in number) abandoned their houses, some got into Canada, some came in afterwards & submitted, and others were surpris'd & taken in the Woods by our detachments: by the 11th. this scatter'd settlement was entirely destroyed: among the Prisoners we found Pilots for Miramichi, and for the fishing Coast towards the Baye des-Chaleurs, I order'd Colonel Murray to take the command of about eight hundred men to attack the establishment at Miramichi, concluding that Boisubert and his Canadians, wou'd be there to assist the Indians & Acadians in their defence. A Detachment was sent at the same time under Captain Erwin of Amherst's Regiment, to destroy the fishing settlements at Pas-beau and la grande Rivière, and Sir Charles Hardy orderd some of the Boats of his Squadron to Mal-baye, and other places—west of Gaspée to ruin the fishery there. Colonel Murray's report is enclosed for your information concerning the Bay, River & settlement of Miramichi. Captain Erwin, with his detachment, some Marines, & some Sea-men landed at la grande Riviere, Pas-beau, baye sauvage, and upon the Island Bonaventure, and burnt all the Houses, Shallops, Stages, Magazines & Stores of those settlements to a considerable value, with a quantity of dried fish & two sloops laden with that Commodity for Quebec, but Captain Jacobs who commanded the Kennington, sent by Sr. Charles Hardy to countenance and assist Mr. Erwin, did not think it safe to remain upon the Coast, so that Capt. Erwin was obliged to leave most of the inhabitants in the Woods contrary to my instructions, and to the directions I had received from General Amherst. When these detachments were made, I advis'd with Sr. Charles Hardy, as to what might be done in the River St. Lawrence to distress, or alarm the Enemy, and cause some diversion in favour of General Abercomby, but the Rear Admiral did not think it proper at that Season to carry the Squadron as high as the Isle Bic. However, I determin'd to destroy the Settlement at Mont-Louis thirty two leagues from Gaspé and the only inhabited place between that Bay & St. Barnabé; I had learn't that there was a considerable store of dry fish ready for Quebec, & imagin'd there might possibly be some good Pilots for the River. The 13th., Major Dalling was detached with 100 men to surprise Mont-Louis, & bring off the inhabitants; he marched five days along the Coast, & surrounded the place in the night, so that none cou'd escape; the Major burn't a schooner upon the stocks, all their Fish, and totally destroy'd the Fishery; he brought away six pieces of small Cannon, & a Sloop with provisions from Quebec, which came into the River of Mont-louis, after the detachment got there, this Sloop was to unload, & then proceed to Gaspé for intelligence, with orders to cruise there till the 15th October. The Passengers & People informed us, that they left the French fleet getting under sail the 17th September twenty five leagues, below Quebec, and that the Squadron consisted of six sail of the Line, two Frigates, two Privateers, and four Merchant Ships, that they were to pass through the streights of Belle-isle in their way to Europe. These Prisoners assured us, that there was great scarcity of provisions and great distress at Quebec, that (altho' the Magazines for the army were full, and the best harvest of many years) Bread sold at near a shilling a pound, that both the Troops & Inhabitants had been reduced in the Winter to eat horseflesh, and that the Colony must be ruin'd, unless very early & very powerfull assistance was given. Major Dalling returned to Gaspé the 23d; and Sir Charles Hardy (who had been cruising for some time, between Gaspé & Anticosti, endeavouring to get within the Mouth of the River St. Lawrence) came to an anchor in the Bay, the 24th. As there was no further service for the Troops, they embarked; the Squadron sail'd the 27th and arrived at Louisbourg the 29th Amherst's & Anstruther's Regiments were sent directly to Haiifax, & Braggs' remain'd at Louisbourg. As we found no Enemy in a condition to oppose us, we cou'd add nothing to the reputation of his Majesty's Arms. Their Fishery in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, a material article of subsistance to the Canadians, is, in a great measure ruin'd, a few Shallops only got up to Quebec with fish before our arrival at Gaspé. Two arm'd Sloops, and four whale Boats will make it impossible to catch a Quintal of Cod as long as the War lasts. All their Houses, Stages, Magazines, Shallops, Nets, Stores, & Provisions are burn't, one hundred & forty of the Inhabitants brought off, and the rest of them miserable people, will in all probability be forced to abandon their settlements, and retire to Quebec,-Among the Prisoners, there are some who are very well acquainted with the River St. Laurence, their names have been given to Mr. Durelle. From Pasbeau round the Bay des Chaleurs, to Caraquet, there are no french Inhabitants; from Caraquet to Mirimichi, there may be about forty who AP. III-4 either fish, or trafick with the Indians for furr, Upon the Magdalen Islands, there are from thirty to forty People, employed in catching SeaCows. In time of Peace, a number of Ships from St. Maloes and other Ports, are sent every year to fish upon the Coast of Gaspée. Forty sail of ships are expected in the River St. Laurence, with provisions, Stores &c., early in the Summer. I have the honour to be with the utmost Respect Sir Enclosure in Wolfe's of 1st Novr. 1758— JAM: WOLFE Sir, James Murray to Wolfe Louisbourg 24th. September 1758. I have the Honor to acquaint you that all the Fleet, (except the small Sloop which parted from Us at Sea and did not join Us