Sketches of the Restigouche

By Irene Doyle


Lord Byron, Battle of the Restigouche

        FAME, Bay of Chaleurs,
July 11th, 1760

        Sir,

        Please to acquaint their Lordships that after I finished the letter I send enclosed with this, giving an account of my proceedings till the 18th of last month, I received late that evening the letter of intelligence from General Whitmore which I now likewise enclose to their Lordships. I immediately waited upon the Governor and applied to him for Pilots for all the ships and gave orders to their respective Captains to get everything ready for sailing the next morning. Our sails being all on shore we got them off with the Governor's assistance before the morning, bent them, and got to sea before noon, which was as soon as the wind would permit us, having given the Rendezvous off Goint (Point?) Goscha (Miguasha?) in the Bay of Chaleurs. The Pilots the General sent us all declared they knew nothing of the matter and so it proved.

        At night we were off Flint Island when it came on to blow very hard at 3? with very thick rainy weather. I made the signal to bring to. The next day it continuing to blow strong we saw but one ship in company and presently lost sight of her again. At noon it clearing a little I made the signal to make sail and soon after for altering the course. At 4 I saw the Island of St Pauls but no ship in company. The next morning I made the Madeleine Islands and the next day got into the Bay of Chaleurs.

        I there saw a schooner and chec'd her under the French Colors but lost her in the night when we were very near to her. The 22nd we got up to the Island Tischiniket and Point Goscha (miguasha) (as we took it to be) bearing NW about 4 miles, and now being at a loss for the channel and the water shoal and rolling about calm we came to an anchor.

        The haze clearing from the land we saw a schooner at an anchor close under Point Goacha. We immediately hoisted the boats cut, mann'd and? them and sent them after her, she slipp'd her cable and with the air there was put before it, our boats came fast up with her engaged and took her but not before they had run her ashore they had upwards of forty men on board, fired several times at our people but hurt none. She was a large vessel, had six carriage guns two of them six pounders and ten swivels.

        Mr. Cummins, 2nd Lt. who commanded the boats got her (I) off easily and brought her to us that night but all her people saved themselves in the woods. On the 24, I sent the boats to sound the channel and found it extremely narrow. We got under sail with the wind right at end and made several trios but gained very little as she had hardly gather'd way before it was time to go about again.

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