Brunswick Septr. th: 20th. 1758—
Sr,
I Had the favour of your Several Letters of the 28th of Aug: and of the 8th & 9th Instant, with the Inclosed yesterday, at Wilmington, upon my Return here from a little Excursion up this River, and gave them to one of the officers who was to go this day to New Bern, with a Letter to My Nephew Secretary Spaight desiring him to Inclose them all in a Packet to Governr. Fauquier at Williamsburg, to forward them; which I thought the Safest and Speediest way. I Hope your News from the back Country will be Confirmed as I hear from the Northward that Genl. Forbes was marched and near Fort Du Quesne, but we have not yet had any account of it from the northward—
Having an opportunity of a Sloops Sailing from thence, as you had not then any account of the taking of Louisburg, and this may be soon with you; we have had authentic accounts of its having Surrenderd the 26th of July, the Garison made Prisoners of War, and to be Sent to England, and the Inhabitants to France They had 4000 men in Garison, and about 3000 Seamen in their Ships, in the Harbour, 1500 of which were Killed in the Siege, and about 300 English; the night before they Surrenderd, a Captn of a Sloop of war with 500 Seamen in Boats, went into the Harbour, and Cut out the Prudent of 74 Guns, but She running ashore they burnt her, and carried away another of 64 Guns under Shelter of the Light House Battery; the other 3 Line of Battel Ships had been burnt before, and the Apollo Sunk in the Harbour, So they were all destroyd but one Ship of the Line, and 2 frigates, one, the Echo, we had taken before and one in the Harbour. This is confirmed by a master of a Sloop arrived here from Boston who was in Louisburg 3 days after it Surrenderd, and Staid there 8 days, and then Sailed to Boston, and was fraighted to carry provisions to Louisburg from Connecticut, but the Contractor Sent an Express after him not to load them, for 5 Regiments were orderd from Louisburg to winter in Boston, so our Campaign there is over, and from new york I hear Abercrombie will do nothing more, and is much blamed for his shameful Retreat; By the Letters from London of June th 17th, the Troops were reimbarked from St Malves without Loss of a Man, and Commadore How was Sent to Marlaix to destroy 70 Ships which were there, whilst Lord Anson was to sail round to Brest water with the large Ships, they talked of Embarking 10000 more men; they had then no account from the King of Prussia, but that he was Covering the Siege of Olsnutz, and very near Count Daun the 24th of May—That Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick had passed the Rhine in sight of the French army without opposition and had defeated 2 Battalions on the other side and had taken Guilders Mount, and Keysars went and had invested dusseldorf and wisal—The Russians dont advance and the Swedish Resident was sent off from London upon account that the Swedes would not Receive our Ministers Credentials because he had been with the King of Prussia before he went to Stockholm.
This is all the European news we have here—I Had yr former Letter about Taylour and shall be obliged to you to Know when he returns from his privateering—
I am with Truth Sr
yr. Excellency's
Most Obedient
Humble Servant
Arthur Dobbs