Warren went wild with rage when he heard of the horrors that had befallen an English scouting party which had fallen into the hands of a band of Indians and Frenchmen, and hideously tortured.  He wrote stern protests to Duchambon, and it was at this time that he urged Pepperrill most earnestly to attack.  But the more phlegmatic officer could not see it in that way.  Warren then argued with increasing heat that by this time the French reinforcements must be near, and could easily steal up under cover of the fog which was thick there every night.  When Pepperrill still objected he lost his temper entirely, and said and wrote a number of peppery things.  “I am sorry,” he said, “that no one plan, though approved by all my captains, has been so fortunate as to meet your approbation or have any weight with you!”

Pepperrill explained imperturbably that Warren was trying to take too much authority upon himself.  Captain Peter sent him a furious note:  “I am sorry to find a kind of jealousy which I thought you would never conceive of me.  And give me leave to tell you I don’t want at this time to acquire reputation, as I flatter myself mine has been pretty well established long before!”

And then, as full of temper as a hot-headed schoolboy, he brought out a letter from Governor Shirley expressing regret that Captain Warren could not take command of the whole affair,—­“which I doubt not would be a most happy event for His Majesty’s service.”

Even this could not shake the General’s superhuman calm.  He was indeed so quiet about it, and so uniformly polite, that his fiery associate was simply obliged to cool off.  He was of too genuinely fine fibre to bear a grudge or to make a hard situation harder, and he consented to compromise, saying truly that at such times it was “necessary not to Stickle at Trifles!”

At last the time came for action, and on the seventeenth of June they took Louisbourg, in a most brilliant and stirring manner, and Warren was so wild with delight that he could not contain himself.  He scribbled a note to Pepperrill which sounds like the note of a rattle-pated college lad instead of a distinguished naval commander:  “We will soon keep a good house together, and give the Ladys of Louisbourg a gallant Ball.”

He probably gave that ball, too, though there doesn’t seem to be any record of it.  He certainly had a beautiful time going about making speeches to the troops, amid much cheering; and dispensing casks of rum in which to drink his health and King George’s!  He was made the English Governor of the fortress temporarily, and when the news of their capture reached England both commanders were knighted and Peter Warren was made Rear Admiral of the Blue.

And in the height of the excitement a ship arrived at Louisbourg one fine day bearing Susanna herself, who had come in person to see that the hero of the day was really safe and sound!

A letter written from Louisbourg on September 25th, and published in the Weekly Post Boy, gives this account: