Drucour signed the paper at midnight, and in the morning a body of grenadiers took possession of the Dauphin’s Gate.  The rude soldiery poured in, swarthy with wind and sun, and begrimed with smoke and dust; the garrison, drawn up on the esplanade, flung down their muskets and marched from the ground with tears of rage; the cross of St. George floated over the shattered rampart; and Louisbourg, with the two great islands that depended on it, passed to the British Crown.  Guards were posted, a stern discipline was enforced, and perfect order maintained.  The conquerors and the conquered exchanged greetings, and the English general was lavish of courtesies to the brave lady who had aided the defence so well.  “Every favor she asked was granted,” says a Frenchman present.

Drucour and his garrison had made a gallant defence.  It had been his aim to prolong the siege till it should be too late for Amherst to co-operate with Abercromby in an attack on Canada; and in this, at least, he succeeded.

Five thousand six hundred and thirty-seven officers, soldiers, and sailors were prisoners in the hands of the victors.  Eighteen mortars and two hundred and twenty-one cannon were found in the town, along with a great quantity of arms, munitions, and stores.[590] At the middle of August such of the prisoners as were not disabled by wounds or sickness were embarked for England, and the merchants and inhabitants were sent to France.  Brigadier Whitmore, as governor of Louisbourg, remained with four regiments to hold guard over the desolation they had made.

[Footnote 590:  Account of the Guns, Mortars, Shot, Shell, etc., found in the Town of Louisbourg upon its Surrender this day, signed Jeffrey Amherst, 27 July, 1758.]

The fall of the French stronghold was hailed in England with noisy rapture.  Addresses of congratulation to the King poured in from all the cities of the kingdom, and the captured flags were hung in St. Paul’s amid the roar of cannon and the shouts of the populace.  The provinces shared these rejoicings.  Sermons of thanksgiving resounded from countless New England pulpits.  At Newport there were fireworks and illuminations; and, adds the pious reporter, “We have reason to believe that Christians will make wise and religious improvement of so signal a favor of Divine Providence.”  At Philadelphia a like display was seen, with music and universal ringing of bells.  At Boston “a stately bonfire like a pyramid was kindled on the top of Fort Hill, which made a lofty and prodigious blaze;” though here certain jealous patriots protested against celebrating a victory won by British regulars, and not by New England men.  At New York there was a grand official dinner at the Province Arms in Broadway, where every loyal toast was echoed by the cannon of Fort George; and illuminations and fireworks closed the day.[591] In the camp of Abercromby at Lake George, Chaplain Cleaveland, of Bagley’s Massachusetts regiment,