WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO THE DUKE OF Boston, New England 27 March, [1744] 1745. MY LORD DUKE, Since my last to your Grace I have raised 3200 Troops exclusive of Commission Officers for his Majesty's Service in the present Expedition against the French Settlements on Cape Breton, 2800 of which have already taken. their departure and the remainder are embark'd, and will I hope sail from this place tomorrow. At Canso the place of Rendezvous they will be joined by 350 Troops more raised by the Governour of New Hampshire, which I understand have likewise sailed and will be followed to Cape Breton by 500 more troops from Connecticut in the beginning of next month; And Ten days ago I sent three good ships of 20 Guns each, Two Snows of 16 Guns each, and a Brigantine of near the same force, all well manned and equipped, to cruise before the harbour of Louisbourg in order to intercept any intelligence, Recruits or Supplys, which might be sent to the Enemy before the arrival of our Forces upon the Island; these will be joined by another Snow of 24 Guns and other arm'd Vessels of less force, after our Troops are landed, and are all in the Pay of this Government, and will also be joined by the Connecticut Colony Sloop upon the arrival of the Forces of that Government at Cape Breton; and if the Government of Rhode Island raise the 150 men, which they have voted for this Service and man their Colony Sloop, upon neither of which I absolutely depend, there will be that addition to our Land and sea Armament, — And Embargoes have been laid on all shipping in the four New England Governments, and strictly observed in three of 1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 900, 168. On the same day Shirley wrote the Board of Trade a letter similar to the one here printed. An abstract of additional matter contained is on p. 199, following this letter to Newcastle. them, to prevent the Enemy's haveing any intelligence or provisions carryed to them from these parts. To strengthen the before mentioned Naval force I apply'd in particular to Commodore Warren at Antigua for the assistance of one or more of his Majesty's ships from the Squadron under his command, as the Service in those parts would admit, acquainting him with the intended Expedition, and that, as Mr Duvivier was gone from Louisbourg to old France for Recruits and Supplies, and was expected to return very early in the Spring, it would be of the utmost consequence to his Majesty's service in this Enterprize that we should be assisted by him in time to block up the harbour of Louisbourg and cut off the Enemy's expected recruits and supplies from old France, which if we could obtain seasonably for that purpose, and to Encourage our own forces upon the Appearance of the King's Ships, as well as to terrify the Enemy, we had very great reason to hope that our Land forces would be able to carry all their points against the Enemy in their present weak Circumstances; This advice I sent by an Express Boat, which arrived at Antigua the 22d of February, and by which two days after Mr Warren return'd me for answer that he had received orders to attend on New England in the Weymouth some time in March, from doing which he was prevented by the unhappy Loss of that Ship, but that he should in a very few days. dispatch the Launceston to attend on New England and the Mermaid to New York, pursuant to his directions from the Lords of Admiralty; The Loss of the Weymouth, which has hinderd the Commodore from following his Directions to come here himself, is an unhappy misfortune at this Crisis; but notwithstanding that, if instead of sending the Launceston to this place and the Mermaid to New York he had been pleased to have Dispatch'd them both directly to Cape Breton, to have join'd the other Ships there in blocking up Louisbourg Harbour, as I pressed him in my Letter to do, and, I suppose, he might unquestionably have done, consistent with his orders, there is no room to doubt but that Our naval Force would have been superiour to what Mr Duvivier may probably be expected to bring with him from France early in the Spring to convoy the recruits and Supplies for Louisbourg, (and perhaps afterwards to attack Annapolis Royal) especially if we had been assisted by his Majesty's Ship the Bien Amy Prize now in this harbour, and which was ordered hither by Mr Knowles, partly to load with masts of a proper size and Dimensions for repairing the ships of the Squadron at Jamaica, some of which, by means of the Hurricane there in October last must be greatly in want of them, and which Mr Knowles was informed could not be got ready here 'till the