till we were on our return to Louisbourg,) made Miramichi Bay the 15th. instant, and came to an Anchor in an open Road, Seven Leagues from the Settlement and three from the Barr, exposed 16 Points of the Compass; Capt. Vaughan expressed much Uneasiness at the Situation of the Ships, but as the Weather was moderate and promised to continue so some time, he eagerly embraced the opportunity and agreed with me, that we should immediately with the Artillery Sloop and the Boats of the Fleet proceed up the River and attack the Settlement, representing to me the necessity of returning quickly, as the Ships in the Situation they were in, without Boats or Men, could not possibly escape being lost, should the Gales of Wind blow, which are naturally to be expected at this Season of the year; As we had this morning chased a Privatier into the River which in Company with a Sloop, we saw fire several Guns, I mounted the two Six Pounders in our Sloop and contrived to embark three Hundred Men in her and the Boats, there is but Six Feet Water on the Barr at low Water, we were therefore obliged to wait a litte this side of it till the Tide rose by which means it was dark before we could get over it, we struck upon it but got safe within Muskett Shott of the Settlement about 12 at Night, Joseph the Indian being our Pilot, we landed & found all the Inhabitants, (except the King's Surgeon & Family) had desert'd it, this man told me, that the Inhabitants consist of the neutral French who fled from Nova Scotia, that they expected no Quarter from Us and had therefore run away, that le Pere Bonavanture was with them, their Number about Forty, that there are several Habitations dispersed all over the Bay for many Leagues both above & below where we were, that many Indians inhabit this Bay, but chiefly about where we were & below, that they lived sometimes in one place sometimes in another, having no fixed residence till the Winter, that on the other side the Bay there was a Settlement of about Thirty Family's Three Leagues from Us, to destroy which I immediately detached a Party. That Ten Leagues up the River there was another Settlement very considerable of Neutrals and some Family's who had fled from the Island of St. Johns since the taking of Louisbourg, that the whole were in a starving Condition, had sent away most part of their Effects to Canada, and were all to follow immediately as they every Hour expected the English, & besides could not subsist, since they could not now be supported by Sea as they formerly were before Louisbourg was taken, that the Inducement for settling in that River was the Furr Trade, which is very considerable, no less than Six Vessels having been loaded there with that Commodity this Summer, that Monsr. Boisbert commands the whole as well as the Settlement on St. John's River, That he is at present with his Company at Fort George, against which he is to act in conjunction with a Detachment from Montcalm's Army & is to return no more to Miramichi, which is abandoned for the reasons already given, that the two Vessels we had seen, were, one a Privatier mounting Six Carriage Guns, the other a Sloop which had an officer and Twenty Five Men on board for Canada, they had escaped from Cape Britain, but being chased by one of our Frigates off Gaspée, I suppose the Kennington, were now to make the best of their way inland to Canada, there being a Communication from the head of Miramichi River to Quebeck by Rivers & Lakes a few Portages excepted, He added that the Passage up the River to the Settlement Ten Leagues up, was very narrow but water enough for the Sloop; As the Weather was still fair & promising, I immediately upon this Consideration, wrote to Capt. Vaughan for some Guns to mount upon the Sloop (as I found our Six Pound field Pieces would not work in her) and some more Provisions, that I might proceed up the River to destroy every thing in it, but he sent me the inclosed Letters one after the other, I likewise took care to have Capt. Bickerton consulted about the Situation of the Fleet, who declared he could not Sleep while it continued where it was; I therefore in the Evening of the 17th in obedience to your Instructions embarked the Troops, having two Days hunted all around Us for the Indians and Acadians to no purpose, we however destroyed their Provisions, Wigwams and Houses, the Church which was a very handsome one built with Stone, did not escape, We took Numbers of Cattle, Hogs and Sheep, & Three Hogsheads of Beaver Skins, and I am perswaded there is not now a French Man in the River Miramichi, and it will be our fault if they are ever allowed to settle there again, as it will always be in the power of two or three Armed Vessels capable of going over the Barr, to render them miserable should they attempt it. I thought it was a pity that the two Vessels I have mentioned should escape Us, and therefore proposed to the Sea Commanders to go up with the Sloop manned with Soldiers to attack her and desired some Six Pounders, but they declared she was not in a Condition to carry any, and was otherwise very improper for such an Enterprize; If this could have been done the Fleet might have proceeded to Sea, out of the Danger it was exposed to, by lying in the open Road. We are now return'd to Louisbourg in the same Situation we left you at Gaspée ; I am glad of this Opportunity to inform You of Our arrival, and in tolerable good order the length of Our passage consider'd. We were astonish'd to find Mr. Durelle at an Anchor; he demanded Troops to compleat his Squadron, which were given without loss of time; I send Carleton with the Rear Admirall, & have reinforc'd the first detachment, |