Siege Of Louisbourg
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When did it happen?
The Siege of Louisbourg began on June 8th 1758. This was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War that ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada. The Seven Years' war was in its second year at this time. It ended 6 weeks later, on July 26th 1758. This would be the biggest siege North America has ever seen.
Who was involved?
The two groups that were involved in the Siege of Louisbourg were the French and the British. On 29 May 1758, a huge British fleet left Halifax. Forty battleships and 150 transport ships carried 14.000 troops. The were led by British General Jeffrey Amherst. His plan was to lay siege to Louisbourg. General Amherst attacked on June 8 1758. The British also had 70 cannons. On the other hand, French General Chevalier de Drucour had only 7,000 troops and five warships. He also only had a bit of battle experience. These men played a huge role in the Siege of Louisbourg.
Why did it start?
These two groups fought because they were competing for colonies in the Americas. (North and South America) The British wanted to capture Fort Louisbourg as it was vital for New France. Louisbourg was France's mighty fortress on the Atlantic. It was located on the tip of Cape Breton Island and it protected the entrance to the St. Lawrence River. This was vital to New France. It prevented the British from easily attacking Quebec by sailing down the St. Lawrence River.
What was it?
The Siege of Louisbourg was a pivotal battle of the Seven Years' War (known in the United States as the French and Indian War) in 1758 that ended the French colonial era in Atlantic Canada. It was when the British attacked the French in Louisbourg. This led directly to the loss of Quebec in 1759 and the remainder of French North America the following year.
What were the effects?
The fall of Louisbourg was a clear victory for Britain and key to the rise of its power in North America. For the British, it was now easier to attack Quebec. Sadly, The Acadians (who were French inhabitants of Louisbourg) were ordered to leave. More than 10,000 Acadians had to leave their homes because of the British in 1755. Most of them traveled to France. Over the next few years, the British destroyed the land using explosives. This is because they didn't want the French to take the land back.
How did it end?
On July 21st France's biggest warship went up in flames. This fire spread quickly to two other warships. Two days later, the King's Bastion was also set on fire and lead to the French having no chance to victory. By July 25th, the last two French warships were defeated, and the French had no other choice but to surrender. The British had 500 casualties and the French had 1,000.
More Facts
Before the American Civil War, the Siege of Louisbourg was the biggest battle fought in North America. Also,The British used 1,493 barrels of gunpowder for their canons.