What was the fall of Louisbourg in 1758?
Answer
The British siege and capture of the French Atlantic fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island from June 8 to July 26, 1758, removing France's last major Atlantic stronghold and opening the way to the Quebec campaign of 1759.
Explanation
The fall of Louisbourg in 1758 was the British siege and capture of the French Atlantic fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island from June 8 to July 26, 1758, during the Seven Years' War (the French and Indian War in North America). The capture removed France's last major Atlantic stronghold, opened the St. Lawrence to British naval forces, and prepared the way for the Quebec campaign of 1759. The siege involved about 14,000 British soldiers and 14,000 British sailors against a French garrison of about 3,500 soldiers and about 4,000 sailors.
Louisbourg was founded in 1713 by France after the Treaty of Utrecht ceded mainland Acadia to Britain. France retained Île Royale (Cape Breton Island) and established Louisbourg as a fortified port to protect French fishing fleets and the entrance to the St. Lawrence. By the 1740s Louisbourg had become a major fortress, with massive ramparts, the Bastion du Roi, the Royal Battery, and a deep harbour. New England colonial forces under William Pepperrell had captured Louisbourg once before in 1745 during King George's War, but it was returned to France by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748.
The 1758 siege was led by Major-General Jeffery Amherst with brigadier-generals Charles Lawrence, Edward Whitmore, and James Wolfe. Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen commanded the supporting fleet of about 39 warships. The British landed at Anse de la Cormorandière on June 8, 1758 (Wolfe leading the left wing through heavy surf), then conducted a methodical siege approach over the following six weeks. French Governor Augustin de Drucour led a competent defence but was outmatched by superior British forces, particularly after Boscawen's fleet destroyed three French warships in the harbour.
Drucour surrendered on July 26, 1758, with about 5,600 French soldiers and sailors taken prisoner. About 1,000 French civilians were also deported to France. Britain demolished the fortifications of Louisbourg in 1760 to prevent the French from rebuilding if Cape Breton was returned in any peace treaty. The capture of Louisbourg gave Britain control of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and made James Wolfe's reputation, leading to his selection to lead the Quebec campaign of 1759. Today the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site is a Parks Canada reconstruction of about one-quarter of the original town and fortifications, the largest reconstruction project in North America.
Why this matters for your test
The fall of Louisbourg in 1758 was the decisive blow to French naval power in North America and set up the Conquest of New France. Recognising the June to July 1758 siege and the Cape Breton location gives candidates two specific anchors.
Source: Parks Canada; Library and Archives Canada
