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Researching the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
  Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada

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An Event Chronology Based on Louisbourg Accounts Not Available in the Archives of the Fortress of Louisbourg, By Eric Krause, Krause House Info-Research Solutions, 2004 - Present

1752

March 8, 1752

Sur la Goélette La Marie Jeanne de Louisbourg, Cap.ne Marsan Hirigoyen armé a Bayonne le 8 mars 1752 pour Louisbourg 

Passagers pour Louisbourg 

Dominique Lissarration de St Jean de Luz, 63 ans 
Pierre Sunimastre en dit 26 ans 
Joannis Lipitsa moulia de Sare, 61 ans Pierre Chaumont de St Jean de Luz, 20 ans 

Engagés pour idem 

Pierre Soulon natif de Saudresse en Béarn charpentier 26 ans, fils de feu Dominique Laboureur et de Claire Landreau 
Jean Cadour natif de la paroisse de St Martin de Seignan, fils de Jean et de Jeanne Duco 
Jean Duvigné natif de la paroisse de St Criq en Chalosse, fils de feu Pierre et de feu Marie Samburlan

PASSAGERS ALLANT AUX COLONIES (Colonies, F5B30. Colonies, Passagers débarqués en France. -1749 - 1830)

Piscataqua, July 31, 1752.

Our last Advices from Louisburgh (alias Placentia Nova) say, That at Canada very sickly among the Inhabitants there, and a great Mortality amongst the Cattle: That the Governor is obliged to have his House double guarded, and dare not come out of if for fear of the People, who are so incensed against him on the Account of his ill Usage to , that they threaten to send him back to France in irons if they catch him.

Boston, August 13.

We hear that the Crew of the fishing Schooners (Capt. Salter) being eight Persons, that were taken by the Indians, near Cape Sables, as mentioned in the Deposition of Capt. Doane, inserted in our last, are returned to Cape Ann; the French at St. Peter, on the Island of cape breton, having taken Possession of their Vessel, they then dismiss them: They left the others that were taken at the same Time at St. Peter with the Schooners. ...

Boston, August 24.

'Hezekiah Doane, Master of the Sloop Elizabeth, maketh solemn Oath, That he being on a Fishing Voyage at Canso, in said Sloop, with 15 Men beside himself, and on the 14th Instant, in the Morning of the said Day was fishing with two Boats in a Place called the North West Passage; and near the Shore they were suprized by a Number of Indians, who lay in Ambush, and commanded the Crews of the Boats, being six in each, to come on Shore, where they stood with their Guns, as this Deponent supposes, ready to fire upon them in case they
refused; upon which one of the Boats with six Men, put to the shore, when one of the Indians, supposed to be the Chief, took Capt. Elisha Doane by the Hand, and said to him, You Captain, me Captain, and shook Hands with him seemingly in a friendly Manner: That this Deponent was in the other Boat, and back a stern, intending to go on shore, when one of the Men in the Boat said, We had as good die one Way as the other, and spoke to the Indians, telling them they would fetch a boat that was at a little Distance from them a fishing; upon which they did no appear to be so urgent for this Deponent and Crew to come ashore, and as this Deponent row off, the third Indian presented a Gun at his Boat, when another Indian struck his Gun down; upon which this Deponent row for his Sloop, which he soon recover, and cut the Cable of his Sloop, hoisted sail and came away. that he saw the Indians (supposed to be 40 or 50 in Number) board and take two Schooners, one belonging to Halifax, and the other to Piscataqua, as he was informed; and afterwards saw them carry the two Schooners towards St. Peter, on cape breton Island, in Sight of a Number of French Shallops, that were fishing in the Bay, between Canso Islands and St. Peter; and that he saw two Blankets hoisted on the Main topmasts of the Schooners as they sailed along. That he saw nothing more of Capt. Doane, and the five Men more, but that they appearto carry them into the Bushes."HEZEKIAH DOANE.