beginning of July, so that that ship might in the meantime have cruised before Louisbourg till the middle of May, which I also requested of Mr Warren; but instead of being permitted to do it Mr Knowles thereupon dispatch'd orders for the Bien Amy Prize to return to Antigua instantly without staying for masts fit for repairing the Jamaica ships, that suffered in the Hurricane, which seems to have a Tendency to disappoint the service at Jamaica as well as the Expedition; whereas had my request of the assistance of that Ship been allowed it would have answered both Services. Thus we have been unhappily disappointed of such Assistance from Mr Warren's Squadron, (which with respect to the Launceston that is appointed for the Service of New England we seem to have a plain right to have had) as would in all human probability have secur'd success to our attempt against the Enemy under their present low Circumstances: And what turn it may give to the Event of the Expedition is uncertain. I shall hope that Providence will favour the small Naval Force, which I have been able to muster up here, with Success; and that our Land Forces will still be able to maintain their ground on Cape Breton 'till I shall receive his Majesty's Royal Pleasure upon this matter: In the meantime I have endeavoured to provide a Retreat for our Vessels and Forces at Canso against all Events, and at least to secure the other points of preserving Annapolis Royal from any sudden early attempts against it before the arrival of the recruits from England, destroy ing one or both of the principal Batteries of the harbour of Louisbourg, breaking up the Enemy's small Settlements upon that Island and in the neighbouring parts, (which are numerous) and by that means ruining their fishery there for sometime, and beginning a resettlement at Canso, and recovering the English Fishery there, in case his Majesty shall be pleased to garrison Canso again, and protect it by one Station ship as usual in time of Peace; the Gaining of all which, though the attempt against the Town of Louisbourg it self should fail, or his Majesty should not be pleased to support the Expedition with any Ships and Marines from England, will yet promote his service in other points of such importance, as may answer the Expence, which this Enterprize will occasion, and I hope will not be disapprov❜d of by His Majesty, as the Motive for my Engaging in this Expedition was my Zeal for His Majesty's Service and the interest of his British Dominions in the first place & next to that for promoting the particular Interests of this Province and his other northern Colonies. I am with the most dutifull regards Your Grace's most obedient and His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. W. SHIRLEY.1 Endorsed: New England. March 27, 1745 Ę June 3d In a letter of the same date to the Board of Trade (C. O. 5, 923, p. 161) Shirley incloses a resolution of the Council and Assembly of Massachusetts for an expedition against Cape Breton, and expresses the hope that the King will support it. He outlines the great advantages of Cape Breton to the French and the hazard to the English trade while it remains in French hands. The Governor then states the danger the northern settlements are in from the French so long as they possess Cape Breton, and the loss to French trade with Canada resulting from the conquest of Cape Breton, as in his letter of Jan. 14 on p. 161. WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO WILLIAM GREENE1 SIR, Boston, March 28, 1744. I am informed that your Governmt have agreed to raise 150 Men for the Expedition against Cape Breton and to send your Colony Sloop in the same Service, and as the Governmt of Connecticut will have their Forces ready early in the next month & are solicitous for their getting safe to Cape Breton I cannot but think it will be for the Convenience of both Governmts if you could join your Forces & proceed together upon this Voyage, and in case anything should hinder your raising the Forces proposed, yet I hope you will think it necessary for His Majesty's Service to send your Colony Sloop for the safeguard of the troops from Connecticut. I am Sir Your Honours most humble & obedient Servt P.S. SIR, I hope if you cannot otherwise man your Sloop, you will not scruple upon this extraordinary Occasion to impress Seamen as this Governmt has done, & if it should happen that the 150 Land Forces are not raised pursuant to the Vote of your Assembly Your Honour will at least make up the complement of your Colony Sloop 130 men as at first voted. Honble William Green Esq. or in his absence the Honble Joseph Whipple Esq. 1 R. I. Col. Rec. 5, 133. |