Page:Historical records of the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) regiment.djvu/40

10 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE Luttre informed Colonel Mascarene that a reinforcement of regulars was daily expected from Louisburg, but that after blood should be spilt it would be difficult to restrain the fury of the Indians. He advised him, therefore, to make an immediate surrender, in which case he promised personal protection and humane treatment, and concluded by a threat, if these offers were refused, to storm the place on the arrival of the soldiers. To this the officers of the garrison replied, that it would be soon enough to summon them to surrender when the armament, of which he spoke in such confident terms, arrived. In the meantime, Colonel Mascarene made the most pressing entreaties to Massachusetts for help, and four companies were daily expected, when Luttre, not receiving the assistance promised from Louisburg, withdrew to Minas, having first burnt the few English houses and destroyed the cattle.*

Canso was attacked on 13th May by the French force from Louisburg, under command of Du Vivier, and on 24th May the garrison, consisting of four companies of the regiment commanded by Captain Heron, capitulated. The town was burnt, and the four companies, with the crew of a man of-war sloop and the inhabitants of the place, were made prisoners of war and carried to Louisburg. Luttre had scarce quitted Annapolis before the division appeared in the basin from Canso under Du Vivier; he landed his men on 2nd June, and as the Indians immediately flocked to his standard, he invested the fort; but though the works were in a miserable condition, there were forty pieces of cannon mounted ; and as he was not provided with a proper train of artillery, be made little or no progress in the siege. For four weeks he kept the place in continual alarm, but no regular attack was attempted. At last, on 3rd July, the garrison was rein- forced by the four companies from New England, upon which Du Vivier provided scaling ladders for a general assault, and offered a reward of 400 livres to every Indian who should mount the rampart ; but not being able to prevail upon them to make the attempt he broke up his camp. t

• Colonial Papers, Record Office, and Haliburton's Nova Scotia.

t Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Mascarene, Record Office