USA > Maine > The history of the state of Maine; from its first discovery, A. D. 1602, to the separation, A. D. 1820, inclusive, Vol. I > Part 58
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Castine's af- front con- a 2d Indian war: The treatment which Castine had received gave him great nected with umbrage. He considered the plunder of his house a wanton outrage upon him, being fully able, as he believed he was, to justify all his conduct towards the English ; and fully determined never to submit to their domination. Nor had he any great re- gard for the government of France. He preferred to be the ruler of the Indians-and indeed his influence among them was su- preme.
Moved by motives, which are hereafter to be more fully stated, though somewhat connected with his advice, the Indians com- menced hostilities in August. Immediately every fort, between Piscataqua and Penobscot, was repaired and put in the best pos-
* At Penobscot-Baron Castine, his family, and Ranne, his servant .- At Edgemoragan Reach-Charles St. Robin, his son and daughter, and La Flour and his wife .- At " Mount Desarts," viz. at Pel.t Pleasants, Lowry, wife and child, [French] ; Hinds, wife and 4 children, [English] : and on the east side of Mount Desert, " at Winscheag Bay," Cadilac and wife .- At Machias-Martel, John Bretoon, wife, and a child of Jersey ; Lattre, wife, and 3 children .- Ait Passamaquoddy and St, Croix-St Robin, wife and son; Letrell; John Minns, wife and 4 children; Lambert, and Jolly Cive, his servant ; Zorza, and Lena, his servant ;- perhaps 45 souls, See, 1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. p. 82-3. 3d. Series.
+ In July, 1688, Nicholas Manning, Esq. was appointed by Governor An- dros, Chief Magistrate and Judge of the Court, in the Province of the Duke of York, called Sagadahock, or the County "of Cornwall ;" [Ses ante, A, D. 1665,] provided Henry Joscelyn was not present,
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ture of defence ; and in September, soldiers were enlisted or A. D. 1688. detached, for an eastern expedition,
But when Governor Andros returned to Boston, he wholly dis- Gov. An- approved of the measure, and utterly refused to have war de- dros' procla- clared. He believed a kind and generous course of conduct ination. towards the Indians, was better policy ; and on the 20th of Oc- Oct. 20. tober, he issued his Proclamation, by which he ordered all the Indian prisoners to be discharged ; and commanded the savage aggressors immediately to set at liberty every one of his Majesty's subjects, they had taken, and to surrender for the purpose of trial and punishment, by Nov. 11, every Indian concerned in the late homicide. He also strongly encouraged the tribes, if they were desirous of peace and safety, to dwell near the Eng- lish towns and settlements, and give early proof of their mutual or friendly dispositions. But they paid no regard to his mandates or encouragements,-our prisoners being released, while theirs were retained ; and some of them in their barbarous frolics, were actually put to death.
Perceiving war to be inevitable, he rushed into the opposite ex- His eastern treme. Determined now to subdue the savages, or frighten expedition, them into terms, he collected a force of 800 men ;* and, late in November, he led them into the eastern country, breathing threats and slaughter. The expedition was opposed by all the more wise and considerate, and like most of his projects, proved in the end to be abortive. His soldiers suffered incredibly with cold and fatigue, and several of them perished, Never had an officer juster cause of chagrin than he ; for in all his excursions, he neither killed a savage, nor took a captive.
To cloak and varnish this inglorious adventure, he proceeded to establish garrisons through the eastern country ; and if we may credit his own statements, eleven were manned and well sup- He estab- lishes 11 plied. 1. At Pemaquid, he stationed two new companies of 60 garrisons. men each, under Col. E. Tyng and Capt. Minot, joined by 36 reg- ulars ; and gave the command of the garrison to Capt. Brockholt and Lieut, Weems, 2. In New-Dartmouth fort, now Newcastle, he placed 24 of the regular soldiery under Lieut. John Jordan ;
* 1 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 474 .- Belknap says 700 ;- Eliot says 1,000; and it is added by President Danforth, that Sir Edmund had as many in ay in 1689.
