Sir William Pepperrell, with the assistance of Commodore
Warren's fleet, had taken this fortress. But at the peace
of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, when Wolfe had just come of
age, it was given back to France.

Ten years later, when Wolfe went out to join the second
army that was sent against it, the situation was extremely
critical. Both French and British strained every nerve,
the one to hold, the other to take, the greatest fortress
in America. A French fleet sailed from Brest in the spring
and arrived safely. But it was not nearly strong enough
to attempt a sea-fight off Louisbourg, and three smaller
fleets that were meant to join it were all smashed up
off the coast of France by the British, who thus knew,
before beginning the siege, that Louisbourg could hardly
expect any help from outside. Hawke was one of the British
smashers this year. The next year he smashed up a much
greater force in Quiberon Bay, and so made 'the eye of
a Hawke and the heart of a Wolfe' work together again,
though they were thousands of miles apart and one directed
a fleet while the other inspired an army.

The fortress of Louisbourg was built beside a fine harbour
with an entrance still further defended by a fortified
island. It was garrisoned by about four thousand four
hundred soldiers. Some of these were hired Germans, who
cared nothing for the French; and the French-Canadian
and Indian irregulars were not of much use at a regular
siege. The British admiral Boscawen had a large fleet,
and General Amherst an army twelve thousand strong. Taking