the arms bro't out of town, and 11 colours, which I send you, under the care of Captain William Amherst. As I have given in orders that I desired every commanding officer of corps would ac­quaint the officers and men that I was greatly pleased with the brave and good behaviour of the troops, which has, and always must insure success; I am to acquaint you, Sir, that I took the liberty to add to it, that I would report it to the King.