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A, D. 1688. also Capt. Withington's company of 60 men. 3. The little fort on the eastern side of the Sheepscot, [one account says Damaris- cotta,] was to be relieved every week from the garrison at New. Dartmouth. 4. At Sagadahock ; 5. at Newton on Arrowsick Island ; 6. at Fort Anne ;* and 7. at Pejepscot, he distributed 40 of the regular troops, and two militia companies of 60 men each ; and gave the command to Lieut. Col. McGregory, Maj. Thomas Savage and Capt. Manning. 8. At Falmouth,-FORT LOYAL was commanded by Capt. George Lockhart, and manned by his company of 60 soldiers. 9. At Saco, Andros stationed Capt. Lloyd and his company, also a detachment of 28 men, from the troops under the command of Maj. Henchman and Capt. Bull. 10. The fort at Kennebunk, commanded by Capt. Puddington, was to be relieved from Saco. 11. And lastly the fort at Wells was to be relieved in the same manner. The whole A. D. 1689. number, in service and under pay through the winter, and dis- tributed among the forts, was 566 men.+ The Governor caused several forts to be repaired, particularly at New-Dartmouth and at Pejepscot [or Brunswick lower falls] ; and put in requisition three government vessels, the sloop Mary, sloop Speedwell, and brig- This expe- dition fruit- less. antine Samuel. All this was merely a military movement or display-neither the result of wisdom, experience, or sound judgment ; nor yet promotive of any considerable public good.§ Had he been in the least acquainted with the habits of the In- dians, or listened even to the statements of hunters ; he would have known, that these tenants of the forest retire in the autumn from the sea-board, and pass the winter upon their hunting births in the interior wilderness.
Andros' ad- An administration of sixteen months, closed the career of An- ministration dros in New-England. Unfortunately for his purpose, he found lasts only 1 year and 4 months. himself in the midst of a generation, constituted of the first emi- grants and their patriot sons ; who were schooled to the doctrine of principles and consistent measures,-and alive to every senti-
* Perhaps this was on the peninsula, at Popham's ancient fort.
+ Mr. Eliot says Andros returned " with a part of his army, having put the remainder into winter quarters in two forts, viz. one at Sheepscot and the other at Pejepscot falls."-Biog. p. 34.
# They were commanded by John Alden, John Wiswell and J. Hook.
§ The garrisons might deter the savages from incursions .- Chalmers, p. 429.
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ment of liberty, civil, religious and rational. Equality of rights A. D. 1689. was a maxim inscribed upon the tables of their hearts. But by tame submission, to rulers in whose appointment their wishes were not consulted ; to laws, in making which they had no voice ; to taxes, imposed and appropriated without their consent ;* to at- tacks upon the sacred rights of conscience, and the title-deeds of their homes, without resistance,-were to put on at once, and tamely wear the chains of slavery. The popular and mighty struggle in the mother country against popish hierarchy and des- potic domination, under king James and his adherents, was well understood through the colonies ; and the triumphs of liberty and privilege were news most ardently desired and daily expected. Such a prospect must have inspired our provincial patriots and statesmen here, with a bolder spirit of reform. In the spring a general murmur of discontent spread through the community ; which was followed by the flashes of a rumor, that the Gov- ernor's guards were to be let loose upon Boston. Half-smothered indignation could no longer be suppressed. The smitten spark set the public in flames ; and early in the morning of April 18th, April 18. the populace threw the Governor and thirty of his most obnox- ious partisans into confinement. Several of them, such as An- tion. The revolu- dros, Dudley, Randolph, West, Palmer, Graham, Sherlock and Farwell, were not allowed to be enlarged, on any bail that could be offered.+
Next, through the united solicitation of the town's people, and Provisional- hundreds who immediately rushed in from the country, Simon ment. govern- Bradstreet, late Governor, Thomas Danforth, late Deputy-Gov- ernor and President of Maine, and thirteen other men of firm- ness and distinction, were induced to take the direction of the revolutionary changes, and to interpose their influence for pre- venting, if possible, all extravagances in the reforms undertaken ; and they at last prevailed upon Andros, to surrender the keys of government, and the command of the fortifications.} On the
* Men in Ipswich were fined and imprisoned, because rates were re- fuscd, to be assessed or paid .- 1 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 473.
+ Some of them were in close prison 20 weeks .- I IIutch. Hist. p. 348.
# Hutch. Coll. r. 570 .- President Danforth says, in a letter, July 30, to. Mr. Mather, the changes in England makes " the arbitrary commission of Sir Edmund, null and void," as on a demise of the crown.
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A. D. 1689. third day the tumult ceased ; though the shock continued to be felt in every part of the administration, for a much longer time.
April 20. A conven- tion and council of safety.
