Louisbourg Journals, 1745

The Capture of Louisbourg in 1745 was the American Colonists' most important military achievement prior to the Revolution. After more than thirty years of peace, the French fortress at Louisbourg had been lured into a false sense of security. This paved the way for a disorganized army of farmers, fishermen, merchants and craftsmen to face and overcome one of the most powerful military forces in the world. The English victory over the French was said to be "the result of mere audacity and hardihood, backed by the rarest good luck."

This work presents previously unpublished journals of actual participants in this important expedition (members of the attacking English army, some anonymous) and other highly valuable documents. The ten first-hand accounts supply intriguing narratives of the siege and capture; each begins with a brief sketch of the original writer. Following are seven appendices which present: a description of the naval forces; the letters from Commodore Peter Warren to General Pepperrell; extracts from a contemporary New York newspaper; a labor account; a list of equipment; Louisbourg in the present day (1932); and the Society of Colonial Wars. Add an original fullname index and several illustrations and this book is a true bastion of knowledge. Any voice, amateur or expert historian of the French and Indian war is more than well-advised to procure this volume.