in Canada.  Thus they will all be destroyed, and the memory of their fate will live forever in our colonies....  It remains, Monsieur,” continues the paper, “to remind you that the councils you have held thus far have been composed of none but military officers.  I am not surprised at their views.  The glory of the King’s arm and the honor of their several corps have inspired them.  You and I alone are charged with the administration of the colony and the care of the King’s subjects who compose it.  These gentlemen, therefore, have had no regard for them.  They think only of themselves and their soldiers, whose business it is to encounter the utmost extremity of peril.  It is at the prayer of an intimidated people that I lay before you the considerations specified in this memorial.”

“In view of these considerations,” writes Drucour, “joined to the impossibility of resisting an assault, M. le Chevalier de Courserac undertook in my behalf to run after the bearer of my answer to the English commander and bring it back.”  It is evident that the bearer of the note had been in no hurry to deliver it, for he had scarcely got beyond the fortifications when Courserac overtook and stopped him.  D’Anthonay, with Duvivier, major of the battalion of Artois, and Loppinot, the first messenger, was then sent to the English camp, empowered to accept the terms imposed.  An English spectator thus describes their arrival:  “A lieutenant-colonel came running out of the garrison, making signs at a distance, and bawling out as loud as he could, ‘We accept!  We accept!’ He was followed by two others; and they were all conducted to General Amherst’s headquarters."[589] At eleven o’clock at night they returned with the articles of capitulation and the following letter:—­

     Sir,—­We have the honor to send your Excellency the articles of
     capitulation signed.

     Lieutenant-Colonel D’Anthonay has not failed to speak in behalf of
     the inhabitants of the town; and it is nowise our intention to
     distress them, but to give them all the aid in our power.

     Your Excellency will have the goodness to sign a duplicate of the
     articles and send it to us.

     It only remains to assure your Excellency that we shall with great
     pleasure seize every opportunity to convince your Excellency that
     we are with the most perfect consideration,

     Sir, your Excellency’s most obedient servants,

     E. BOSCAWEN.  J. AMHERST.

[Footnote 589:  Authentic Account of the Siege of Louisbourg, by a Spectator.]

The articles stipulated that the garrison should be sent to England, prisoners of war, in British ships; that all artillery, arms, munitions, and stores, both in Louisbourg and elsewhere on the Island of Cape Breton, as well as on Isle St.-Jean, now Prince Edward’s Island, should be given up intact; that the gate of the Dauphin’s Bastion should be delivered to the British troops at eight o’clock in the morning; and that the garrison should lay down their arms at noon.  The victors, on their part, promised to give the French sick and wounded the same care as their own, and to protect private property from pillage.