The Conquest

The Anglo-American Attack

Fort Beausejour Taken

Camp of the British 43rd Regiment during the siege of Fort Beauséjour, June 1755

Caption: Camp of the British 43rd Regiment during the siege of Fort Beauséjour, June 1755

The British decided to immediately take the offensive on land as well, and to attack the forts defending the isthmus of Chignectou. On June 3, 1755, a powerful contingent of Anglo-American troops, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monkton of the regular army, disembarked only a few kilometres from Fort Beauséjour. To face these 2,000 attackers, Commander Louis Du Pont Duchambon de Vergor had only 150 soldiers from the Compagnies franches de la Marine and a dozen canonniers-bombardiers. The fort was soon under siege, and the shelling lasted several days, as would any siege in Europe. On June 16, a large English bomb went through the roof of a casemate that was supposed to be bombproof and killed many of its occupants. Vergor laid down his weapons. The following day, Fort Gaspareau fell before it was even attacked. This defeat deprived the French of an important foothold in Acadia, at the very doorstep of Nova Scotia, without, however, truly threatening the security of Canada.