To the captains other officers & seamen, who with a detachment of boats from the freet commanded by Admiral Boscawen burnt the Prudent & took the Bienfaisant in Louisbourgh Harbour, about 1 o'clock in the morning of the 26th. July 1758 : in memory of that singular & brave action. [engraving]
1771
P&E L2002F157f
Available at Main Library
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Title
To the captains other officers & seamen, who with a detachment of boats from the freet commanded by Admiral Boscawen burnt the Prudent & took the Bienfaisant in Louisbourgh Harbour, about 1 o'clock in the morning of the 26th. July 1758 : in memory of that singular & brave action. [engraving]
Published
London John Boydell 14 Feb.ry, 1771.
Description
1 print ; 41 x 60 cm. on sheet 42 x 60 cm.
Call Number
P&E L2002F157f
Note
Battle scene showing the Prudente fully in flames while the Bienfaisant is leaving the harbor. The city of Louisbourgh is seen in the background.
Engraved captioning describes additional details of the event. To the left it reads: "Capt.n. Laforey with 25 boats attacked and took the Prudent of 74 guns but finding her aground was obliged to burn her" and on the right it reads: "Capt.n. Balfour with 25 boats attacked, took, and towed off the Bienfaisant of 64 guns into the N. E.harbour, then in possession of the British troops." Below the title, in the center, it reads: This representation is humbly inscribed, by their most obedient servant, Rich.d Paton."
An ink wash grisaille print on paper of this battle is filed as P&E L2001F111f, and may have been the copy provided by Paton to Canot for this engraving.
During the seige of Louisbourg by the British, under Generals Amherst and Wolfe, two French ships, the Prudente and the Bienfaisant, severely galled the army. Admiral Boscawen ordered these two vessels to be attacked, and accordingly, two armed boats from each of the British ships were selected and placed in charge of Commanders George Balfour and John Laforey. At midnight they started on their mission, entered the harbour unperceived, and arrived within hail of the French ships, when the sentries challenged and fired into them. The British boats then separated, boarded with three hearty cheers, and in a short time both the enemy's vessels were in the possession of the seamen, with slight loss. The cheers of the captors revealed to the men in the batteries what had ocurred, and immediately they opened a heavy fire upon the prizes, but this did not deter the British from attempting to carry out their intention. The Prudente, however, was fast aground, so she was set on fire, but the Bienfaisant was brought triumphantly out of the harbour. Commanders Balfour and Laforey were for this action promoted.
Engraved captioning describes additional details of the event. To the left it reads: "Capt.n. Laforey with 25 boats attacked and took the Prudent of 74 guns but finding her aground was obliged to burn her" and on the right it reads: "Capt.n. Balfour with 25 boats attacked, took, and towed off the Bienfaisant of 64 guns into the N. E.harbour, then in possession of the British troops." Below the title, in the center, it reads: This representation is humbly inscribed, by their most obedient servant, Rich.d Paton."
An ink wash grisaille print on paper of this battle is filed as P&E L2001F111f, and may have been the copy provided by Paton to Canot for this engraving.
During the seige of Louisbourg by the British, under Generals Amherst and Wolfe, two French ships, the Prudente and the Bienfaisant, severely galled the army. Admiral Boscawen ordered these two vessels to be attacked, and accordingly, two armed boats from each of the British ships were selected and placed in charge of Commanders George Balfour and John Laforey. At midnight they started on their mission, entered the harbour unperceived, and arrived within hail of the French ships, when the sentries challenged and fired into them. The British boats then separated, boarded with three hearty cheers, and in a short time both the enemy's vessels were in the possession of the seamen, with slight loss. The cheers of the captors revealed to the men in the batteries what had ocurred, and immediately they opened a heavy fire upon the prizes, but this did not deter the British from attempting to carry out their intention. The Prudente, however, was fast aground, so she was set on fire, but the Bienfaisant was brought triumphantly out of the harbour. Commanders Balfour and Laforey were for this action promoted.
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