May 2
May 22. May 24 Charter rights re- sumed,
A general convention of the people having assembled, April 20, for the purpose of considering the broken state of public affairs, appointed Messrs. Bradstreet, Danforth and 35 others- " A COUNCIL FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE AND CONSERVA- " TION OF THE PEACE," and chose Isaac Addington, clerk, and Wait Winthrop, Commander-in-chief of the militia. On recom- mendation of this Council, delegates were chosen by towns, to the number of 66 ; and convening in assembly, May 2, con- firmed the new provisional government, and advised to a meeting of the General Court, which was consequently holden at Boston on the 22d of the same month, by representatives from 54 towns. In session, the House determined " to resume the gov- ernment according to charter rights ;" and on the 3d day, Governor Bradstreet, Danforth, Deputy-Governor, and the As- sistants, chosen in May, 1686, were prevailed upon to signify in writing their " acceptance of the care and government of the peo- ' ple, according to the rules of the charter, until by direction ' from England," there be an orderly settlement of government.'
Revolution in England. -James II. retires to France .- William and Mary The report of a great political overturn in England, which had been so strongly anticipated, during the late revolutionary chan- ges in the colony, was fully confirmed by an arrival, May 26, to the great and general joy of all New-England. It was now cer- proclaimed. tain, that James II. had abdicated the English throne on the 12th of December past, f and gone to France ; and that his son-in- law, William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland, and Mary his wife, the king's daughter, were proclaimed, Feb. 16, king and queen of England.
Affairs in Maine.
During the past three years, the Province of Maine had ex- perienced peculiar vicissitudes. A new and promising administra- tion, commenced under the executive magistracy of President Danforth, had been exceedingly weakened, if not entirely paraliz- ed ; for by vacating the charter of Massachusetts, abolishing the legislative power that appointed him to office, and shifting the paramount command into other hands, the authority, at least, of
* The election was afterwards annually continued, till the arrival of the new charter.
{ Or, " December 23d, 1688."-1 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 474.
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the President became problematical.
Nevertheless, the towns A. D. 1689. and settlements were constantly filling with inhabitants, till the late ravages of the Indians had somewhat damped the spirits of the people, and possibly given a check to enterprize. At any rate, every thing was deranged and unsafe; for though the country had been garrisoned at great expense, the people considered them- selves in jeopardy; and surely, no other colony or province in New-England ever suffered an equal complication of evils with Maine, merely through want of a settled efficient government.
The news of the revolutionary changes in Boston, when they reached the eastern garrisons, occasioned great disturbances .- From some of them the soldiers withdrew and went home ;* in others they seized their officers, particularly Brockholt, M'Greg- ory, and Lockhart,t and sent them to Boston ; and in no one was there due subordination. To rectify, therefore, and settle the military, ' the Council of Safety,' immediately after the Board was constituted, appointed Major Charles Frost, to command the C. Frost and western, and Col. Edward Tyng, the eastern regiment; and it command- E. Tyng seems, they also had the superintendance of the garrisons, ex- eastern ants of the cepting the one at Pemaquid. This, at the request of the in- militia. habitants, was still kept by Lieut. Weems, who was directed by Massachusetts to take charge of all the public stores belonging to that important post, till orders, daily expected, be received from England.}
The Council of Safety, May 15th, confirmed the former Coun- Govern- cillors of the Province,-viz. Charles Frost, Francis Hook, Ed- ward Tyng, John Davis, Joshua Scottow, Samuel Wheelwright, and John Wincoln ; all of whom were afterwards established in their official trust by the General Court, on the 24-5th of the same month ; and Mr. Danforth was fully restored to the office and authority of Provincial President.
Our Council were ' empowered and directed to consult, advise, ' determine and put in execution, whatever they should judge ' necessary for the public peace and safety, and the common ' good, in the present exigency of affairs ; or, upon any emergen-
* 2 Math. Magnal. p. 510 .- Some, he says, took occasion " to desert their stations in the army." + 6 Mass. Rec. p. 6.
16 Mass, Rec. p. 20, 22 .- By this it appears, that Massachusetts assumed a command over the late ducal province.
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ment of Maine re- confirmed.
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A. D. 1689. ' cy which might occur within the Province ; and all the officers ' and people therein, were commanded to observe the orders of ' the President and Council.
Delegation from the Tarratines.
About this time, Madockawando, from Penobscot, accompanied by several Indians and an interpreter, visited Boston. They stat- ed that Castine was highly affronted with the English for plun- dering his house ; and that a great war was apprehended. The government treated them with the greatest courtesy-loaded them with presents-made them repeated promises of protection and kindness, if they continued peaceable-and gave them a passage home in the colony sloop. To Castine, a very respectful address was prepared by the government and sent by Capt. Alden, the master, exculpating the present administration from all censure on account of the ill-treatment he had received, and making propo- sals of an amnesty upon generous terms. Presents were also prepared for Wonnolancet and his tribe, at Penacook ; and more- over, Capt. Noah Wiswell, with 30 friendly Indians, well armed and equipped, was despatched eastward to protect York, Wells, and other unfortified places .*
A letter from king William.
