Mowat had set a deadline of 9 am on October 18 for the town's response.
 By 9:40, the town appeared to be deserted, so he ran a red flag up the Canceaux's masthead and ordered the fleet to begin firing.
 Incendiary cannonballs set fire to the harbor installations and most of the town's houses and public buildings.
 One witness reported:
The firing began from all the vessels with all possible briskness, discharging on all parts of the town… a horrible shower of balls from three to nine pounds weight, bombs, carcasses, live shells, grapeshot and musketballs.…
The firing lasted, with little cessation, until six o'clock.

When the bombardment appeared inadequate to Mowat, he sent a landing party to set fire to any buildings that had survived.
 The town militia offered little significant resistance, as most were helping their families to safety.
 In spite of this, some of the landed British marines were killed or wounded.
By evening, according to Mowat, "the body of the town was in one flame".
Mowat had set a deadline of 9 am on October 18 for the town's response.  By 9:40, the town appeared to be deserted, so he ran a red flag up the Canceaux's masthead and ordered the fleet to begin firing.  Incendiary cannonballs set fire to the harbor installations and most of the town's houses and public buildings.  One witness reported:
The firing began from all the vessels with all possible briskness, discharging on all parts of the town… a horrible shower of balls from three to nine pounds weight, bombs, carcasses, live shells, grapeshot and musketballs.… The firing lasted, with little cessation, until six o'clock.
When the bombardment appeared inadequate to Mowat, he sent a landing party to set fire to any buildings that had survived.  The town militia offered little significant resistance, as most were helping their families to safety.  In spite of this, some of the landed British marines were killed or wounded. By evening, according to Mowat, "the body of the town was in one flame".
Burning of Falmouth