The British government realizes that with the …

Years: 1758 - 1758
February
The British government realizes that with the Fortress of Louisbourg under French control, there is no way that the Royal Navy can sail up the St. Lawrence River for an attack on Quebec unmolested.

After the expedition against Louisbourg in 1757 led by Lord Loudon was turned back due to a strong French naval deployment, the British under the leadership of William Pitt has resolved to try again with new commanders.

Pitt assigns the duty of capturing the fortress to Major General Jeffrey Amherst.

Amherst's brigadiers are Charles Lawrence, James Wolfe and Edward Whitmore, and command of naval operations is assigned to Admiral Edward Boscawen.

The chief engineer is John Henry Bastide, who had been present at the first siege of Louisbourg in 1745 and had been chief engineer at Fort St Philip, Minorca, in 1756 when the British had surrendered the fort and island to the French after a long siege.

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