A gracious address, received from king William, entirely al- layed the anxieties of the public, occasioned by the late revolu- tion. In a royal instruction issued by him, Aug. 12, "to the Governor, Council and Convention of Representatives" in Mas- sachusetts ; he authorized them ' to continue their care and trust, ' in the administration of government and preservation of the ' public peace, till further directions be received ;'-commanding them to send over Andros and his accomplices, to answer in the kingdom for his mal-administration. On their arrival at Court, they were slightly examined before the privy Council, and then discharged. Andros was afterwards appointed Governor of Vir- ginia ; and Dudley, chief justice of New-York.t
All the prospects and hopes, which had been entertained, that an Indian war might be avoided, were at length shrouded with deep gloom, by the gathering storm in Europe. France had received king James into her bosom, and was warmly espousing his cause against William and Mary. Hence, usurpers-hugue-
A rupture feared be- tween the English and French.
* 6 Mass. Rec. p. 12.
+ 1 Hutch. Hist. p. 347-8-350 .- Eliot's Biog. Dic. only names Andros, Dudley and Randolph. There are no government-records found in Bos- ton, as made during Andros' administration.
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nots-execrable transgressors of all laws, human and divine, A. D. 1689. binding upon filial love and obedience-were the most elegant epithets bestowed upon them. In return, James was denounced as a despot,-a papist,-a traitor,-unworthy to rule or live among the lovers of true liberty or religion. Connect these for- tuitous circumstances with a long-existing rivalship between France and England, fed by jealousy and pride, and enfuriated by the flames of religious dissensions ; and we are not surprised to find war inevitable between the two kingdoms. Nay, war be- tween popery and protestantism-between power and right, had already commenced ; and the first sparks of this electric effer- vescence were felt to the extremities of their respective dominions.
The French on this side of the Atlantic, seemed to commence aggressions with an eager haste, and pursue them with malignant fury. The Canadians took the lead by instigating the Indian tribes to join them, and fall with exterminating rapacity, upon the outer settlements of New-England-particularly in New-Hamp- shire and Maine. Southerly, the French privateers were infesting the Acadian coast, and taking all the English colonial vessels which fell in their way .* In the interior, the Jesuit missionaries were inflaming the resentments of the savages against the en- croaching settlers, calling them " English heretics." Some at- tacks and captures had already been made; and as soon as war was proclaimed at Boston, Dec. 7,+ between England and claimed, France, the General Court resolved upon a course of measures Dec. 7. and preparations, for regaining Nova Scotia and reducing Que- bec.į
War pro-
Early in the spring, therefore, eight vessels and 700 men be- A. D. 1690. sides boys, were in readiness for the meditated expedition. In against N. Expedition the public estimation, the fittest man to take the command was Scotia. Sir William Phips; and to him the commission was given.
Sir William was a native of this State, born in Woolwich upon Sir William the Sheepscot, Feb. 2, 1650 ;- one of the youngest of his moth- Phips. er's 26 children, 21 being sons. Bereaved of his father, when a child, he passed his boyhood with his mother till he was 18; af- terwards learning the trade of a ship-carpenter, and acquiring some
* 1 Hutch. Hist. p. 352.
t In England, war was declared against France, May 7, 1689.
# The French, settled in New-France, were now 11,249 persons .- 41 Universal Hist. p. 47.
-
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A. D. 1690. education. About the time of Philip's war, he built a ship in Sheepscot river ; and being driven away by the Indians, he be- came a seafaring adventurer. In some of his voyages, he heard, that a Spanish ship laden with silver, had been wrecked and sunk half a century before, not far from the Bahama Islands. He told the interesting story to the Duke of Albemarle ; and en- tering into an agreement with him, sailed twice under his auspi- ces, from England into those waters, in search of the wreck. During the second voyage, in 1687, after indefatigable efforts, he found it, between 40 and 50 feet under water ; and took from it the immense treasure of 34 tons of silver, besides gold, pearls and jewels-equivalent in value to $1,350,000. Of this treas- ure his part exceeded $70,000, besides a golden cup worth $4,000 presented to his wife by his noble patron. For his en- terprize, success and honesty, king James II. conferred upon him the order of knighthood, and appointed him high-sheriff of New- England. This was during the administration of Andros, with whom he differed so widely in politics, that he declined the of- fice .*
Conquest of Nova Scotia.
May 20.
