A large collection of shipping gathered in the port of Falmouth, Cornwall with the intention of sailing across the Atlantic Ocean in convoy to supplement the garrison in Quebec with soldiers of the 100th Regiment of Foot.

In addition to this unit, replacements for regiments already in British North America, the families of the soldiers being sent abroad, several government officials, and numerous private passengers also took passage.

The passage was substantially worse than had been anticipated, with the convoy experiencing severe autumn storms in the North Atlantic, with strong winds and heavy seas.

Early in the morning of 22 October, the ship was driven ashore by high winds and in dense fog on the south coast of Cape Breton Island close to Louisbourg.

Two Friends lost her masts and frantic efforts were made to prevent it drifting off into deep water, where it would have sunk with all hands.