Louisbourg, siege of (1758). Situated on Cape Breton Island, the fortress of Louisbourg protected access to French Canada, via the great waterway of the St Lawrence river. It was the most formidable fortification in North America, but it had fallen once before, in 1745, to a combined British operation. In July of 1758, a British force of 11, 600 under Amherst was able to capture it again after a sustained land and naval bombardment weakened the defences. The French garrison surrendered and 5, 600 prisoners and 239 guns were taken. Cutting off communications between France and the still very active and hitherto successful French forces in the interior, it was a turning point in the French and Indian war.
— Toby McLeod