Halifax, in Nova Scotia, August 29.

On Tuesday last a Soldier, formerly belonging to one of the Regiments in this Province, was shot for Desertion; he died seemingly penitent: This Man, in Company with 3 other Soldiers, about a Year ago, stole a Boat from one of our Inhabitants, in which they made their Escape to Louisbourg, from which Place they went to France, and from thence to England: where two of them inlisted again into his Majesty Service for Gibraltar, but on their being put into the Savoy they were discover and brought here in irons, with the Recruits which lately arrived; here they were tried by a Court Martial, and sentence, the one to be shot, the other to receive 500 Lashes. We are inform, that the unhappy person that was shot, had deserted 15 Times, from different Regiments, before this for which he suffer. ...

Boston, October 2.

Friday last Capt. Nicholls arrived here from Halifax, and brought with him 45 French Soldiers, who had deserted from their Camp near Chignecto; and we hear that there is a Disposition in great Numbers of others to desert, as they can fond Opportunity. Those come to Town, are young healthy Fellows, and well cloathed, and propose to work with such persons in Town or Country as incline to employ them. Several of are already engaged, and gone into the Country.

By Letters from Halifax, we have Advice, that one of the Fishing Schooners taken by the Indians at Canso, some Time since, which belonged to Halifax, was arrived there from Sr. Peters, on Cape Breton, the Owner having first paid 2700 Livres to a French priest, for her Ransom, after she had been plunder of all her fishing Geer and Stores, and a large Quantity of Fish.

A few Days ago, Capt. Elisha Doane, who with others, was taken by the Indians at Canso, on the 4th of August last (as has been mentioned in this paper) came to this Town, and informs, that upon their Arrival at St. Peter, all the People were sent to Louisbourg, from whence they have got Passages to their respective Places of Abode.

New York, October 30.

... By Capt. Griffith, who arrived here last Week from Cape Breton, we have an account of a violent Storm there on the first Instant, which lasted sixteen Hours during which Time upwards of 50 vessels in Louisbourg Harbour were drive ashore, and many of them lost; only three Men of War rode it out, and four Sloops by running foul of them, were by that Means kept from going a shore; one of which was Capt. Griffith himself, who lost his boom by it. There were no Lives lost.

Friday Night last Capt. Tingley arrived here in 10 Days from Halifax, by whom we learn, that three vessels were drove ashore and lost in the Storm on the first Instant, between Halifax and Canso, but the Men saved; one of which was a Vessel from Ireland, as mentioned in the Halifax News, the others were a Rhode Island Sloop and a Connecticut Man. A Sloop belonging to Philadelphia, also lost her Boom, Anchors and Cables, but happily then run under a small Island, and made fast to a Tree till the Storm was over. Capt. Tingley further informs, that the late Governor Cornwallis was to sail for England in a Day or two, on board of his Majesty Ship the Torrington ...

[ November 2, 1752]

CUSTOM HOUSE, NEW YORK INWARD ENTRIES.... 

Snow Unicorn, J. Richard from Louisburgh. Sloop Sarah and Elisabeth, D. Griffith, from
cape breton. ...

New York, November 6.

.. By a private Letter from Rhode Island, we learn That Viner Leycraft, in a Sloop bound hither from cape breton, by missing Stays, in the Night of the 21st ult. run ashore on Briton Point, near Newport: the People abd Cargo saved; but the Vessel bilged. ...

[November 22-December 24, 1752] 

Capt. Nathaniel Pierce, of the Brigantine called the Portsmouth, belonging to Mr. Robert Odiorne, Merchant of Piscataqua, in New England, left that Port about the 22d of November, 1752, bound to Louisbourg, with a Cargo chiefly of Lumber. The Crew, besides the Commander, consisting of the following Persons, viz. Nathaniel Barnes, Mate; David Brown, William Langdon, Timothy Cotton, Longford, a Negro Man, all Residents of Piscataqua; besides William Williams of Liverpool; Thomas Chambers, of some Part of the North of England, and John Ollson, a Dutchman; in all nine in number.

They proceeded on their intended Voyage with favourable Winds, and made the Cost of Cape Breton, at about 10 Leagues to the Westward, the first of December. There came that Day a Gale of Wind Easterly, with a Storm of Snow, and exceeding cold. The Crew being much fatigued with it, pressed the Captain to make the best of his Way to the Southward, which was immediately done by a general Consent; the Cargo which was on board being proper for the West India Market. The Wind the 2d of December was more moderate, and not blowing over hard, until the 4th in the Night, when a Storm arose at W.N.W. and they continued before the Wind the remaining Part of the Night. The next Day the Storm continuing, about four in the Afternoon, the Pump was suck; about five the Captain and Crew found they had sprung a Leak, and required both Pumps, which were set to Work directly; but notwithstanding all they could do, it continued gaining upon them; and about 8 in the Evening they found the Vessel to be full of Water, and Pumping to be of no Manner of Service. They had all this Time no Sail set, excepting the Forsail, which they secured as soon as possible, and got the Foreyard close down, the Vessel then remaining to the Mercy of the Seas and full of Water. The Crew had then no Thoughts in this dismal Situation, but to secure what Provision and Water they could, and get some salt Pork and Beef from out of the Steerage, and likewise two small Cheeses. The Meat they secured by making a Hole, and then putting a Rope through it, with which they tied it to the Quarter Deck, which was the only Part that remained out of the Water. The Negro Man, Longford by Name, and Cook, were both lost that Night. The second Day after this proved moderate, when they broke open the Forecastle, by which Means two Casks of Water, and a Barrel and Half of Apples, floated to the Scuttle, which they got upon the Quarter deck, and there secured them. The 9th of December, about the Dusk of the Evening, in a very severe Squall, the Vessel fell on her Starboard Broadside, when the Crew all got in the best Manner they could on the Broadside to Windward, the Sea making a Breach over them, and very cold. The Squall continued Half an Hour, and then abated: In the Squall William Langdon and John Ollson were lost; and on looking after what Provision they had secured, found the Water, Apples and Cheese all gone, and nothing but the Pork and Beef remaining, and the Vesselupper Deck broke up, not any Thing remaining in it; from this Time they had never a Drop Water, but what the Heavens at Times afforded them, and no other Sustenance but the salt ork. Either the 12th or 13th David Brown proved delirious, often asking for Beer, Cyder, and other Liquors, and was in the Night lost. From this to the 15th they had some light Showers of Hail, but could save but a small Quantity, which each as soon as they got it eagerly devoured, and gave them small Relief. The 16th Nathaniel Barnes, the Mate, died upon the Deck with Hunger and Cold, and was thrown into the Sea. The 17th the Lumber that was between Decks, was chiefly washed away, and the Remainder of the Crew thought it best, if by any Means they could, to cut away the Main mast. There were Carpenters and other Tools in the Steerage, which was then full of Water, and no Possibility of getting them but by diving, which Capt. Pierce himself did, and recovered an Iron Crow, and a Carpenter Ax, by the Help of which they cut away the Main mast. The Day after this Timothy Cotton proved delirious, jump overboard, and was drowned. Capt. Pierce, with the remaining Men, were now in the greatest Distress, and on the 19th Thomas Chambers, and Williams were both delirious, having frequently drank their own Urine. There was then a hard Gale of Wind, and the Sea broke very much over them, on which Day the two last mentioned Men were washed overboard. Capt. Pierce from this Day, the 19th, to the 24th, remained alone, expecting every Hour to be his last, but was happily delivered by the Elizabeth, Capt. martin, bound from Halifax in Nova Scotia, to Oporto. They had no Bread from the Day they were wreck, and had no Liquor but that aforementioned.

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