To command the present expedition, he was thought to pos- sess every qualification. His little squadron, destined against Nova Scotia, left Boston harbor on the 28th of April. It con- sisted of seven sail-a frigate of 40 guns, two sloops, one of 16, the other of 8 guns, and four ketches.t Sir William proceeded directly to Port-Royal, which being in no capacity to stand a siege, surrendered at discretion. He then put on board his frigate Maneval, the Governor, a military officer and 38 soldiers ; and in visiting Chidabucto, Isle Perce, St John, and other French settlements, he took formal possession of the whole country and coast to Penobscot, including the Islands. He appointed a Gov- ernor over the Province, assigned him a council of six mem- bers,¿ and returned to Boston, May 30, with his prisoners, also
* Phips married a daughter of Roger Spencer of Saco, a young widow, late consort of John Hull, merchant of Boston, where he dwelt for a peri- od, after his removal from Sheepscot river. He had no child. Spencer Phips was his nephew and adopted son. The specie found, consisted of pieces of eight, bullion, and solid ingots of silver, which Dr. Mather says were call- ed " sows and pigs."-See his 2 .Magnal. p. 151-208 .- Danforth's Letter, April, 1690 .- 1 Hutch. Hist. p. 353.
+ 40 Univ. Hist. p. 62.
# 1 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 178,
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with plunder thought to be sufficient in amount, to defray the A. D: 1690. whole expense of this short expedition .* It was supposed, the French population at this time in the entire Province did not ex- ceed 2 or 3,000 souls.t Sir William was now holden in high estimation ; and, at the general election this spring, he was for the first time chosen into the Massachusetts Board of Assistants.
The easy conquest of Nova Scotia inspired the colonists with Expedition fresh courage and renovated zeal, in the premeditated enterprize Canada. of reducing Canada to a British Province. In consideration of the fishing, the fur-trade, the masting-business, and the deep-rooted enmity of the Canadians towards the English colonies ; it were far better policy, as many argued, for the crown to expend thou- sands of pounds in conquering the country, than to let it remain in possession of the French .¿ The idea was well conceived ; and never was sagacity more truly prophetic of what New-Eng- land would find to be her true interest.
The magnitude of the enterprize was universally realized .- New-England and New-York agreed to join in preparing 40 armed vessels, and raising 4,000 men. Half of them were to embark on board the fleet, under Sir William, the Commodore, who was to attack Quebec ; and the other half were ordered to take up their marchi by land, under the command of Maj. Gen. John Winthrop, of Connecticut, who was to lead them against Montreal. Most earnest solicitations were also sent to England by express, and presented to the king, for several frigates and a supply of arms and ammunition ; and such were the uncommon exertions of the people, that in two months, the colony forces were in readiness to be put in motion.
But, unhappily, no naval armament nor military stores arrived from England ; while the best part of the season was wasting, and the enemy was probably gaining every advantage by the de- lay. Influenced by these considerations, Sir William sailed, Au- gust 9th ; and Gen. Winthrop arrived at Wood-creek, near the August 9. southerly end of Lake Champlain, early in the same month .- Here he met with great discouragements. Only 70 Mohawk
* 2 Math. Magnal. p 522.
+ 2 Hutch. Hist. p. 13 .- 1 Holmes' A. Ann. p. 474,-3 or 4,000 ; but Hali- burton says, vol. 1. p. 68, only 900 on the Peninsula of Nova Scotia.
Į Danforth's Letter, A. D. 1690.
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A, D. 1690. warriors had appeared to join him ; the number of batteaux and canoes provided, was not half enough to transport his men across the lake ; his provisions and supplies were short ; and after due deliberation he ordered a retreat, or rather return, of his whole army .*
October 5. The fleet, retarded by fortuitous incidents and events, did not arrive before Quebec, till the 5th of October. Next morning the Commodore. addressed a note to Count Frontenac, the Gov- ernor, demanding a surrender. But the haughty nobleman, ren- dered more insolent by tidings from Wood-creek, returned a con- temptuous answer, adding,-You and your countrymen are her- etics and traitors. New-England and Canada would be one, had not the amity been prevented by your Revolution.t Phips, though thwarted by contrary winds, was able, on the 8th, to ef- fect a landing of about thirteen hundred effective men, upon the Isle of Orleans, four miles below the town ; and to commence a cannonade from his shipping, among which were frigates carrying 44 guns. But their approach was repelled and prevented by the long guns in the French batteries ; and the land forces were vio- lently assailed and harassed by the French and Indians from the woods. Amidst these and other discouragements, the Commo- October 11. dore, on the 11th, learned from a deserter, the condition and great strength of the place ; and the same day he and his troops re- embarked with precipitation.
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